istoryworld
Events relating to europe
English author Jane Austen publishes her first work in print, Sense and Sensibility, at her own expense
Masked Luddites smash machinery in night raids on factories in Nottingham
The citizens of Bogotá declare the independence of the province of Colombia
The colonists of Paraguay throw out their Spanish governor and declare independence
French scientist Georges Cuvier introduces scientific palaeontology with his Research on the Fossil Bones of Quadrupeds
Lord Castlereagh becomes British foreign secretary in Spencer Perceval's government
Britain's first primary school is established by Robert Owen at New Lanark in Scotland
The British prime minister, Spencer Perceval, is assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons by John Bellingham
After the death of Perceval, Lord Liverpool begins a 15-year spell as Britain's prime minister
Napoleon launches an attack on his ally, the Russian tsar Alexander I, with an army of more than 600,000 men
The French author Stendhal serves in the French army during the invasion of Russia
Damage to US trade by British orders in council prompts war (the War of 1812) between the two nations
The Spanish authorities recover control of Venezuela, ending the region's first brief spell of independence
The Spanish Cortes in Cadiz produces a strikingly liberal new constitution for Spain
The US frigate Constitution, affectionately known as 'Old Ironsides', wins successes against British warships in the Atlantic
The Russian army under Marshal Kutuzov confronts the advancing French at Borodino, and though defeated makes a successful withdrawal
After victory at Borodino, Napoleon enters Moscow to find the city abandoned and burning
The first two cantos are published of Byron's largely autobiographical poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, bringing him immediate fame
Napoleon begins the retreat from Moscow, in arctic conditions and harried by guerrilla attacks
Napoleon arrives back in Paris ahead of the remains of his army, after losing half a million men in the Russian campaign
William Hedley's Puffing Billy, the first steam locomotive running on smooth rails, goes to work at Wylam colliery
Simon Bolívar publishes the Manisfesto de Cartagena, calling on the citizens of New Granada to unite and expel the Spaniards
The king of Prussia, Frederick William III, changes sides and declares war on France
The Turks recapture Belgrade and sell thousands of Serb women and children into slavery
Wellington defeats Napoleon's brother Joseph at Vitoria, and captures his valuable baggage train
