| January 29 | Sea battle of Reimerswaal - Admiral Boisot beats Spanish fleet |
| February 9 | Louis of Nassau ends siege of Maastricht |
| February 18 | Zeeland falls to Dutch rebels |
| February 19 | Spanish troops plunder Krommenie, Wormerveer and Jisp Netherlands |
| February 21 | Spanish garrison of Middelburg Netherlands surrenders |
| February 23 | France begins 5th holy war against Huguenots |
| April 14 | Battle of Mookerhei-D'Avila beats Louis of Nassau |
| May 30 | Henry III follows brother Charles IX as king of France |
| May 30 | Sea battle at Lillo Belgium (Adolf Van Haemstede vs Louis de Boisot) |
| June 18 | Polish King Hendrik of Anjou secretly leaves Poland |
| September 13 | Turkish fleet recaptures Tunis |
| October 1 | Storm breaks Leiden dike; drowns 20,000 Spanish soldiers |
| October 3 | Fleet under Admiral Boisot seize Spanish |
| October 28 | Prince Willem van Orange installs university |
