Events January–March January 9 – Robert Walpole is made Earl of Orford, and resigns as First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer, effectively ending his period as Prime Minister of Great Britain. On his formally relinquishing office five days later, he will have served 20 years and 314 days as Prime Minister, the longest single term ever, and also longer than the accumulated terms of any other British Prime Minister. January 14 – Edmond Halley dies; James Bradley succeeds him as Astronomer Royal of Great Britain. January 24 – Charles VII becomes Holy Roman Emperor. January 28? – The House of Commons of Great Britain votes on the alleged rigging of the Chippenham by-election. It becomes a motion of no confidence, which leads to the resignation of Robert Walpole. February 12 – John Carteret, 2nd Lord Carteret becomes Secretary of State for the Northern Department in Great Britain. February 15— First Silesian War, part of War of the Austrian Succession: Troops of the Kingdom of Prussia, Saxony and France, under the command of Prince Dietrich of Anhalt-Dessau, capture the Moravian town of Iglau (now Jihlava). At this point, the Saxons and French declare that their obligations to Prussia have ceased. February 16 – Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain. February 22 – Henry Fielding publishes his picaresque novel Joseph Andrews anonymously in London when "the first edition... reached the bookstalls" in the city. March 15 Denmark concludes a treaty of friendship with France, a day after the expiration of its 1739 treaty with Great Britain. The Verendrye brothers take possession of South Dakota in the name of the King of France March 29 – Acting in his capacity of Grand Duke of Lithuania, Poland's King Stanisław August Poniatowski issues a proclamation allowing Jews in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius to live anywhere except for two public streets, the Pilies street and the Galves Street. April –June April 13 – George Frideric Handel's oratorio The Messiah is first performed, in Dublin, Ireland in aid of local charities. May – In Peru, Juan Santos takes the name Atahualpa II, and begins an ill-fated rebellion against Spanish rule. Father Domingo Garcia sends the first report of the rebellion to his superiors on June 2. May 17 – Frederick the Great's army defeats the Austrians at Battle of Chotusitz in Chotusitz. May 24 – War of