Chronology: 1761–1765

1761
Month	Mozart's Life	Compositions	World Events
January	[24] Mozart learns his first musical piece, a scherzo by Georg Christoph Wagenseil.	First extant composition, Andante in C (K. 1a), from "Nannerl's Music Book" (early 1761, exact date uncertain)	[16] British capture Pondicherry; this marks the end of French dominance in India.
February
March
April
May
June
July
August			Third Family Compact between France and Spain guarantees the possessions of the Bourbon powers.
September	[1] Mozart's first documented public appearance, as a singer in the Salzburg Latin play Sigismundus Hungariae Rex.		[17] Duc de Choiseul, French foreign secretary, opens peace negotiations.
October			Austrian troops take Schweidnitz and blockade Frederick II at Bunzelwitz.
November
December		[11] First dated composition, Allegro in F (K. 1c), from "Nannerl's Music Book"	[16] Russians take Kolberg.

1762
Month	Mozart's Life	Compositions	World Events
January	With his father, Leopold, and sister, Maria Anna, Mozart visits Munich for three weeks. The children perform for the Bavarian Elector Maximilian III Joseph.	Minuet in F (K. 2)	[4] Britain declares war on Spain and Naples. [5] Tsarina Elizabeth of Russia dies and is succeeded by Peter III.
February			[12] British capture Martinique.
March		[4] Allegro in B flat (K. 3)	[10] British capture Grenada.
April			Britain ceases to subsidize Prussia.
May		[11] Minuet in F (K. 4)	[5] Treaty of St. Petersburg formalizes alliance between Russia and Prussia. [22] Peace between Sweden and Prussia by Treaty of Hamburg. Spain invades Portugal.
June			[8] Russo-Prussian alliance against Austria is formed.
July		[5] Minuet in F (K. 5)	[17] Peter III is assassinated and is succeeded by Catherine II. [21] Frederick II defeats Austrian forces at Burkersdorf.
August			[14] British capture Havana.
September	[18] Mozart departs Salzburg for Vienna with Leopold and Maria Anna.
October	[1] Mozart gives his first public performance as a musical virtuoso, at the Trinity Inn, Linz. [13] In Vienna, the Mozarts are received by Maria Theresa and her consort, Francis I, at Schönbrunn. [21] Mozart falls ill with a "rash" -- scarlet fever.		[6] British capture Manila. [29] Prussia defeats Austria at the battle of Freiburg.
November	[4] Mozart recovers from scarlet fever. [19] The family attends a gala dinner at the Hofburg in celebration of the name-day of the late Dowager Empress, Elisabeth Christine.		[1] French capitulate at Cassel and evacuate the right bank of the Rhine. [3] Peace preliminaries of Fontainebleau are signed by France, Spain and Britain. [24] Truce between Prussia, Saxony and the Empire.
December	[8] The family attends a birthday celebration for Francis I at the Hofburg. [11-18] They journey to Pressburg for additional concerts.

1763
Month	Mozart's Life	Compositions	World Events
January	[5] Mozart and his family return to Salzburg from Vienna.
February	[28] Leopold Mozart is promoted to vice-Kappelmeister at the court of Salzburg.		[10] Peace of Paris between Britain, France and Spain ends the Seven Years' War. [15] Peace treaty of Hubertusburg signed by Prussia and Austria.
March
April			[30] John Wilkes is arrested in London.
May			[6] Wilkes is released by the courts; general warrants are declared illegal. [7] Uprising of Indians under Pontiac near Detroit spreads east. [25] Internal free trade in corn in France.
June	[9] Mozart's family departs Salzburg for the "Grand Tour." They will not return until November 1766. [13] In Munich, Mozart performs for the court of Bavarian Elector Maximilian III Joseph.
July	They continue to tour Bavaria, visiting Ulm, Ludwigsburg and Bruchsal. [14] In Schwetzingen, the children perform for Elector-Palatine Karl Theodor.		"Whiteboys" revolt against agrarian hardships in Ireland.
August	At Frankfurt on Main, Mozart and his sister perform at four concerts; the 14-year-old Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is among those in the audience.
September	After stops in Coblenz, Bonn and Cologne, they perform at Aix-la-Chapelle for Princess Amalia of Prussia, the sister of Frederick the Great.
October	[7] At Brussels, a grand concert given by Mozart and his sister is attended by the Governer-General of the Austian Netherlands, Prince Charles of Lorraine, brother of Emperor Francis I.		[3] Augustus III, King of Poland, dies. [7] British proclamation assigns region west of Alleghenies as an Indian reserve and halts westward expansion.
November	[18] The Mozart family arrives in Paris.
December	[24] They are invited to Versailles, where they remain for two weeks.

