Events

• January 6 - The fifth monarchy men unsuccessfully attempt to seize control of London. George Monck's regiment defeats them
• February 5 - The Shunzhi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty of China dies and is succeeded by his son the Kangxi Emperor.
• February 14 - George Monck’s regiment becomes The Lord General's Regiment of Foot Guards (which later becomes Coldstream Guards)
• April 23 - King Charles II of England, Scotland, Ireland crowned in Westminster Abbey. This is his second crowning.
• Dutch rule ends in Taiwan.
• First modern bank notes issued in Stockholm, Sweden
• Body of Oliver Cromwell exhumed and subjected to a posthumous execution.

Year in topic

• 1661 in literature
• 1661 in science

Births

• June 9 - Tsar Feodor III of Russia
• September 2- Georg Böhm, famous organist
• November 6 - King Charles II of Spain
• December 5 - Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, English statesman (d. 1724)
• Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton, supporter of William III of Orange.

Deaths

• February 5 - Shunzhi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty of China
• March 1 - Richard Zouch, English jurist (b. 1590)
• March 9 - Jules Cardinal Mazarin, French cardinal and statesman (b. 1602)
• May 27 - Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, Scottish Covenanter (beheaded)