Events

• Adam Smith is appointed professor of logic at the University of Glasgow
• March 31 - The future King George III of the United Kingdom succeeds his father as Prince of Wales. His mother Augusta of Saxe-Gotha becomes Dowager Princess of Wales.
• First publication of Encyclopédie

Births

• February 20 - Johann Heinrich Voß, German poet (d. 1826)
• March 16 - James Madison, later 4th President of the United States (d. 1836)
• May 24 - Charles Emmanuel IV of Savoy, King of Sardinia 1796-1802 (d. 1819)
• July 11 - Caroline Matilda of Wales (d. 1775)
• John André, English soldier (d. 1780)
• October 30 - Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Irish dramatist and politician (d. 1816)
• Thomas Sheraton, English furniture designer (d. 1806)

Deaths

• January 17 - Tomaso Albinoni, Italian composer (b. 1671)
• March 25 - Frederick I of Sweden (b. 1676)
• March 31 - Frederick, Prince of Wales
• August 30 - Christopher Polhem, Swedish scientist (b. 1661)
• October 22 - William IV of Orange (b. 1711)
• Thomas Coram, English philanthropist (b. 1668)