istoryworld
Events relating to europe
Africans, bought in the Portuguese trading posts of west Africa, are shipped across the Atlantic as slaves
Spanish galleons assemble each year at Portobelo to deliver European goods and to ship home the metals of Latin America
Pierre de Ronsard publishes the first four books of his Odes
Mary I succeeds to the English throne, and devotes her energies to the restoration of the Catholic faith
Mary I causes grave offence in England by her marriage to the Catholic heir to the king of Spain
The Muscovy Company is granted a monopoly by the crown to trade with Russia, as the first of the English chartered companies
Charles V abdicates, handing the Netherlands and Spain to his son Philip and the title of Holy Roman emperor to his brother Ferdinand
The division by Charles V of his territories means that there are now two Habsburg empires, Austrian and Spanish
Sinan completes his masterpiece, the mosque of Suleiman I in Istanbul
The Portuguese establish a trading post on Macao, a small peninsula off the south coast of China
Elizabeth I succeeds peacefully to the throne of England, after the turmoil of Mary's Catholic reign
Mary Queen of Scots marries the heir to the French throne, who a year later succeeds as Francis II
With its strong French connection, the Scottish royal name of Stewart begins to be spelt Stuart (there being no 'w' in native French words)
John Knox returns to Scotland from Geneva and inspires the Protestants to march on Edinburgh
A national synod of France's Protestants, the Huguenots, is convened in Paris
A book to teach good handwriting is published by Gianfrancesco Cresci, with examples engraved on copper plates
Tobacco is grown in Europe's physic gardens for its medicinal qualities
A year after Mary has become queen of France, her husband Francis II dies
Mary Queen of Scots returns from France to Edinburgh, and to an inevitable clash with John Knox
Philip II begins construction of the palace and monastery known as the Escorial
The Northern Seven Years' War breaks out between Denmark and Sweden
The bishop of Transylvania, Ferenc Dávid, preaches that only God the Father is divine, launching the Unitarian faith
Marlowe and Shakespeare are born in the same year, with Marlowe the older by two months
Pieter Brueghel the Elder depicts biblical events taking place among the peasants of the Netherlands countryside
Mary Queen of Scots marries her Catholic cousin, Henry Darnley
