1657

Events

January 8 – Miles Sindercombe and his group of disaffected Levellers are betrayed in their attempt to assassinate Oliver Cromwell by blowing up the Palace of Whitehall in London and are arrested.<ref name="british-civil-wars timelines">Template:Cite web</ref>
January 29 – Rule of the Major-Generals (regional military government) in England is abolished.<ref name="CBH1657">Template:Cite book</ref>
February 4 – Resettlement of the Jews in England: Oliver Cromwell gives Antonio Fernandez Carvajal the assurance of the right of Jews to remain in England.
February 23 – In England, the Humble Petition and Advice offers Lord Protector Cromwell the crown.<ref>Template:Cite ODNB</ref>
March 2 – The Great Fire of Meireki in Edo, Japan, destroys most of the city and damages Edo Castle, killing an estimated 100,000 people.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
March 23 – Anglo-Spanish War (1654–60): By the Treaty of Paris, France and England form an alliance against Spain;<ref name="Cassell's Chronology267268">Template:Cite book</ref> England will receive Dunkirk.

April 20
- Anglo-Spanish War – Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife: English Admiral Robert Blake attempts to seize a Spanish treasure fleet.
- The Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City) are granted freedom of religion, as full citizens.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
May 8 – Lord Protector Cromwell confirms his refusal of the crown of England, preferring the title "Lord Protector".<ref name="british-civil-wars timelines"/>
June 1
- King Frederick III of Denmark signs a manifesto, de facto declaring war on Sweden.
- The first eleven Quaker settlers arrive in New Amsterdam (later New York City), and are allowed to practice their faith.

July 13 – Following his refusal to take the oath of allegiance to Oliver Cromwell, English army leader John Lambert is ordered to resign his commissions.<ref name="british-civil-wars timelines"/>
August 20 – The ship Les Armes d'Amsterdam arrives at Quebec, New France. Among the passengers is Michel Mathieu Brunet dit Lestang (1638–1708), colonist, explorer and co-discoverer of modern-day Green Bay, Wisconsin, and ancestor of the Brunet, Lestang and Carisse families of North America.
September 19 – Brandenburg and Poland sign the Treaty of Wehlau.
September 24 – The first autopsy and coroner's jury verdict in the Colony of Maryland are recorded.
September – Shah Jahan becomes ill, allowing his son to take control of the Mughal Empire.

The Accademia del Cimento is founded in Florence, Italy.
England's first chocolate house is opened in London<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and introduction of tea in England<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> while coffee is introduced to France.
Christiaan Huygens writes the first book to be published on probability theory, De ratiociniis in ludo aleae ("On Reasoning in Games of Chance").
Andreas Gryphius' drama Katharina von Georgien is published in Breslau.
Thomas Middleton's tragedy Women Beware Women (c. 1623–24) is published posthumously in London.<ref name="Cassell's Chronology267268"/>