1683

Lore & Background

The year saw the Ottoman Empire's attempt to conquer Central Europe turned back at the Battle of Vienna on September 12, when a force of 70,000 Poles, Austrians and Germans under Polish–Lithuanian king Jan III Sobieski broke the siege. In Asia, Qing Chinese admiral Shi Lang defeated the Kingdom of Tungning, receiving its surrender on September 5. The Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb faced continued resistance from the Maratha Empire, with a battle at Kalyan on March 17 where Maratha General Hambirrao Mohite defeated a Mughal official. The Rye House Plot to assassinate King Charles II of England was discovered on June 12, leading to executions. The Brandenburger-African Company established a fort in modern-day Ghana on January 5.

Reader's Guide

Key events include the Battle of Vienna (September 12), the Qing conquest of Tungning (July–September), the Rye House Plot (June 12), and the execution of Kara Mustafa Pasha (December 25). The year also saw the founding of Germantown, Pennsylvania (October 6) and the freezing of the River Thames in England.

Did You Know?

• The Battle of Vienna on September 12 marked a turning point in the Ottoman Empire's fortunes and ended Turkish attempts to expand into Western Europe.
• Qing admiral Shi Lang led 300 ships with 20,000 troops to defeat the Kingdom of Tungning in July and September.
• The Rye House Plot to assassinate King Charles II was discovered on June 12, leading to the gruesome execution of Lord Russell on July 21.
• Kara Mustafa Pasha, the Ottoman Grand Vizier, was executed on December 25 for the loss at Vienna.
• The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford opened on May 24 as the world's second university museum.