Timeline of Jane Austen

1790s

Year	Austen	Literary history	Political history
1790	James Austen takes up residence as curate of Overton, Hampshire Autumn – Edward Austen returns to England from Grand Tour	1 November – Publication of Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France	Parliament withdraws motions for the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts
1791	Charles Austen enters the Royal Naval Academy 15 September – James Austen becomes vicar of Sherborne St John, Hampshire 27 December – Edward Austen marries Elizabeth Bridges; they move to Rowling House, Edward's residence in Kent	February–March – Publication of Part I of Thomas Paine's pamphlet Rights of Man Publication of Elizabeth Inchbald's novel A Simple Story Publication of James Boswell's biography Life of Johnson Publication of Ann Radcliffe's novel The Romance of the Forest Publication of Smith's novel Celestina	19 April – The British parliament rejects William Wilberforce's bill to abolish the slave trade 14–17 July – Priestley Riots; rioting aimed at religious Dissenters in Birmingham August – 100,000 slaves and ex-slaves revolt against planters and the local government in French-controlled San Domingo, the wealthiest colony of the West Indies and main source of sugar and coffee in Europe
1792	27 March – James Austen marries Anne Mathew; they move to the parsonage in Deane October – Jane and Cassandra Austen visit the Lloyds at Ibthorpe House, near Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire Winter? – Cassandra Austen engaged to Rev. Tom Fowle	Publication of Robert Bage's novel Man As He Is Publication of Hannah More's pamphlet Village Politics Publication of Smith's novel Desmond	7 March – Sierra Leone is established under British rule as a home for former slaves 10 August – Attack on the Tuileries Palace leads to the deposition of Louis XVI and the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly 2–6 September – "September Massacres"; 12,000 political prisoners murdered in France 21 September – Newly elected National Convention abolishes the monarchy and officially declares France a Republic
1793	? – Austen begins to write, then sets aside, Sir Charles Grandison or the happy Man, a comedy in 6 acts 23 January – Edward Austen's first child, Fanny, born Spring – Henry Austen becomes a lieutenant in the Oxfordshire Militia 15 April – James Austen's first child, Anna, is born 3 June – Jane Austen writes last item of juvenilia Winter – Francis Austen returns home from the Far East December – Jane and Cassandra Austen visit Butler-Harrison cousins in Southampton	14 February – Publication of William Godwin's treatise Political Justice Publication of Smith's novel The Old Manor House	21 January – Execution of Louis XVI 1 February – France declares war on England 11 March – Civil war erupts in France with the revolt in the Vendée July – Beginning of the Reign of Terror in France 16 October – Execution of Marie Antoinette (pictured)
1794	22 February – Eliza de Feuillide's husband is guillotined in Paris Midsummer – Jane and Cassandra Austen visit the Leighs at Adlestrop, Gloucestershire August? – Jane and Cassandra Austen visit Edward and Elizabeth Austen at Rowling September – Charles Austen leaves the Royal Naval Academy and goes to sea Autumn? – Austen possibly writes Lady Susan	28 May – Publication of Godwin's novel Caleb Williams Publication of Blake's poems Songs of Experience Publication of Radcliffe's novel The Mysteries of Udolpho	4 February – France abolishes slavery in its colonies 7 May – The writ of habeas corpus is suspended in Britain Late July – Robespierre is executed and the Reign of Terror ends November – British radicals are acquitted at the 1794 Treason Trials
1795	Austen probably writes Elinor and Marianne 3 May – Death of Anne Mathew (James' wife) at Deane; infant Anna sent to live at Steventon rectory Autumn – Rev. Tom Fowle joins William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven, as his private chaplain for the West Indian campaign December–January 1796 – Austen's flirtation with Tom Lefroy on his visit to Ashe rectory	Hannah More (pictured) begins publishing the Cheap Repository Tracts to counteract radical publications	29 October – On the way to parliament, George III is attacked by a hungry mob 18 December – Seditious Meetings Act and Treasonable Practices Act passed (also known as the "Two Acts" or the "Gagging Acts") The Famine Year
1796	January – Tom Lefroy (pictured) leaves Ashe for London January – Tom Fowle sails for the West Indies April – Jane and Cassandra Austen visit the Coopers at Harpsden, Oxfordshire Summer? – James Austen courts Eliza de Feuillide August – Edward and Francis Austen take Jane to Rowling via London; she returns to Steventon in late September or early October October – Austen begins writing First Impressions (Pride and Prejudice) November – James Austen engaged to Mary Lloyd	Publication of Bage's novel Hermsprong Publication of Mary Hays's novel Memoirs of Emma Courtney Publication of Burney's novel Camilla Publication of Matthew Lewis's novel The Monk Publication of Madame de Staël's essay De l'Influence des passions	December – Failed French landing at Bantry Bay, West Cork, Ireland Failure of peace negotiations between Britain and France
1797	17 January – James Austen marries Mary Lloyd January – Anna returns to live at Deane February – Tom Fowle dies of fever in San Domingo and is buried at sea August – Austen finishes First Impressions 1 November – Revd. Austen unsuccessfully offers First Impressions to Thomas Cadell, London publisher November – Austen begins to revise Elinor and Marianne, which eventually becomes Sense and Sensibility November – Mrs. Austen, Jane, and Cassandra visit the Leigh-Perrots in Bath November – Edward Austen and family move from Rowling to Godmersham Park, near Godmersham, Kent Winter – Rev. Samuel Blackall visits Ashe; mild courtship of Jane Austen 31 December – Henry Austen marries Eliza de Feuillide	20 November – Publication of the first issue of the government-sponsored journal, the Anti-Jacobin Review Publication of Radcliffe's novel The Italian	February – Bank of England suspends cash payments April–June – Naval mutinies occur at Spithead and the Nore Failure of French landing in Wales
1798	August – Mr. and Mrs. Austen, Jane, and Cassandra visit Godmersham August – Austen possibly begins writing Susan (which eventually becomes Northanger Abbey) 9 August – Lady Williams (Jane Cooper) killed in a road accident 24 October – Austen and her parents leave Godmersham and return to Steventon October–November – Mrs. Austen ill 17 November – James Austen's son, James-Edward, born	June – Publication of Thomas Robert Malthus's An Essay on the Principle of Population Publication of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poems Lyrical Ballads Publication of Smith's novel The Young Philosopher	26 May – Society of United Irishmen rebel against British rule in Ireland August–September – French landing in Ireland 1 August – Horatio Nelson's victory over Napoleon's fleet at the Battle of the Nile (pictured)
1799	February – Jane Austen possibly visits the Lloyds at Ibthorpe March – Cassandra returns to Steventon from Godmersham 17 May–June – Mrs. Austen and Jane arrive in Bath, with Edward and Elizabeth End of June – Austen probably finishes Susan (Northanger Abbey) Late summer – The Austens pay a round of visits to the Leighs at Adlestrop, the Coopers at Harpsden, and the Cookes at Great Bookham 14 August – Austen's aunt, Mrs. Leigh Perrot, charged with theft and committed to Ilchester Gaol	Publication of More's Strictures on the Modern System of Education Publication of Jane West's novel A Tale of the Times	Religious Tract Society formed in Britain 9 November – 18 Brumaire; Napoleon overthrows the Directory and becomes First Consul of France

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Timeline of Jane Austen - 1790s