1764
Month	Mozart's Life	Compositions	World Events
January	[1] The Mozarts meet Louis XV and Queen Maria Leszczynska.		[19] John Wilkes is expelled from the House of Commons for having written seditious libel; riots in London follow.
February		Sonatas for Keyboard and Violin (K. 6-7), published as "Opus 1" by Leopold in Paris.	[21] Wilkes is found guilty of seditious libel.
March	[10] First public Paris concert.
April	[9] Second Paris concert. [10] Mozart and his family depart Paris for London. [23] They arrive in London, by way of Calais and Dover. [27] Mozart and his sister perform for King George III and Queen Sophia Charlotte.	Sonatas for Keyboard and Violin (K. 8-9), published as "Opus 2" by Leopold in Paris.	[11] Treaty between Russia and Prussia guarantees the constitutions of Poland and Sweden.
May	[19] Second performance at the court.		[18] British Parliament amends the Sugar Act to tax American colonists and establish a single vice-admiralty court for the thirteen colonies.
June	[8] Leopold is afflicted with a throat inflammation; the family retires to Chelsea for several weeks' rest.
July
August
September			[17] Stanislas Poniatowski is elected King of Poland.
October	[25] Mozart and his sister perform again for the court on the fourth anniversary of the accession of George III.	Symphony in E flat (K. 16), first symphony (late 1764, exact date uncertain)
November			[26] Suppression of the Jesuits in France.
December

1765
Month	Mozart's Life	Compositions	World Events
January		Aria for Tenor, "Va, dal furor portata" (K. 21), first vocal work (early 1765, exact date uncertain). Sonatas for Keyboard and Violin (K. 10-15), published as "Opus 3" by Leopold in London.
February	Leopold Mozart sponsors several London concerts for the family's benefit.
March			[23] British Parliament passes the Stamp Act in order to tax the American colonies.
April
May		Sonata in C for Keyboard Four-Hands (K. 19d)	[29] In the Virginia assembly, Patrick Henry challenges the right of Britain to tax the colonies.
June	Mozart is examined by English scientist Daines Barrington.
July	[24] The family departs from London for Canterbury.	Motet in G minor, God is Our Refuge (K. 20), first church composition.
August	[1] Mozart and his family depart from Dover for Calais. En route to Holland, Mozart and Leopold both fall ill.		[13] Archduke Leopold becomes ruler of Tuscany and abolishes the Inquisition in the duchy. [18] Joseph II of Austria becomes Holy Roman Emperor on the death of Francis I, but is co-regent with Maria Theresa in Bohemia and Hungary.
September	[10] The Mozarts arrive at The Hague. [12] Maria Anna becomes seriously ill. Mozart performs for the Prince of Orange, William V, and his sister, Princess Caroline.
October	[21] Maria Anna receives the last sacrament, but later recovers.		Delegates from nine colonies attend the Stamp Act Congress in New York City and draw up a declaration of rights and liberties.
November	[15] Mozart falls ill with intestinal typhoid; he remains in danger for nearly two months.
December		Symphony in B flat (K. 22)	On the death of the Dauphin, his son, Louis Augustus (future Louis XVI) becomes heir to the French throne.

References

Deutsch, Otto Erich. Mozart: A Documentary Biography. Stanford, 1965.
Durant, Will and Ariel. Rousseau and Revolution. New York, 1967.
Williams, Neville. Chronology of the Expanding World: 1492-1762. New York, 1969.
Williams, Neville. Chronology of the Modern World: 1763 to the Present Time. New York, 1967.
Zaslaw, Neal, and Cowdery, William, eds. The Compleat Mozart. New York, 1990.