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Lisbon hit by Earthquake; about 30,000 die

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, hit the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40…

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, hit the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost completely destroyed Lisbon and adjoining areas. Seismologists estimate the Lisbon earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 or greater on the moment magnitude scale, with its epicenter in the Atlantic Ocean about 200 km (110 nmi; 120 mi) west-southwest of Cape St. Vincent, a cape in the Algarve region, and about 290 km (160 nmi; 180 mi) southwest of Lisbon.

Chronologically, it was the third known large-scale earthquake to hit the city (following those of 1356 and 1531).

Historical Significance

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, hit the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time.

Events Before

  1. English King Henry VIII's divorce request is denied by Pope Clement VII

    English King Henry VIII's divorce request is denied by Pope Clement VII

  2. Final decree of the Diet of Augsburg, "The Recess," is signed by Charles V and the Catholic princes, reaffirming Catholi

    Final decree of the Diet of Augsburg, "The Recess," is signed by Charles V and the Catholic princes, reaffirming Catholic rites and principles after the departure of the Protestant princes

  3. First imperial coronation by a pope, Charles V crowned by Clement VII

    First imperial coronation by a pope, Charles V crowned by Clement VII

  4. Holy Roman Emperor convenes Imperial Diet in German city of Augsburg to address Protestant tensions

    Holy Roman Emperor convenes Imperial Diet in German city of Augsburg to address Protestant tensions

  5. Siege of Florence ends with the city's surrender to the Spanish forces of Charles I, ending the Republic of Florence

    The War of the League of Cognac (1526–1530) was fought between the Habsburg dominions of Charles V—primarily the Holy Roman Empire and Spain—and the League of Cognac, an alliance including the...

Events After

  1. King Henry VIII of England secretly marries Anne Boleyn (officially married January 25, 1533)

    Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.

  2. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captures Inca Emperor Atahualpa after a surprise ambush at Cajamarca in the Peruv

    Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captures Inca Emperor Atahualpa after a surprise ambush at Cajamarca in the Peruvian Andes

  3. Parliament of England bans payments by the English Church to Rome

    Parliament of England bans payments by the English Church to Rome

  4. England's King Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn, his 2nd wife

    Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII.

  5. King Henry VIII of England & Catherine of Aragon's marriage declared null & void by authority English clergy not the Pop

    King Henry VIII of England & Catherine of Aragon's marriage declared null & void by authority English clergy not the Pope

More from the 1530s

King Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church of England

Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547.

England's King Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn, his 2nd wife

Anne Boleyn (1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII.

English King Henry VIII's divorce request is denied by Pope Clement VII

English King Henry VIII's divorce request is denied by Pope Clement VII

King Henry VIII is recognized as the supreme head of the Church in England by the Convocation of Canterbury

King Henry VIII is recognized as the supreme head of the Church in England by the Convocation of Canterbury

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 26, 1531?
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, hit the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost completely destroyed Lisbon and adjoining areas. Seismologists estimate the Lisbon earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 or greater on the moment magnitude scale, with its epicenter in the Atlantic Ocean about 200 km (110 nmi; 120 mi) west-southwest of Cape St.
Why is Lisbon hit by Earthquake; about 30,000 die significant?
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, hit the Iberian Peninsula and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time.

Explore More

January 26 in HistoryYear 1531