| January 17 | French king Henri IV declares war on Spain |
| April 2 | Cornelis de Houtman's ships depart to Asia through Cape of Good Hope |
| April 15 | Willem I's daughter of Elisabeth of Nassau marries duke Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne of Broth |
| May 2 | King Philip II names Albrecht of Austria land guardian of Netherlands |
| July 9 | Johannes Kepler inscribes geometric solid construction of universe |
| July 21 | Alvara Mendana discovers Marquesas Island |
| September 17 | Pope Clemens VIII recognizes Henri IV as king of France |
| October 28 | Battle at Giurgevo: Zsigmond Bathory of Transylvania beats Turks |
