1784 - Political Events

Political Events

The Ottoman Turks accept Russian annexation of the Crimea in the Treaty of Constantinople signed January 6 (see 1783). Construction has begun on a naval base and fortress that is given the name Sevastopol (see Crimean War, 1854).

The Holy Roman Emperor Josef II abrogates the Hungarian constitution July 4 following a revolution in Transylvania. He removes the crown of Hungary to Vienna and suppresses Hungarian feudal courts.

The Continental Congress meets at Annapolis and ratifies the Treaty of Paris January 14, bringing the War of Independence to a formal end. Thomas Jefferson serves on a congressional committee that studies how the land between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River should be governed. The committee submits its Report on Government for Western Territory March 1, but while the United States claims sovereignty over the region, Native American tribes in the Ohio and Mississippi valleys continue to govern their own territories; Britain, France, and Spain have their own designs on the region (see Northwest Ordinance, 1787). Congress remains in session until August 13.

India's governor general Warren Hastings resigns his office amidst charges of imperious behavior and returns to England, where he becomes the subject of a parliamentary inquiry with a view to impeachment (see 1782). His Whig opponents suggest that he provided aid to the nabob of Oudh against the Rohiilla Afghans, connived in the forfeiture of property belonging to the dowager princesses (begums) of Oudh, and punished the Zemindar of Benares for not complying with a demand for aid in the first Mahratta War. He has in fact worked to make British rule acceptable to the Indians—appointing native revenue officers, codifying the law, unifying currency, paving Calcutta's streets, founding schools, creating a postal service, and improving the water supply, despite almost constant opposition from members of his own council, top brass in the British Army, East India Company directors, French imperial rivals, Afghan tribesmen, and the English-language press (see 1788).

The India Act that becomes law in Britain August 13 establishes a new constitution for the 184-year-old East India Company. Put through by Prime Minister William Pitt, it prohibits company interference in native affairs, forbids any declaration of war except in the event of aggression, and makes Company directors answerable to a board appointed by the crown (see 1783; Sepoy Rebellion, 1857).

Burma's king Bodawpaya invades the maritime kingdom of Arakan on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal, captures its king Thamada, and takes 20,000 prisoners home as slaves (see 1785).

Spain's Carlos III undertakes administrative reforms in the nation's American colonies, creating 18 intendancies in place of the numerous alcadldias mayores and corregimientos. The intendancy of New Spain (Mexico) is paramount, but each intendant is given a substantial degree of autonomy in its sphere, with responsibility for improved education and social conditions plus the development of useful arts and sciences, all with a view to increasing economic production.

Ethiopian strongman Mikael Sehul is defeated in battle by a coalition of Galla (Oromo) nobles after 25 years of rule (see 1769). He is permitted to return to his native Tigray Province and dies at Adwa at age 92 (approximate), having ended the nation's ancient Solomonid dynasty.