1677
Events
January–June
- January 1 - Jean Racine's tragedy Phèdre is first performed, in Paris.
- January 21 - The first medical publication in America is produced in Boston.
- February - The first arrest is made in the case that will develop into the "Affair of the Poisons" in France.
- March 17 - Franco-Dutch War: Siege of Valenciennes in the Spanish Netherlands ends with surrender of the town to the French.
- April 6 - Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor visits the University of Innsbruck.
- April 11 - Franco-Dutch War: Battle of Cassel - A French force under Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, defeats a combined Dutch-Spanish force under William of Orange in French Flanders.
- April 16 - The Statute of Frauds is passed into English law.
- May 29 - The Treaty of Middle Plantation establishes peace between the Virginia colonists and the local Indians.
- May 31 - Scanian War: Battle of Møn - Danish ships clash with a Swedish fleet under Niels Juel, between Fehmarn and Warnemünde; the Danish defeat the Swedish and capture a number of ships.
- June 25-26 - Scanian War: Siege of Malmö - Danish attackers fail to take the town from the Swedish.
July–December
- July 14 - Sweden defeats the Danes in the Battle of Landskrona.
- August - The French guild of the Maitresses bouquetieres is founded in Paris.
- October 29 - Michel le Tellier becomes Chancellor of France.
- November 4 - The future Mary II of England marries William of Orange.
- November 16 - French troops occupy Freiburg.
Date unknown
- The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith is written.
- Spinoza's Ethics is published as part of his Opera Posthuma in Amsterdam.
- Elias Ashmole gifts the collection that begins the Ashmolean Museum to the University of Oxford in England.
- Charles II of England makes Henry Purcell his court musician.
- Jules Hardouin Mansart begins la place Vendôme in Paris.
- Francis Aungier, 3rd Baron Aungier of Longford, is created 1st Earl of Longford in the Peerage of Ireland.
- The John Roan School is established in Greenwich, London.
- Belgian missionary Louis Hennepin observes and describes the Niagara Falls, thus bringing them to the attention of Europeans.
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz gives a complete solution to the tangent problem.
- Antonie van Leeuwenhoek observes spermatozoa under the microscope.
- The use of male impotence is ended as a factor in French divorce proceedings.
- Ice cream becomes popular in Paris.
- The population of Paris first exceeds 500,000.
Births
February 3 - Jan Santini Aichel, Czech architect February 4 - Johann Ludwig Bach, German composer February 8 - Jacques Cassini, French astronomer May 4 - Françoise-Marie de Bourbon, youngest daughter of Louis XIV August 27 - Otto Ferdinand von Abensperg und Traun, Austrian field marshal September 17 - Stephen Hales, English physiologist, chemist, and inventor October 20 - Stanisław Leszczyński, King of Poland date unknown*William Dummer, acting Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony *Li Ching-Yuen, Chinese herbalist, martial artist and tactical advisorDeaths
January 8 - Sir John Fowell, 2nd Baronet, English politician January 18 - Jan van Riebeeck, Dutch founder of Cape Town January 31 - Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach February 9 - George Horner, English politician February 21 - Baruch Spinoza, Dutch philosopher March 18 - Marie Luise von Degenfeld, morganatic second wife of Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine of Germany March 28 - Václav Hollar, Czech-born actor April 22 - Václav Eusebius František, Prince of Lobkowicz, Austrian field marshal and prince May 4 - Isaac Barrow, English mathematician May 20 - George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol, English statesman May 22 - William, Margrave of Baden-Baden May 23 - John, Count of Nassau-Idstein May 24 - Anders Bording, Danish writer June 11 - Jacques Esprit, French writer June 23 - Wilhelm Ludwig, Duke of Württemberg June 18 - Johann Franck, German poet and hymnist July 30 - Fabian von Fersen, Swedish soldier July 11 - Timothy Turner, English judge, actor July 27 - Johannes Loccenius, German historian August *Matthew Locke, English composer * Joseph Pardo, English-Jewish hazzan August 1 - George Christian, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg August 20 - Pierre Petit, French astronomer, military engineer, and physicist August 28 - Wallerant Vaillant, painter of the Dutch Golden Age September 11 - James Harrington, English political philosopher September 12 * Tønne Huitfeldt, Norwegian landowner and military officer * Camillo Massimo, Italian cardinal, patron of the arts October 9 - Gustav Adolph, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken and general sergeant of the Holy Roman Empire at the Rhine October 14 - Józef Bartłomiej Zimorowic, Polish poet November 2 - Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, English politician November 9 - Aernout van der Neer, Dutch painter November 11 * Johann Weikhard of Auersperg, Austrian prime minister * Barbara Strozzi, Italian singer and composer November 14 - Matthias Abele, Austrian jurist, mine official December 13 - Thomas Howard, 5th Duke of Norfolk, English noble December 14 - Christian Albert, Burgrave and Count of Dohna, German nobleman and general in the army of Brandenburg December 26 - Bernhard Gustav of Baden-Durlach, Swedish general, Prince-Abbot and cardinal date unknown - Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury
