1684

1684 (MLXXXIV) was a leap year in the Gregorian calendar. The year saw ongoing political and military realignments across continents, as empires continued to assert influence through expansion, defense, and administration.

In East Asia, the Qing dynasty completed the incorporation of Taiwan after the campaign against the Kingdom of Tungning, bringing Taiwan under Qing administration and organizing it within Fujian’s provincial system. This marked a significant consolidation of Qing control in the region.

In Europe, power dynamics remained focused on the long arc of Louis XIV’s territorial ambitions. The continent experienced continued warfare, shifting alliances, and diplomatic maneuvering that would influence the balance of power for years to come, even as political systems clashed with rising centralization and crown authority.

Across the Atlantic and beyond, colonial powers in the Americas and Africa continued to expand settlements, control trade routes, and engage in strategic rivalries. Indigenous peoples and enslaved and coerced labor formed part of the broader, often violent, colonial encounter shaping political and economic life.

In science and culture, the era’s intellectual currents continued to affect scholarly and artistic production. Scientific societies and academies fostered inquiry in astronomy, natural philosophy, and related fields, while Baroque arts and literature flourished in European courts and colonial centers.

Overall, 1684 stood as a year of consolidation and contest, reflecting the broader patterns of early modern geopolitics, empire-building, and cultural development.