Year 1644 (MDCXLIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar).
Events of 1644
January - June
- January 26 - First English Civil War - Battle of Nantwich: The Parliamentarians defeat the Royalists, allowing them to end the 6-week Siege of Nantwich in Cheshire, England.
- February-August - Explorer Abel Tasman's second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia.
- March 24 - In England, Roger Williams is granted an official charter for his Rhode Island Colony, allowing the establishment of a general assembly.
- April 19 to April 22 - Battle of Shanhai Pass: The Manchu Qing Dynasty and Wu Sangui gain a decisive victory over Li Zicheng's Shun Dynasty .
- April 25 - A popular Chinese rebellion led by Li Zicheng sacks Beijing, prompting Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, to commit suicide.
- June 3 - Li Zicheng claims himself as the emperor of China.
- June 6 - The invading Manchu army, with the help of Ming general Wu Sangui, captures Beijing, China. This marks the beginning of the Qing Dynasty (also known as the Manchu Dynasty), the last imperial dynasty of China.
July - December
Undated
Ongoing events
Births
- January 10 - Louis François, duc de Boufflers, French marshal (d. 1711)
- January 18 - John Partridge, English astrologer (d. 1708)
- April 7 - François de Neufville, duc de Villeroi, French soldier (d. 1730)
- June 16 - Henrietta Anne Stuart, Princess of Scotland, England and Ireland (d. 1670)
- August 6 - Louise de la Vallière, French mistress of Louis XIV of France (d. 1710)
- August 12 - Heinrich Ignaz Biber, Bohemian composer and violinist (d. 1704)
- September 25 - Ole Rømer, Danish astronomer (d. 1710)
- October 1 - Alessandro Stradella, Italian composer (d. 1682)
- October 2 - François-Timoléon de Choisy, French writer (d. 1724)
- October 14 - William Penn, English Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania (d. 1718)
- date unknown
- See also Category:1644 births.
Deaths
- See also Category:1644 deaths.
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