Hungary is divided, by agreement between the Turkish sultan Suleiman I and the Habsburg ruler Ferdinand I

On the death of Henry VIII his 10-year-old son becomes king of England as Edward VI

Ivan IV is crowned tsar of Russia and becomes known as Ivan the Terrible

The first book describing the game of draughts, or checkers, is published in Spain

John Knox is captured in St Andrews and is sent to serve in the French fleet as a galley slave

The first version of the English prayer book, or Book of Common Prayer, is published with text by Thomas Cranmer

Joachim du Bellay publishes a manifesto for the group of new French poets who become known as the Pléiade

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

The Peace of Augsburg achieves a compromise which for a while solves the religious tensions deriving from the Reformation

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

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

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