Year by year · 16th century

1564

1564 in world history: 8 events, 6 births, 10 deaths, 1 work, 2 states founded and 1 that came to an end. 997 recorded states existed that year.

Events

  1. 15 February

    Galileo Galilei is born in Pisa

    Galileo's telescopic discoveries, including Jupiter's moons, and his studies of motion made him a founder of modern physics. His defence of Copernicus brought his trial by the Inquisition in 1633.

  2. 18 February

    Michelangelo dies in Rome

    The sculptor, painter and architect died aged 88, still working as chief architect of St Peter's. His works include the David, the Sistine Chapel ceiling and the Last Judgement.

  3. 15 March

    Akbar abolishes the jizya tax on non-Muslims

    The Mughal emperor ended the poll tax on non-Muslim subjects, part of a policy of conciliating the Hindu majority of his empire. Aurangzeb reimposed it in 1679.

    Mughal EmpireAurangzebAkbar

  4. 23 April

    William Shakespeare is born, by tradition, in Stratford

    Shakespeare's birth is traditionally dated to 23 April; only his baptism on 26 April is recorded. He went on to write some 38 plays and 154 sonnets.

  5. 26 April

    William Shakespeare is baptised in Stratford-upon-Avon

    The parish register of Holy Trinity Church records the baptism of 'Gulielmus filius Johannes Shakspere'. It is the earliest documentary record of the playwright.

  6. 27 May

    John Calvin dies in Geneva

    The French reformer died aged 54 in the city he had shaped into a Protestant model. His Institutes of the Christian Religion influenced Reformed churches from Scotland to the Netherlands.

    Scotland
ProfileState871 states with a known seat in 1564Open the atlas at 1564 →

In the profiles

Wars and longer events

Born in 1564 6

Died in 1564 10

Works 1

States founded 2

States that came to an end 1

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1564. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1564
MLA
“1564.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1564. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “1564.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1564.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1564’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1564 (Accessed: ).