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
