1762

Born in 1762:

• German philosopher Johann Fichte.
• German Chemist Jeremias Richter.
• English poet William Lisle Bowles.
• The future King George IV of Great Britain.
• Japanese woodblock artist Shunie.
• Scottish-born Australian artist Thomas Watling.
• English poet Joanna Baillie.

Died in 1762:

• Russian empress Elizaveta Petrovna.
• Italian composer Francesco Geminiani.
• French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.
• Momozono, Emperor of Japan. His sister, Princess Toshiko, ascends the throne as Go-Sakuramachi, the last female to do so.

Events of 1762:

• Seven Years' War:
• Tsar Peter III ascends the Russian throne¹.  A worshiper of Frederick the Great of Prussia, he orders an immediate halt to all military action against Prussia.  Russia then actually switches sides in the war, helping Frederick to oust the Austrians from Silesia, and helps him negotiate a peace with Sweden.
• The British capture Martinique and later St. Lucia, and then Havana, Cuba.
• The French attempt to invade Newfoundland but are repulsed at the Battle of the Bulls.
• Tsar Peter III is overthrown and later murdered by forces² loyal to his wife, who ascends the throne as Empress Catherine II, aka Catherine the Great.  Catherine pulls out of the alliance with Prussia but does not re-enter the war.
• France secretly transfers control of Louisiana to Spain.
• Henry Brooke publishes The Tryal of the Roman Catholics, advocating a relaxation of the Irish Penal Laws.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau publishes The Social Contract as well as Emile.
• The Dutch enter into a treaty with the Saramaka Maroon people of Surinam allowing the right of self-government.

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¹Russia had not yet adopted the Gregorian Calendar; Elizaveta's death and Peter's accession are often reported as happening on December 25, 1761.
²Specifically, Catherine's lover, Count Alexei Orlov.

1761 - 1762 - 1763