Years: 1637 1638 1639 - 1640 - 1641 1642 1643

Decades: 1610s 1620s 1630s - 1640s - 1650s 1660s 1670s

Centuries: 16th century - 17th century - 18th century 1640 in literature 1640 in science

Events

• December 1 - Portugal regains its independence from Spain and João IV of Portugal becomes king. Spain does not recognize the indepedence before 1668
• Charles I summons and rapidly dismisses the Short Parliament in an attempt to fund the second of the Bishops Wars.
• November: The English Long Parliament is summoned.
• Change of Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from Murat IV (1623-1640) to Ibrahim I (1640-1648)
• First book printed in North America, the Bay Psalm Book
• First known European coffee house opens in Venice

Births

• June 9 - Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor

Deaths

• May 30 - Peter Paul Rubens, painter
• Uriel Acosta, Portuguese Jewish philosopher, suicide