1698

1698 was a common year in the Gregorian calendar, occurring in the late 17th century during a period of political realignment and expanding global networks. In Europe, the Nine Years' War had effectively concluded in 1697 with the Treaty of Ryswick; during 1698 states rearranged borders and commitments while continuing to influence diplomacy, commerce, and continental affairs. The year also sits against the backdrop of ongoing Ottoman–Christian conflicts in southeastern Europe, which would soon lead to the 1699 Treaty of Karlowitz and reshape central and southeastern Europe.

Peter the Great’s Grand Embassy, which began in 1697, concluded in 1698 with his return to Russia. He brought back Western engineers, artisans, and ideas about modernizing the Russian state, military, and industry, influencing reforms that would accelerate Russia’s emergence as a major European power.

In science and culture, the period saw continued activity of European scientific societies, with publications in astronomy, physics, and natural philosophy that fed the ongoing scientific revolution. The Baroque style remained prominent in architecture and the arts across many European courts.

Globally, European colonial and mercantile networks continued to expand. Dutch, English, and French trading companies operated across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, linking continents through commerce, exploration, and competition.

Thus, 1698 sits at a transitional moment between late 17th‑century warfare and diplomacy and the early 18th‑century shifts in empire, modernization, and globalization.