1703
| Years: 1700 1701 1702 - 1703 - 1704 1705 1706 | |
| Decades: 1670s 1680s 1690s - 1700s - 1710s 1720s 1730s | |
| Centuries: 17th century - 18th century - 19th century 1703 in topic: Lists of leaders: | |
Events
- February 2 - Earthquake in Aquila, Italy
- February 4 - In Japan, the 47 samurai commit seppuku (ritual suicide)
- February 14 - Earthquake in Norcia, Italy
- May 27 - Founding of St Petersburg in Russia
- May 26 - Portugal joins Grand Alliance
- July 29-31 - Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a politically satirical pamphlet
- September 12 - War of the Spanish Succession – Habsburg Archduke Charles proclaimed King of Spain
- November 19 - Unknown masked prisoner dies in Bastille
- November 24 to December 2 - the Great Storm of 1703 ravages southern England and the English Channel, killing thousands
- December 27 - Portugal and England sign the Methuen Treaty which gives preference to Portuguese imported wines into England.
- A Tale of a Tub, first major satire by Jonathan Swift, published
- George Psalmanazar arrives in London
- Isaac Newton becomes the chairman of Royal Society
- Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Mustafa II (1695-1703) to Ahmed III (1703-1730).
Births
- October 5 - Jonathan Edwards, American preacher (d. 1758)
- June 28 - John Wesley, English founder of Methodism (d. 1791)
- François Boucher, French painter (d. 1770)
Deaths
- March 3 - Robert Hooke, English scientist (b. 1635)
- May 16 - Charles Perrault, French author (b. 1628)
- May 26 - Samuel Pepys, English civil servant and diarist (b. 1633)
- October 28 - John Wallis, English mathematician (b. 1616)