The Lisbon Earthquake of 1 November 1755

-Joannes Richter-

Fig. 1: The Lisbon Earthquake - Jan Kozak

Collection:

Lisbon, Portugal, during the great earthquake of 1 November 1755. This copper engraving,
made that year, shows the city in ruins and in flames. Tsunamis rush upon the shore,
destroying the wharfs. The engraving is also noteworthy in showing highly disturbed water
in the harbour, which sank many ships. Passengers in the left foreground show signs of
panic.
Original in: Museu da Cidade, Lisbon.
Reproduced in: O Terramoto de 1755, Testamunhos Britanicos = The Lisbon Earthquake of
1755, British Accounts. Lisbon: British Historical Society of Portugal, 1990.

The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, took place on Saturday 1
November 1755, at around 10:24 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by a tsunami and
fires, which caused near-total destruction of Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and adjoining
areas. Geologists today estimate the Lisbon earthquake approached magnitude 9 on the moment
magnitude scale, with an epicenter in the Atlantic Ocean about 200 km (120 mi) west-southwest of
Cape St. Vincent. Estimates place the death toll in Lisbon alone between 10,000 and 100,000
people, making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in history.

Observations in the Netherlands

By a strange coincidence this earthquake has been observed and documented at some towns (e.g. in
Eindhoven) in the southern part of the Netherlands, which may allow to help categorizing the
catastrophe. The event is reported in Beknopte geschiedenis van Eindhoven,1 and has been written
in Dutch language. In the following chapter three earthquakes from 1755/1756 will be documented
as described in the Beknopte geschiedenis van Eindhoven.
The original (and somewhat more detailed) quotations will be found in Historie der stad en meyerye
van 'sHertogenbosch by Johan Hendrik van Heurn - 1778 and have been documented in a separate
Scribd-document: De aardbeving van Lissabon op 1 novem... . (in Dutch language).

1 page 100 at part 3, F. N. Smits 1973 - 590 Seiten - Auszug

The Lisbon Earthquake, 1 November 1755
The earthquake occurred at the 1st of November at lovely weather and peaceful quietness. The
thermometer reached 39 in the morning, 46 at noon and 47 in the afternoon 2. In this weather
situation one could observe some strange movements in the waters. Some observed a swelling of
the waters, which was strong enough to make the ships hover and caused the ropes to be loosened3.
In 's-Hertogenbosch people observed a vast movement of the waters in the harbour shortly after
10:30 hours in the morning, causing a hovering of ships and loosening the attached mooring and
anchoring ropes. In the canal a heavy vessel emerged from the waters, which had been sunk a long
time ago.
At St. Oedenrode remarkable stirrings occurred around 11:00 o'clock. In the waters near the town
hall the waters lowered and then suddenly raised quickly with full power.
At the rive Dommel the waters drained. At a Roman catholic service in the church the chandeliers
swayed for- and backward. The stirrings have been observed for half an hour and disappeared
gradually4.

Earthquake at Christmas, 25 December of 1755

At Christmas of the same year another earthquake occurred at 's-Hertogenbosch between 11 and 12
o'clock at night5.The earthquake may be compared to the rumble of a weak house being shattered by
a heavy loaded cart passing by6 This earthquake has also been observed at the nearby villages of
Asten, Deurne and Bakel.
In Deurne inhabitants did feel two subsequent shakes at an interval of 3 minutes. Some people
heard the cracking sounds emitted by their homes and felt the uplifts from their beds, which caused
them to leave their beds7.

Earthquake at 18 February of 1756

At the 18th of February a more severe earthquake8 occurred which was to be felt all around the
republic (of the Netherlands). The earthquake occurred at 8:15 o'clock in the morning while a
drizzle was raining down from the sky. Many Roman-catholic people left the service to escape the
dangers. The church bells started ringing. At Helmond people feared the collapses of buildings9.
This earthquake has been observed all over Westphalia up to Hanover, and southwards along the
Rhine, in France and in Spain, and westward at England. The most intense earthquake-waves have
been felt between the rivers Rhine and Meuse, especially near Aachen and Luik10.

2 note: Van Heurn, from “Nederlandse Jaarboeken”

3 note: Van Heurn, from “Europeesche Mercurius”
4 note: Van Heurn, from “Nederlandse Jaarboeken”
5 This earthquake has not been listed in the chronological list of earthquakes. 3 earthquakes have been reported in 1755:
Istanbul, Turkey earthquake, Feb. 26(?), 1755
Lisbon, Portugal earthquake, Nov. 1, 1755
Cape Ann, Massachusetts earthquake, Nov. 18, 1755
6 note: Van Heurn, from “Nederlandse Jaarboeken”
7 note: Van Heurn, from “Nederlandse Jaarboeken”
8 Duren, the Netherlands earthquake, Feb 18, 1756
9 note: Van Heurn, from “Nederlandse Jaarboeken”
10 note: Van Heurn, from “Nederlandse Jaarboeken”