January 21 Tsar Ivan IV defeats False Dmitri, who claims to be the true tsar April 25 Count Maurits' army lands at Cadzand May 12 Spanish garrison of Aardenburg surrenders to Mauritius August 20 Spanish garrison of Sluis surrenders to count Maurice September 20 Spanish army under Spinola recaptures Oostende October 8 Supernova "Kepler's nova" 1st sighted November 1 William Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello" 1st presented December 31 Admiral Steven van der Haghen's fleet reaches Bantam
