1722

1722 was a year in the 18th century marked by significant political transitions in Asia and ongoing modernization efforts in Russia. In the Russian Empire, Peter the Great’s reform program continued, most notably with the introduction of the Table of Ranks, which established a formal ladder of civil and military offices and tied advancement to service rather than birth. The year also saw ongoing changes in church governance, as the Holy Synod began to oversee church affairs, reducing the traditional authority of the patriarchate after its suppression in the previous year.

In the Qing dynasty of China, the death of the Kangxi Emperor on December 20, 1722, precipitated a dynastic transition. His son, Yongzheng, ascended to the throne, inaugurating a new phase of governance that emphasized fiscal reform and centralized administration as the empire navigated internal and external pressures.

Across other regions, 1722 occurred during a period of continued global trade and state-building in various powers, reflecting broader trends of centralization and reform characteristic of the era. While no single global crisis defined the year, its events contributed to the longer arc of early modern statecraft in both Europe and Asia.

Notable death in 1722: Kangxi Emperor of China (born 1654), who died December 20, marking a major dynastic transition and the rise of Yongzheng.