1691

1691 was a year in the late 17th century marked by warfare in Ireland, administrative changes in North America, and ongoing European conflict as part of the broader Grand Alliance wars. The year sits within the wider context of the wars of Louis XIV and the struggle between Catholic and Protestant powers across Europe and its colonies.

In Ireland, the year featured a decisive turning point in the Williamite War. The Battle of Aughrim on 12 July saw Williamite forces under General Godert de Ginkell defeat James II’s Jacobite army, a blow that paved the way for the end of major hostilities in the country. Later that year, on 3 October, the Treaty of Limerick was signed, formally ending the war in Ireland and outlining terms for Jacobite and Catholic supporters; many provisions were subsequently contested or altered in practice.

In North America, England reorganized its colonial governance with the Massachusetts Charter of 1691. This act merged Plymouth Colony with the Massachusetts Bay Colony to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay and established a royal governor and the General Court, reshaping colonial administration and representation.

In the broader European theater, the Nine Years' War continued, pitting France under Louis XIV against a coalition including England, the Dutch Republic, and the Holy Roman Empire. Military operations and shifting alliances characterized the year as part of this protracted continental conflict.