| January 6 | Artois/Hainault/Dowaai sign pro-Spanish Union of Arras |
| January 7 | England signs an offensive and defensive alliance with Netherland |
| January 23 | Union of Utrecht signed, forming protestant Dutch Republic |
| January 25 | Treaty of Utrecht signed, marks beginning of Dutch Republic |
| March 5 | Betuwe joins Union of Utrecht |
| March 6 | Veluwe joins Union of Utrecht |
| March 23 | Friesland joins Union of Utrecht |
| April 11 | Venlo joins Union of Utrecht |
| May 7 | Congress of Cologne forms in Netherlands |
| May 17 | Artois/Henegouwen/French-Flanders sign Treaty/Peace of Parma recognizing Spanish duke van Parma as land guardian |
| June 17 | Anti-English uprising in Ireland |
| June 17 | Francis Drake entered San Francisco Bay |
| June 17 | Sir Francis Drake lands on coast of California |
| July 21 | Mechelen surrenders to duke of Parma |
| July 26 | Francis Drake leaves San Francisco to cross Pacific Ocean |
| July 28 | Cardinal Granvelle returns to Madrid |
| July 29 | Antwerp request union with of Utrecht |
| July 29 | King Philip II arrests plotters Antonio Perez and princess van Eboli |
| August 8 | Cornerstone is laid for Tycho Brahe's Uraniborg observatory |
| August 17 | Francois van Anjou visits English queen Elizabeth I |
| September 13 | Breda forms Union of Utrecht |
