1703
Peter the Great Founds St. Petersburg
On a swampy Neva delta claimed from Sweden weeks earlier, Peter drove the first stake into a mud island and declared a city.
Great Kantō Earthquake and Tsunami
The Genroku earthquake, estimated at magnitude 8.2, devastated the Kantō plain.
Chikamatsu Dramatizes the Ronin
The puppet playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon produced an early dramatization of the Forty-Seven Ronin on the Osaka stage.
The Great Storm of 1703
A hurricane-force cyclone tore across southern England, toppling the Eddystone lighthouse with its builder inside, killing eight thousand sailors, uprooting…
Genroku Earthquake Levels Edo
A magnitude-eight quake struck the Boso Peninsula before dawn, followed by a tsunami that swallowed fishing villages whole.
Camargo Scandalizes the Paris Opera
Marie Camargo, Belgian-born, made her Paris debut and scandalously shortened her skirts above the ankle so audiences could see her entrechats.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1703?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 1703. The most significant is Peter the Great Founds St. Petersburg: On a swampy Neva delta claimed from Sweden weeks earlier, Peter drove the first stake into a mud island and declared a city.
What era was 1703 part of?
1703 falls within the Enlightenment (1651-1800). Reason, revolution, and the first global wars.
Which regions saw notable events in 1703?
The events from 1703 span Europe and East Asia.