1769 - Political Events

Political Events

Britain's ministry secures the expulsion of John Wilkes from Parliament for a second time February 3 (see 1768), he is reelected for Middlesex February 16, expelled once again, and reelected March 16 despite a resolution in the Commons that he is not capable of serving in the present Parliament. He is reelected once again April 13, but the Commons declares his opponent Henry Luttrell to have been duly elected. His friends and sympathizers form a Society for the Defence of the Bill of Rights to champion his cause and pay his debts; Wilkes becomes a city alderman and pursues his attacks on the ministry (see 1774).

French forces on Corsica defeat the island's nationalist defenders (see 1768); patriot Pasquale Paoli flees to England, where he receives a comfortable pension from George III (see 1790).

France's Louis XV installs the comtesse du Barry as his maitresse-en-titre April 23—4 days after her 23rd birthday (the king is 59) (see 1768). Although snubbed by the court, she gains such power that for the next 6 years she will virtually reign as the uncrowned queen. Queen Marie Leszczinska dies at Versailles June 25 at age 66, plunging the court into mourning.

Russian troops occupy Moldavia and enter Bucharest in the continuing war with the Ottoman Turks. Austrian forces occupy parts of Poland. Prussia's Friedrich II (the Great) and the Holy Roman Emperor Josef II meet in Silesia to discuss the partition of Poland.

The maharajah of Mysore Haidar Ali forces the British to sign a treaty of mutual assistance as famine devastates Bengal. The East India Company increases its demands on Bengal's remaining 20 million people to insure "a reasonable profit."

Ethiopia comes under attack from Galla (Oromo) tribesmen to the south. The emperor Iyoas calls on the nobleman Mikael Sehul, 77, to resist the invasion, Mikael occupies the capital, Gonder, with his own troops and has himself appointed regent, and when Iyoas tries to have him assassinated Mikael has Iyoas tried and hanged, ending the Solomonid dynasty that has ruled for 27 centuries. Mikhael will control the next three emperors (see 1784).

The Ottawa chief Pontiac is murdered April 20 by a Native American at Cahokia. Suspicions are rife that the British had him killed to prevent any repetition of the 1763-1766 rebellion.

Boston lawyer James Otis scuffles with an officer of the crown September 5 and suffers a severe blow to the head; now 44, he has been showing signs of mental instability, British officials have threatened to try him on treason charges, and he will hereafter have frequent periods of insanity.