Letters patent (still in use, this one from 1888) is a legal instrument issued by a monarch, president or other head of state granting an office, right, monopoly, title or status to a person or corporation.
In the year 1578, Humphrey Gilbert is granted letters patent from the English crown to establish a colony in North America (Jun 11), Swedish forces defeat the Russians in Wenden (in today’s Latvia) and proceed to take Polotsk (in today’s Belarus) (Oct 21), Sonam Gyrso becomes the third Dalai Lama of Tibet, fur trade begins in Newfoundland in North America - and all these fine people were born:
1578-xxxx Cornelis van Voorst* early Dutch settler in New Jersey/ woodcarver/cabinet maker – Voorst, Gelderland, The Seventeen Provinces (1638/c.60) NJFounders
1578-0110 Christopher Clitherow* merchant/ politician/Lord Mayor of London - London, England (1641/63)
1578-0128 Cornelius Haga* the first ambassador of the Dutch Republic to the Ottoman Empire - Schiedam, Dutch Republic (1654/76)
1578-0302 George Sandys* traveller/colonist/poet – Bishopsthorpe, England (1644/66)
1578-0401 William Harvey* physician/ influential contributions in anatomy and physiology - Folkestone, Kent, England (1657/79)
1578-0414 Philip III of Spain* King of Spain (1598-1621) – Madrid, Spanish Empire (1621/42)
1578-0417 Maximilian van der Sandt* Jesuit theologian - Amsterdam, Spanish Netherlands(1656/78)
1578-0511 Christian Günther I* Count of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen - Sondershausen, Thuringia (1642/64)
1578-0605 Claude, Duke of Chevreuse* nobleman/ husband of Marie de Rohan - Joinville, Kingdom of France (1657/78)
1578-0613 Thomas Finch* peer/ politician/MP- England (1639/61)
1578-0709 Ferdinand II* Holy Roman Emperor – Graz, Duchy of Styria, Austria (1637/58)
1578-0721 Philipp Hainhofer* German merchant/banker/art collector - Augsburg, Bavaria (1647/69)
1578-0731 Catharina Belgica of Nassau* Flemish countess - Antwerp (1648/69)
1578-0810 Matteo Rosselli* painter - Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1650/71)
1578-0817 Francesco Albani* painter - Bologna, Papal States (1660/82)
1578-0824 John Taylor* Thames waterman/poet - Gloucester, England (1653/75)
1578-0902 Olaus Bureus* physician/ lawyer/Mayor of Stockholm - Säbrå, Swedish Empire (1655/77)
1578-0907 John Prideaux* academic/ Bishop of Worcester - Harford, Devon, England (1650/71)
1578-0911 Vincenzo Maculani* Italian military architect/Catholic Cardinal/inquisitor - Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Emilia-Romagna (1667/88)
1578-1004 Giovanni Francesco Guidi di Bagno* priest/ cardinal - Florence, GD of Tuscany (1641/62)
1578-1012 Baldassare Aloisi* history and portrait painter/engraver – Bologna, Italy (1638/60)
1578-1104 Wolfgang Wilhelm von Pfalz-Neuburg***** German prince - Neuburg an der Donau (1653/74)
1578-1106 Maximilian of Liechtenstein* military officer /Field Marshal/Imperial Prince - (1645/66)
1578-1202 Agostino Agazzari* Italian composer/music theorist - Siena, GD of Tuscany (1640/61)
1578-1207 Okaji no Kata* お梶の方 noble lady/aristocrat/concubine of Tokugawa Ieyasu - Japan (1642/63)
1578-1220 Henry of Lorraine* Duke of Mayenne - Dijon, Kingdom of France (1621/42)
1578-1230 Ulrik of Denmark* Prince of Denmark/son of King Frederick II of Denmark - Kolding, Denmark-Norway (1624/45)
Updated 31.7.2022
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