The last aurochs, the wild ancestor of cattle, died in a Polish forest in 1627 — 14 years after Michael Romanov was elected tsar.
The events
- Death of the last aurochs1627 · Jaktorów Forest, Poland. In 1627 the last known aurochs, a cow, died in the royal forest at Jaktorów. Polish kings had protected the herd of these wild ancestors of cattle for centuries, but not from disease and poaching. Meanwhile, the Thirty Years' War raged across Europe.
- Time of Troubles1598–1613 · Moscow. After the Rurikid dynasty died out, Russia was engulfed by famine, pretenders, civil war and Polish and Swedish intervention. Minin and Pozharsky's militia freed Moscow in 1612, and in 1613 an assembly elected Michael Romanov tsar.
More amazing facts
- 1582 · 1918 In autumn 1582 Catholic Europe jumped from 4 to 15 October, while Yermak’s Cossacks were marching on the capital of the Khanate of Sibir.
- 1598 · 1605 While False Dmitry I ruled in Moscow (1605–1606), the first part of Don Quixote came out in Madrid.
- 1600 · 1601 Some scientists think the 1600 eruption of Peru's Huaynaputina caused the cooling behind Russia's Great Famine of 1601–1603, which helped spark the Time of Troubles.
- 1605 · 1616 Cervantes and Shakespeare died in April 1616 on nearly the same calendar date — but Spain used the Gregorian calendar and England did not, so over a week really separates them.
- 1610 In 1610 Galileo discovered Jupiter's moons — while in Moscow the Seven Boyars ruled and a Polish garrison entered the city.
- 1613 · 1618 Five years after the Romanovs came to power (1613), the Thirty Years' War broke out in Europe.