Chronology of events:

For some events, the year is certain but the month and day are not. Example: We know only the year for the collections of Leeuwenhoek's letters published in Dutch during his lifetime.

For other events, the season or month are certain but the day is not. Example: Leeuwenhoek mentions that someone visited him "last month".

On the other hand, many events did indeed happen on the first day of a month. Example: public appointments to Delft's city offices took effect on January 1 of each year. Thus:

  • A date of January 1 in a given year may indicate that the year is certain but the month and day are not.
  • A date of 1 in a given month may indicate that the year and month are certain but the day is not.

Unless otherwise indicated, for events in England, the date given is Old Style, 10 days behind the Dutch Republic's New Style until 1700 and then 11 days behind.

Date
October 6, 1685 Visited by Karl von Hessen-Kassel and Willem Meester
October 12, 1685 Wrote Letter 47 of 1685-10-12 (AB 88) to Members of the Royal Society
December 25, 1685 cousin Elisabeth Maertens Leeuwenhoek married Dirck van Schie
January 1, 1686 Sat for his oil portrait by artist Johannes Verkolje (1650-1693)
January 1, 1686 Published Cinnaber Naturalis (Natural Cinnabar), Letters 48 - 52
January 1, 1686 Published Levende Dierkens (Living Animals), Letters 28 - 31, 34 - 36
January 22, 1686 Wrote Letter 48 of 1686-01-22 (AB 89) to Members of the Royal Society
January 27, 1686 The Royal Society elected Edmond Halley as clerk
March 2, 1686 Edmond Halley wrote a letter to Leeuwenhoek reviewing his recent "ingenious and curious communications"
April 2, 1686 Wrote Letter 49 of 1686-04-02 (AB 90) to Members of the Royal Society
May 14, 1686 Wrote letter of 1686-05-14 (AB 91) to Antonio Magliabechi
May 14, 1686 Wrote Letter 50 of 1686-05-14 (AB 92) to Members of the Royal Society
May 19, 1686 The Royal Society decided to send a gift to Leeuwenhoek
May 25, 1686 Edmond Halley wrote a letter to Leeuwenhoek about a gift from the Royal Society and requesting some portraits
June 8, 1686 Bought a burial section in the Oude Kerk
June 10, 1686 Wrote Letter 51 of 1686-06-10 (AB 93) to Members of the Royal Society
June 16, 1686 The Royal Society officers declared their satisfaction with election of Edmond Halley
July 10, 1686 Wrote Letter 52 of 1686-07-10 (AB 94) to Members of the Royal Society
September 7, 1686 Examined silkworm eggs
September 10, 1686 Wrote letter of 1686-09-10 (AB 95) to Daniël Papenbroek
October 30, 1686 Wrote letter of 1686-10-30 (AB 96) to Antonio Magliabechi
January 1, 1687 cousin Maarten Pieters Hogenhouck (1650-1720) appointed to Veertigraad, served 1687-1720
January 1, 1687 Published Vervolg der Brieven (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53 - 60
January 1, 1687 Published Anatomia Seu Interiora Rerum (Interior Anatomy), Letters 43, 42, 38
January 1, 1687 Published Anatomia Seu Interiora Rerum (Interior Anatomy), 19 Letters from 28 - 52
January 11, 1687 cousin Magdaleentje (Helena) Maertens Leeuwenhoek married Barent van Frijtom
March 1, 1687 Wrote letter of 1687-03-01 (AB 97) to James II, King of England
March 28, 1687 mentor Constantijn Huygens died
April 4, 1687 Wrote Letter 53 of 1687-04-04 (AB 98) to Members of the Royal Society
May 9, 1687 Wrote Letter 54 of 1687-05-09 (AB 99) to Members of the Royal Society
