| January 22 | Pope Sixtus V decrees "Immense aeterni" (Reformed curia) |
| April 4 | Christian IV succeeds Frederik II as king of Denmark |
| May 9 | Duke Henri de Guises troops occupy Paris |
| May 12 | Catholic League under duke Henri de Guise occupies Paris |
| May 13 | King Henri III flees Paris |
| May 19 | Spanish Armada sets sail for Lisbon, bound to England |
| May 30 | Spanish Aramada under Medina-Sidonia departs Lisbon to invade England |
| June 9 | Spanish Armada sails from Lisbon to England |
| June 19 | Spanish Armada heavily destroyed in storm at Coruna |
| July 11 | French king Henri III accept demands of Catholic League |
| July 18 | Admiral Howard beats Spanish Armada |
| July 21 | English fleet defeats Spanish armada |
| July 26 | John Hawkins becomes a knight |
| July 28 | Spanish Armada sails to overthrow England's Queen Elizabeth I |
| July 29 | Attacking Spanish Armada defeated and scattered by English defenders |
| July 29 | Duke Farneses troops ready for invasion of England |
| July 31 | English fleet beats Spanish Armada |
| August 1 | English Admiral Howard van Effingham beats Spanish Armada |
| August 6 | Spanish Armada under Medina Sidonia anchors |
| August 7 | English assault on Spanish Armada |
| August 8 | Sea battle at Grevelingen: English fleet battles Spanish armada |
| August 12 | Medemblik surrenders to Spanish army |
| October 23 | Medina Sidonia's Spanish Armada returns to Santander |
