1740s

The 1740s was a decade that began on 1 January 1740 and ended on 31 December 1749. It is distinct from the decade known as the 175th decade which began on January 1, 1741 and ended on December 31, 1750.

 Events 
 The War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748)

 World leaders 
 Louis XV of France (king from 1715 to 1774)
 Afsharid dynasty of Persia 
 Nadir Shah, 1736–1747 
 Adil Shah, 1747–1748 
 Ebrahim Afshar, 1748 
 Shah Rukh, 1748–1750 
 George II of Great Britain (king from 1727 to 1760) 
 Philip V of Spain (king from 1700 to 1746) 
 Ferdinand VI of Spain (king from 1746 to 1759) 
 Pope Benedict XIV

 Births 
 Marquis de Sade, French writer
 Pope Pius VII
 Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States (d. 1826)

 Deaths 
 Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, the last of the Medicis 
 Alexander Pope, English writer 
 Jonathan Swift, Irish writer