1799
Napoleon's Coup of 18 Brumaire
Returned secretly from Egypt (leaving his army behind), Napoleon conspired with Sieyes to topple the Directory.
Death of George Washington
Washington rode his Mount Vernon farms in December sleet, came home with a sore throat, and was dead two days later - bled by his doctors, as was the custom…
Rosetta Stone Discovered
French soldiers digging fortifications in the Nile Delta village of Rosetta uncovered a slab inscribed in three scripts - Greek, demotic, and hieroglyphic.
Ranjit Singh Takes Lahore
The one-eyed Sikh chieftain - nineteen years old, covered in smallpox scars - rode into Lahore at the invitation of its citizens.
Alessandro Volta Builds His Pile
In Pavia, the Italian physicist stacked discs of zinc and silver separated by brine-soaked cloth and drew a steady current - the first battery.
Tipu Sultan Dies at Seringapatam
The Tiger of Mysore, who had fought four wars against the British and cultivated French alliances, fell in the breach of his own capital, sword in hand.
Second Coalition Defeats French at Novi
The Russian general Suvorov, pressing down from the Alps, destroyed a French army at Novi in northern Italy.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1799?
Saeculum lists 8 events from 1799. The most significant is Napoleon's Coup of 18 Brumaire: Returned secretly from Egypt (leaving his army behind), Napoleon conspired with Sieyes to topple the Directory.
What era was 1799 part of?
1799 falls within the Enlightenment (1651-1800). Reason, revolution, and the first global wars.
Which regions saw notable events in 1799?
The events from 1799 span Europe, North America, Middle East and South Asia.