1665 | Political Events
Political Events
English naval forces defeat a Dutch fleet off Lowestoft June 3 as a Second Anglo-Dutch war begins, 11 years after the end of the first such war. General George Monck, 1st duke of Albemarle, commands the English fleet, Charles II bestows a knighthood on Irish-born pirate Robert Holmes, 42, and promotes him to acting rear admiral, giving him command of the new third rate battleship Defiance, but the Dutch block the entrance to the Thames in October (see 1666).
The Battle of Montes Claros results in another victory for Portugal over a Spanish army (see 1664).
Spain's Felipe (Philip) IV dies at Madrid September 17 at age 60 after a weak reign. His illegitimate son Juan José de Austria, now 36, has offended the king by hinting at an ambition to inherit the throne and is out of favor at court; Felipe is succeeded by his legitimate son Don Carlos, now 4 and nearly crippled with rickets, who will reign until 1700 as Carlos (Charles) II, last of the Spanish Hapsburgs.
Former French revolt leader César, duc de Vendôme, dies at Paris October 22 at age 71.
The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb sends an army that may number as many as 100,000 men to suppress the rebel Marathan leader Shivaji (see 1664). Led by Aurangzeb's top general Mirza Raja Jai Singh, the army is far too big for Shivaji to challenge. He sues for peace; Jai Singh agrees on condition that Shivaji and his son come to Agra and submit to being vassals of the emperor. When they reach Agra, Shivaji and his son are placed under house arrest (see 1666).
Former Qing dynasty political leader Hong Chengchou (Hung Cheng-chou) dies at his native Nan-an in Fukien province April 3 at age 71.