1601–1900 1662 – The Chinese general Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege. 1713 – The Kalabalik or Skirmish at Bender results from the Ottoman sultan's order that his unwelcome guest, King Charles XII of Sweden, be seized. 1793 – French Revolutionary Wars: France declares war on the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. 1796 – The capital of Upper Canada is moved from Newark to York. 1814 – Mayon in the Philippines erupts, killing around 1,200 people, which was the most devastating eruption of the volcano. 1835 – Slavery is abolished in Mauritius. 1861 – American Civil War: Texas secedes from the United States and joins the Confederacy a week later. 1864 – Second Schleswig War: Prussian forces crossed the border into Schleswig, starting the war. 1865 – President Abraham Lincoln signs the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. 1884 – The first volume (A to Ant) of the Oxford English Dictionary is published. 1893 – Thomas A. Edison finishes construction of the first motion picture studio, the Black Maria in West Orange, New Jersey. 1895 – Fountains Valley, Pretoria, the oldest nature reserve in Africa, is proclaimed by President Paul Kruger. 1896 – La bohème premieres in Turin at the Teatro Regio (Turin), conducted by the young Arturo Toscanini. 1897 – Shinhan Bank, the oldest bank in South Korea, opens in Seoul. 1900 – Great Britain, defeated by Boers in key battles, names Lord Roberts commander of British forces in South Africa.
1601:–1900 1662 – The Chinese general Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege. 1713 – The Kalabalik or Skirmish at Bender results from the O:ttoman sultan's order that his unwelcome guest, King Charles XII of Sweden, be seized. 1793 – French Rev:olutionary Wars: France declares war on the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. 1796 – The capital of Upper Canada is moved from Newark to York. 1814 – Mayon in the Philippines erupts, killing around 1,200 people, which was the most devastating eruption of the volcano. 1835 – Slavery is abolished in Mauritius. 1861 – American Civil War: Texas secedes from the United States and joins the Confederacy a week later. 1864 – Second Schleswig War: Prussian forces crossed the border into Schleswig, starting the war. 1865 – President Abraham Lincoln signs the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. 1884 – The first volume (A to Ant) of the Oxford English Dictionary is published. 1893 – Thomas A. Edison finishes construction of the first motion picture studio, the Black Maria in West Orange, New Jersey. 1895 – Fountains Valley, Pretoria, the oldest nature reserve in Africa, is proclaimed by President Paul Kruger. 1896 – La bohème premieres in Turin at the Teatro Regio (Turin), conducted by the young Arturo Toscanini. 1897 – Shinhan Bank, the oldest bank in South Korea, opens in Seoul. 1900 – Great Britain, defeated by Boers in key battles, names Lord Roberts commander of British forces in South Africa.