| January 5 | Sudden extreme cold kills 1000s of Europeans |
| January 11 | Colley Cibber's "Rival Fools," premieres in London |
| February 1 | Alexander Selkirk [Robinson Crusoe] rescued from Juan Fernandez |
| February 2 | British sailor Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being marooned on a desert island for 5 years, his story inspires "Robinson Crusoe" |
| February 12 | Alexander Selkirk, Scottish seaman is rescued after 4+ years from Fernandez Island (inspiration for Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe") |
| March 27 | Dike at Hardinxveld breaks (Alblasserwaard flooded) |
| April 12 | 1st edition of Tattler magazine in England |
| April 26 | Frisian viceroy Johan Willem Friso marries countess Maria Louisa |
| July 8 | Battle of Poltava; Russians defeat Swedes |
| August 8 | 1st known ascent in hot-air balloon, Bartolomeu de Gusmao (indoors) |
| September 3 | 1st major group of Swiss/German colonists reaches NC/SC |
| September 11 | Battle at Malplaquet: England/Austria/Dutch Great Alliance beat France |
| October 29 | England/Netherlands sign anti-French "Barrieretraktaat" |
