1715

1715 was a common year in the Gregorian calendar. It was marked by significant political upheaval in Europe and the ongoing shift in power structures across the Atlantic world.

In France, the year saw the death of Louis XIV, the Sun King, on September 1 at Versailles. His death ended a reign of 72 years and led to the accession of Louis XV, who was five years old at the time. The country entered a period of regency under Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, that would last until Louis XV reached maturity.

In Great Britain and Scotland, the Jacobite rising of 1715 began as supporters of the exiled Stuart claimant attempted to restore the House of Stuart to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The rebellion drew on rising sympathy in the Highlands and parts of northern England and culminated in the Battle of Sheriffmuir on November 13, where government forces defeated the Jacobites. The rising was ultimately suppressed within the year and its aftermath reinforced the Hanoverian settlement established after the 1714 succession of George I.

Across Europe, the year occurred amid long-standing conflicts and political realignments following earlier wars, with monarchies adjusting to new dynastic arrangements in the wake of Louis XIV’s death and the expanding influence of the House of Hanover in Britain. The events of 1715 contributed to shaping the balance of power in early 18th-century Europe and influenced subsequent developments in French, British, and broader European politics.