1740
Frederick II Ascends the Prussian Throne
Frederick, twenty-eight, flautist, atheist, poet, secret admirer of Voltaire, and long-tormented son of the soldier-king Frederick William, inherited Prussia.
Batavia Chinese Massacre
In the Dutch East India Company's capital on Java, authorities rounded up Chinese residents accused of plotting rebellion and handed them over to soldiers…
Maria Theresa Inherits the Habsburg Lands
Charles VI died, having spent decades securing the Pragmatic Sanction.
Frederick Invades Silesia
Without declaration, Prussian columns crossed the Silesian border in December snow.
Richardson's Pamela
A middle-aged London printer named Samuel Richardson published an epistolary novel about a servant girl who resisted her master's seduction attempts…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1740?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1740. The most significant is Frederick II Ascends the Prussian Throne: Frederick, twenty-eight, flautist, atheist, poet, secret admirer of Voltaire, and long-tormented son of the soldier-king Frederick William, inherited Prussia.
What era was 1740 part of?
1740 falls within the Enlightenment (1651-1800). Reason, revolution, and the first global wars.
Which regions saw notable events in 1740?
The events from 1740 span Europe and Southeast Asia.