1740
1740 (
MDCCXL) was a leap year beginning on a Friday in the 18th century.
* By the act of English parliament, alien immigrants (including
Huguenots and
Jews) in the colonies receive British
nationality*
Enfield, North Carolina was founded
*
Adam Smith enters
Balliol College, Oxford*
George Whitefield founds the
Bethesda Orphanage* The song "
Rule Britannia" is first performed at
Cliveden*
Hertford College, Oxford, founded for first time.
January
February
*
February 20 - The
North Carolina General Assembly incorporates the town of Newton as
Wilmington,
North Carolina, named for
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington, and patron of Royal Governor
Gabriel Johnston.
March
April
May
*
May 31 -
Friedrich II comes to power in
Prussia upon the death of his father,
Friedrich Wilhelm I.
June
July
August
September
October
*
October 20 -
Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the
Habsburg hereditary dominions (
Austria,
Bohemia,
Hungary and present-day
Belgium). However, her succession to the
Holy Roman Empire is contested widely because she is a woman.
November
December
*
December 16 -
Friedrich II of Prussia invades the Habsburg possession of
Silesia, starting the
War of the Austrian Succession.
*
Jacob Schweppes, inventor and founder of the Schweppes Company (d.
1821).
*
February 4 -
Carl Michael Bellman, swedish poet and composer (d.
1795).
*March -
Johann van Beethoven, German musician and father of
Ludwig van Beethoven (d.
1792)
*
June 2 -
Marquis de Sade, French author (d.
1814)
*
August 14 -
Pope Pius VII (d.
1823)
*
August 23 - Emperor
Ivan VI of Russia (d.
1846)
*
September 29 -
Empress Go-Sakuramachi of Japan (d.
1813)
*
Juan Andres, Spanish Jesuit (d.
1817)
*
January 5 -
Antonio Lotti, Italian composer (b.
1667)
*
January 27 -
Louis Henri, Duc de Bourbon,
Prime Minister of France (b.
1692)
*
February 6 -
Pope Clement XII (b.
1652)
*
March 23 -
Olof Rudbeck the Younger, swedish scientist and explorer (b.
1660).
*
April 23 -
Thomas Tickell, English writer (b.
1685)
*
May 31 - King
Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia (b.
1688)
*
June 1 -
Samuel Werenfels, Swiss theologian (b.
1657)
*
June 6 -
Alexander Spotswood, British governor of Virginia Colony
*
June 17 -
William Wyndham, English politician (b.
1687)
*
October 5 -
Johann Philipp Baratier, German scholar (b.
1721)
*
October 20 -
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (b.
1685)
*
October 28 -
Anna I of Russia (b.
1693)
*
December 20 -
Richard Boyle, 2nd Viscount Shannon, British military officer and statesman (b.
1675)
