Year by year · 16th century

1559

1559 in world history: 9 events, 5 births, 9 deaths, 1 work, 3 states founded and 1 that came to an end. 994 recorded states existed that year.

Events

  1. 15 January

    Elizabeth I is crowned at Westminster Abbey

    Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was crowned on a date chosen by her astrologer John Dee. Her 44-year reign saw a Protestant settlement, the Armada's defeat and a flowering of literature.

  2. 3 April

    Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis ends the Italian Wars

    France and Spain signed the treaty that closed more than sixty years of war over Italy, a day after a separate Anglo-French peace. Spanish dominance in Italy was confirmed for over a century.

    Spanish EmpireItalian Wars

  3. 8 May

    Elizabeth I's Act of Supremacy receives royal assent

    The Act restored the Church of England's independence from Rome and made Elizabeth its Supreme Governor. With the Act of Uniformity it formed the basis of the Elizabethan religious settlement.

    England

  4. 30 June

    Henry II of France is mortally wounded in a joust

    A splinter from the lance of the Count of Montgomery pierced the king's eye at a tournament in Paris. His death ten days later left France to weak young sons on the eve of the Wars of Religion.

    Paris

  5. Battle

    Battle of Fatagar

    The Battle of Fatagar was fought in 1559 between the forces of Emir Nur ibn Mujahid of Adal and the Ethiopian emperor Gelawdewos, who was killed.

ProfileState869 states with a known seat in 1559Open the atlas at 1559 →

In the profiles

  • Adal SultanateNur ibn Mujahid kills Emperor Gelawdewos at the Battle of Fatagar
  • Duchy of SavoyTreaty of Cateau-Cambrésis restores Emmanuel Philibert
  • Udaipur StateUdai Singh II founds Udaipur on Lake Pichola

Wars and longer events

Born in 1559 5

Died in 1559 9

Works 1

States founded 3

States that came to an end 1

All years → The 16th century →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1559. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1559
MLA
“1559.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1559. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “1559.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1559.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1559’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1559 (Accessed: ).