Year (''' MDCLVI ''') was a Leap Year Starting On Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Year Starting On Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian Calendar ).
- July - In an attempt to rescue survivors of the '' Vergulde Draeck '', a search party was sent ashore, in ''Goede Hoop'''s boat, which smashed against rocks and sank: 8 sailors drowned; 3 more disappeared ashore.
- 12 August - King Philip ( Metacomet ), the chief of the Wampanoags that had waged war throughout southern New England in a war that bore his name, was killed after a party led by Benjamin Church tracked him down.
- December - The Pendulum Clock is invented by Christiaan Huygens .
- May 31 - Marin Marais , French composer and viol player (died 1728 )
- June 5 - Joseph Pitton De Tournefort , French botanist (died 1708 )
- August 6 - Claude De Forbin , French naval commander (died 1733 )
- September 6 - Guillaume Dubois , French cardinal and statesman (died 1723 )
- September 14 - Thomas Baker , English antiquarian (died 1746 )
- October 20 - Nicolas De Largillière , French painter (died 1746 )
- October 29 - Edmond Halley , English scientist (died 1742 )
- ''date unknown''
- --- Patrick Abercromby , Scottish physician and antiquarian (died c. 1716 )
- --- Maria Oriana Galli-Bibiena , Italian Painter (died 1749 )
- --- Kateri Tekakwitha , a Native American beatified in the Roman Catholic Church (died April 17 1680)
: ''See also .''
- January 3 - Mathieu Molé , French statesman (born 1584 )
- March 21 - James Ussher , Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland (born 1581 )
- April 24 - Thomas Fincke , Danish mathematician and physicist (born 1561 )
- April 27 - Jan Van Goyen , Dutch painter (born 1596 )
- June 9 - Thomas Tomkins , Welsh composer (born 1572 )
- July 2 - François-Marie, Comte De Broglie , Italian-born French commander (born 1611 )
- August 11 - Prince Octavio Piccolomini, Duke Of Amalfi , Austrian field marshal (born 1599 )
- September 8 - Joseph Hall (English Bishop And Satyrist) , English bishop and writer (born 1574 )
- October - Stephen Bachiler , English clergyman (born c. 1561 )
- October 3 - Myles Standish , Mayflower colonist (born c. 1584 )
- October 8 - John George I, Elector Of Saxony (born 1585 )
- November 6 - King John IV Of Portugal (born 1603 )
- December 27 - Andrew White , Apostle of Maryland (born 1579 )
: ''See also .''
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