One surviving ship of Magellan's fleet, the Victoria, returns to Sanlucar, in Spain, with Sebastian Cano in command

Muslims throughout Spain are ordered to convert to Christianity or to leave the kingdom

The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, makes Titian his court painter (an arrangement continued by Philip II)

New Laws are passed in Spain, in an attempt to protect the Indians on the encomiendas of Spanish America

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

Mary I causes grave offence in England by her marriage to the Catholic heir to the king of Spain

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

Philip II begins construction of the palace and monastery known as the Escorial

The Philippines and its governor general are placed under the authority of the Spanish governor of New Spain, ruling from Mexico City

Spanish and Venetian galleys defeat the Turks in the battle of Lepanto

The armies of Spain develop a powerful version of the ancient phalanx, which becomes known as the Spanish square

The Pacification of Ghent unites all the provinces of the Netherlands in opposition to Spain

Domenikos Theotokopoulos moves to Spain, where he becomes known as El Greco

Francis Drake seizes a Spanish vessel laden with gold and silver in the Pacific, formerly a safe area for Spain

A Spanish army marches into Portugal to claim the crown for the king of Spain, Philip II

In the Oath of Abjuration the northern provinces of the Netherlands formally reject the rule of the Spanish king, Philip II

England's queen Elizabeth sends 6000 troops to support the Dutch rebels against Spain

Francis Drake sails into a crowded Cadiz harbour and destroys some thirty Spanish ships

The more nimble English fleet destroys the galleons of the Spanish Armada, introducing a new kind of naval warfare

Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes publishes the first part of his satirically romantic novel Don Quixote

A law is passed expelling the Moriscos from Spain, with the result that some 300,000 are shipped to north Africa

The first English newspaper (Corante) appears, promising reports 'from Italy, Germany, Hungarie, Spaine and France'

Diego Velazquez becomes court painter to the king of Spain - a post which he will hold for the remaining thirty-seven years of his life

Spain recognizes the independence of the United Provinces of the Netherlands