February 21 Philip II routes cardinal Granvelle to Franche-Comte March 13 Cardinal Granvelle flees Brussels April 11 England and France sign Peace of Troyes April 11 Liege prince-bishop Robert van Bergen resigns April 26 William Shakespeare baptized May 31 Battle on Gotland: Lubeck and Denmark beat Sweden July 25 Maximilian II succeeds his father Ferdinand II as RC emperor August 18 Spanish king Philip II joins Council of Trente September 29 Robert Dudley becomes earl of Leicester October 18 John Hawkins begins 2nd trip to America December 31 Willem van Orange demands freedom of conscience/religion
