Absolutism/Constitutionalism Era

  • Period: Jan 1, 1500 to

    Rise of Absolutism

  • Period: Oct 7, 1530 to

    Life of Jean Bodin

    A French Catholic lawyer who sought systematic secular answers to the problem of disorder in "The Six Books of the Republic"
  • Period: Jan 1, 1533 to

    Life of Michel de Montaigne

    Michel de Montaigne was a French magistrate who resigned his office in the midst of the wars of religion to write about the need for tolerance and open-mindedness.
  • Oct 7, 1543

    Andras Vesalius challenges traditional views of anatomy.

  • Oct 7, 1543

    Nicolaus Copernicus begins revolution of astronomy

    Published his treatise "On the Revolution of the Celestial spheres. Starts the idea of "heliocentrism" or the idea that the earth and planets revolve around the sun.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1555 to

    Peace of Augsburg

  • Jul 5, 1559

    King Henry II Accidentally Killed

  • Jan 1, 1562

    Rival Huguenots and Catholic armies begin fighting

    Begining of the French war of religion.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1562 to

    French Wars of Religion

  • Mar 1, 1562

    Massacre of Vassy

    Massacre of Vassy
  • Period: Jan 1, 1564 to

    Life Of William Shakespear

    The most endurng and influential playwright of this time
  • Period: Oct 7, 1564 to

    Life of Galileo Galilei

    Provided more evidence to support the heliocentiric veiw and also challenged the doctrine that the heavens were perfect and unchanging.
  • Period: Oct 7, 1567 to

    Life of Claudio Monteverdi

    One of the most innovative composers of the era
  • Jan 1, 1569

    Poland-Lithuania

  • Period: Jan 1, 1570 to Dec 31, 1579

    El Greco's work

    El Greco's work aides the rise of mannerism and the Baroque style of art.
  • Aug 23, 1572

    St, Bartholemew's Day Massacre

  • Oct 7, 1576

    The Six Books of the Republic written

  • Period: to

    Life of Hugo Grotius

    Hugo Grotius furthered secular thinking by attempting to systemize the notion of "natural law"
  • English Defeat Spanish Armada

    English Defeat Spanish Armada
  • Edict of Nantes

  • Edict of Nantes

    grants freedom of worship to the Huguenots.
  • Hamlet

    Reflects concerns of the age
  • James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England upon the death of Elizabeth I.

  • 1605: The Gun Powder Plot

  • Orfeo1607

    Monteverdi's earliest operatic performance "Orfeo" aided the rise of opera and orchestra.
  • Protestant Union formed in the Rhineland.

  • Louis XIII Becomes King

  • Henry IV Is assasinated

    Louis XIII becomes King of France; Maria de'Medici is Regent.
  • James I of England dissolves Parliament.

  • Last meeting of the Estates General of France until 1789.

  • Cardinal Richelieu becomes Prime Minister in France.

  • Period: to

    Thirty Years War

  • Defenestration of Prague

  • African slaves first transported to new colony of Virginia

  • Conflict in France between Maria de'Medici and Cardinal Richelieu

  • Period: to

    France and England turn attention to the Carribean

    Occupied the islands of the west indies and drove off the inhabiting natives to create plantations.
  • Pilgrim emingrants land in Massachusetts

    Pilgrims from the Mayflower found the New Plymouth colony
  • William Harvey uses dissection to examine the circulation of blood within the body.

    Showed the world that the heart acted as a pump to the bodies blood supply.
  • French nobility revolt against French King.

  • War between Sweden and Poland--Gustavus Adolphus

  • Battle of the White Mountain--Major Catholic and Imperial victory in the Thirty Years War.

  • Huguenot rebellion against Louis XIII of France

  • Treaty of Montpellier ends rebellion by French Huguenots.

  • James I dissolves Parliament

  • James I's last Parliament.

  • England declares war on Spain.

  • Wallenstein becomes head of the Imperial Forces.

  • Charles I becomes King of England.

  • Renewed Huguenot uprisings in France.

  • Period: to

    5% of Frances population dies in plague

  • Siege of La Rochelle ends.

  • Charles I dissolves Parliament.

    It does not meet again until 1640.
  • Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden enters Germany.

  • Gustavus Adolphus defeats Wallenstei

    Dies at the battle.
  • Wallenstein is assassinated.

  • Peace of Prague--Ends conflict between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Kingdom of Saxony

    Thirty Years War continues, however, between Sweden and France against the House of Hapsburg.
  • The "Short Parliament" and the "Long Parliament" in England

  • Catholic Rebellion in Ireland; Massacre of Ulster Protestants.

  • Period: to

    Life of Isaac Newton

    Discovers gravity and laws of physics
  • Mazarin becomes Prime Minister in France.

  • English Civil War begins.

  • Louis XIV becomes King of France.

  • English Civil War ends with the defeat of the Royal army.

  • Charles I of England is taken prisoner.

  • The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War.

  • Peace of Westphalia- Treaty Signed by all Parties

  • Period: to

    War of the Fronde

  • Charles I of England is beheaded; England is declared a Commonwealth.

  • Period: to

    Rise of African slave trade

  • Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector in England.

  • Richard Cromwell succeeds his father as Lord Protector in England.

  • France and Spain cease fighting

    France obtains parts of Alsace and replaces Spain as prevailing power on the continent.
  • 1660: Parliament invites Charles II to return to England.

  • Baltic conflict resolved

    Ends with sweden claiming severalnorthern territories from the Holy Roman Empire
  • Siege of Vienna

  • Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes.

  • Period: to

    Glorious Revolution: James II is dethroned and William and Mary become co-regents