-
Philip Habsburg son of Emperor Charles V is known as the new Emperor -
July 8: Charles of Habsburg is born in Frankfort, son of Philip of Habsburg and Maria Manuela of Portugal. -
Carlos V ratifies his son Felipe as a candidate for the Germanic throne, relegating his brother Fernando who aspired to be Emperor. -
By his marriage to Mary I of England, Philip of Habsburg becomes King Consort of England. -
September 25: the peace of Augsburg is signed, ending the religious wars of the Holy Roman Empire so that the rulers of the Empire can freely choose their religion. -
January 16: In the abdications of Brussels Carlos I King of Spain and V Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, abdicates his two thrones in favor of his son Felipe -
Henry II of France, seeing himself surrounded by the Habsburg domains, decided to support the Flemish rebels, exploding the Italian wars between France and the Holy Roman German-Hispanic Empire.
-
May 8: Felipe de Habsburgo is elected as emperor and crowned two days later in Frankfurt, known as Felipe I; his first policy -
January 15: Elizabeth of Tudor is crowned Elizabeth I of England. -
March 16: the Conspiracy of Amboise, which attempted against King Francis II, is suffocated, so Godefroy de Barry, Lord of La Renaudie is executed at the hands of Francis of Guise. -
March 31: Catherine de Medici, as regent, sends the Edict of Orleans prohibiting persecution -
January 17: Signing of the Edict of Saint-Germain, where freedom of worship is recognized for Protestants, especially the Huguenots in France.
-
February 18: Francis Duke of Guise dies while besieging Orleans.
-
July 31: Ferdinand of Habsburg, Governor of the Germanic Lands, dies in Valencia during a visit to Spain.
-
February 18: In Utrecht a meeting of nobles meets before the persecution of the Protestants by the Spanish, among them Luis de Orange, brother of Guillermo de Nassau.
-
April 5: A meeting of nobles meets with Margarita de Parma as Governor of the Netherlands who request a withdrawal of the Spanish inquisition and respect for freedom of worship.
-
February 13: The Diet is summoned in the city of Regensburg.
-
June 5: Philip I visits the Netherlands to witness the execution of the counts of Egmont and Horn, the main rebels, in the Netherlands.
-
March 13: In the Battle of Jarnac royalist troops under Marshal Gaspard de Tavannes defeat the Huguenots under the command of Prince Louis de Condé, who is captured and killed. A substantial proportion of the Huguenot army manages to escape under Gaspard de Coligny.
-
January 8: Philip I's imperial certificate arrives, establishing the Inquisition in America with headquarters in Seville and branches in Mexico and Lima.
-
September 27: Pope Urban VII dies of malaria, being the shortest papacy in history.