June 11, 1687 cousin Adriaen Lambrechts Leeuwenhoek admitted as notary
June 13, 1687 Wrote Letter 55 of 1687-06-13 (AB 100) to Members of the Royal Society
July 11, 1687 Wrote Letter 56 of 1687-07-11 (AB 101) to Members of the Royal Society
August 6, 1687 Wrote Letter 57 of 1687-08-06 (AB 102) to Members of the Royal Society
September 9, 1687 Wrote Letter 58 of 1687-09-09 (AB 103) to Members of the Royal Society
October 7, 1687 Appointed curator of the insolvent estate of Evert van der Sijde
October 17, 1687 Wrote Letter 59 of 1687-10-17 (AB 104) to Members of the Royal Society
November 24, 1687 nephew Johannes Adriaans Swalmius married Magdelena van Mierop
November 28, 1687 Wrote Letter 60 of 1687-11-28 (AB 105) to Members of the Royal Society
January 1, 1688 Published Vervolg der Brieven (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53 - 60 (2nd)
April 2, 1688 printer-bookseller Hendrik van Cronevelt bought the house next door
May 25, 1688 Wrote Letter 61 of 1688-05-25 (AB 106) to Members of the Royal Society
July 6, 1688 Wrote Letter 62 of 1688-07-06 (AB 107) to Members of the Royal Society
August 3, 1688 Wrote Letter 63 of 1688-08-03 (AB 108) to Members of the Royal Society
August 24, 1688 Wrote Letter 64 of 1688-08-24 (AB 109) to Members of the Royal Society
September 7, 1688 Wrote Letter 65 of 1688-09-07 (AB 110) to Members of the Royal Society
September 23, 1688 Wrote letter of 1688-09-23 (AB 111) to Melchisedec Thevenot
November 1, 1688 Published Den Waaragtigen Omloop des Bloeds (On the True Circulation of Blood), Letter 65
January 1, 1689 Published Tweede Vervolg der Brieven (Second Continuation of the Letters), Letters 61 - 67
January 1, 1689 Published Continuatio Epistolarum (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53-60
January 12, 1689 Wrote Letter 66 of 1689-01-12 (AB 113) to Members of the Royal Society
January 12, 1689 Wrote letter of 1689-01-12 (AB 112) to Robert Boyle
March 6, 1689 Christiaan Huygens wrote to Leeuwenhoek about other places to see the circulation of blood
April 1, 1689 Did not write any letters between 1689 04-01 and 1691 09-18
April 1, 1689 Wrote Letter 67 of 1689-04-01 (AB 114) to Members of the Royal Society
May 27, 1689 Anthonie Heinsius became Grand Pensionary of the States of Holland
June 21, 1689 nephew Adriaan Johannes Swalmius baptized, witnessed by Antony and Cornelia
October 19, 1689 cousin Adriaen Lambrechts Leeuwenhoek married Eva Jacobs Overschie
March 6, 1690 Christiaan Huygens wrote to Leeuwenhoek about liquids in glass balls and Iceland crystal
April 3, 1690 cousin Maarten Lambrechts Leeuwenhoek married Margareta Pieters van Limburg
April 17, 1690 daughter Maria made a will
September 7, 1690 Bought the other part of the garden outside the walls of the city
January 1, 1691 Published Onsigtbare Verborgentheden (Invisible Mysteries), Letters 38, 42, 43 (2nd)
March 2, 1691 colleague Gottfried Leibniz wrote to Christiaan Huygens praising Leeuwenhoek
September 18, 1691 Wrote letter of 1691-09-18 (AB 115) to Antonio Magliabechi
November 27, 1691 Wrote Letter 68 of 1691-11-27 (AB 116) to Members of the Royal Society
December 2, 1691 mentor Cornelis 's Gravesande died
December 5, 1691 mentor Cornelis 's Gravesande buried
December 6, 1691 brother-in-law Jan Jacobs de Molijn buried
January 4, 1692 Wrote Letter 69 of 1692-01-04 (AB 117) to Members of the Royal Society

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