| March 15 | Spanish king Philip II puts 25,000 gold coins on head of prince Willem of Orange |
| March 17 | Prince Willem of Orange welcomed in Amsterdam |
| April 11 | Drenthe joins Union of Utrecht |
| June 17 | Battle at Hardenberg: Spanish troops beat rebels |
| June 18 | States of Utrecht forbid catholic worship |
| June 25 | Book of Concord, standards of Lutheran Church, 1st published |
| June 27 | Duke van Alva's army occupies Portugal |
| August 25 | Battle of Alcantara, Spain defeats Portugal |
| September 19 | Treaty of Plessis-lez-Tours (Anjou/Dutch States-General) |
| September 26 | Francis Drake with Spanish treasure returns to England |
| November 9 | Spanish troops lands in Ireland |
| November 26 | French Huguenots and Roman Catholics sign peace treaty |
