Hôtel de Bourgogne (1548-1783) was built for the first authorized theater troupe in Paris, the Confrérie de la Passion (Brotherhood of the Passion) In the year 1548, firearms are used for the first time on a battlefield in Japan (Feb 14), a marriage treaty is signed between Scotland and France as five-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, is betrothed to the future King Francis II of France (Jul 7), La Paz in Bolivia is founded (Oct 20), the Burmese–Siamese War goes on, the first Finnish New Testament is printed in Stockholm, the first theater in Paris, Hôtel de Bourgogne, is built - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Ruins of the penitentiary on Sarah Island, part of the Macquarie Harbour Penal Station in Tasmania, Australia. Picture credit: Scott Davis In the year 1598, Boris Godunov seizes the throne of Russia (Feb 21), Tycho Brahe publishes his star catalogue, listing the positions of 1004 stars (May), an allied Korean and Chinese fleet defeats the Japanese navy, ending the Japanese invasions of Korea (Dec 19), the Parliament of England passes the Vagabonds Act, that allows transportation of convicts to colonies, the Kingdom of Nuevo México is founded – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Spring of Kirsten Piil. His discovery of a natural spring drew large crowds in the area. This attracted entertainers and hawkers, whose presence led to the creation of Dyrehavsbakken. In the year 1583, as of the start of the year, the Gregorian calendar - the calendar used in most of the world - is 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeats Shibata Katsuie at Shizugatake, and goes on to commence construction of Osaka Castle (May), Sir Humphrey Gilbert claims the island of Newfoundland on behalf of England, marking the beginning of the British Empire (Aug 5), the world’s oldest operating amusement park, Dyrehavsbakken, is founded - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Eyalet of Kibris is today the Republic of Cyprus, comprising the Greek (southern ) and the Turkish (northern) side of the island In the year 1571, the Royal Exchange opens in London, England (Jan 23), Moscow is burnt by the Crimean army (May 24), Cyprus is established as an eyalet of the Ottoman Empire, and the first Turkish colony moves into the island (Aug 1), Taipalsaari in Southern Karelia, Finland is founded, the great silver flow that links the New and Old Worlds begins as mercury starts being used in the silver extraction process in the Potosí mine - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1579, the Union of Utrecht unites the northern Netherlands in a confederation called the United Provinces (Jan 23), Francis Drake lands in what is now California, and claims it for Queen Elizabeth I - that and the claim in Newfoundland becomes the basis for English colonial charters which will claim all land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from “sea to sea” (Jun 17) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1585, the Spanish seize Brussels (Feb), Antwerp is captured by Spanish forces whereby its role as an important trade city is overtaken by Amsterdam (Aug 17), **a first group of colonists lands in the New World to create Roanoke Colony **on Roanoke Island, off the coast of North Carolina (Aug 17), Toyotomi Hideyoshi invades the island of Shikoku, the first recorded commercial importation of chocolate to Europe occurs with shipment from Veracruz in Mexico to Seville, Spain - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1531, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro defeats the native inhabitants in the island of Puná, not long before the fall of the Inca Empire (Apr), Christian II’s failed invasion of Oslo begins (Nov), an enormous drought and locusts in Henan province in China results in some farmers turning to cannibalism, a witch-hunt is conducted in the German town of Schiltach, Kõpu Lighthouse in the Estonian island Hiiumaa is completed – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1515, Manchester Grammar School becomes the first free grammar school in England (Jul 2), the Spanish Conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar founds Havana, Cuba (Aug 25), France restores its control of Milan (Sep 13), Thomas Wolsey is named Lord Chancellor of England (Dec 24), Albrecht Dürer finishes his woodcut Rhinoceros - and all these fine people were born: 1515-xxxx Roger Ascham* scholar/ didactic writer/tutor to Elizabeth I in Greek and Latin - Kirby Wiske, Yorkshire, England (1568/c. Continue reading

Today, Aug 13th 2021, it is exactly 500 years since the end of the Aztec Empire (1428-1521) In the year 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther (Jan 3), the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Philippines (Mar 16), the Diet of Worms ends, and Martin Luther is declared an outlaw (May 25), Suleiman the Magnificent, leader of the Ottoman Empire, begins the siege of Belgrade (Jun 25), Gustaf Eriksson, the future King Gustaf Vasa, rebels against Kalmar Union (Aug),** Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec Emperor, surrenders to Cortés whereby the Aztec Empire is incorporated into the Spanish Empire** (Aug 13) – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León meets with the Tequestas in southern Florida in April 1513 In the year 1513, the Spanish invasion of what is now Florida begins as Juan Ponce de León sights land, mistaking it for another island (Apr 2) before landing there (Apr 3), Christian II becomes King of Denmark and Norway (Jul 22), work on New Cathedral in Salamanca begins, Niccolò Machiavelli is banished from Florence by the House of Medici, and writes The Prince - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Charles V Wall in Gibraltar In the year 1540, Thomas Cromwell is executed on order from Henry VIII who that same day marries his fifth wife (Jul 28), Gibraltar is sacked by the fleet of Barbary pirate Ali Hamet, leading to the building of the Charles V Wall (Sep), an expedition led by Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto destroys the village of Mabila (in modern-day Alabama), killing chief Tuskaloosa of the Mississippian chiefdom (Oct 18), Europe is hit by a heat wave and drought lasting for months, drying up Seine and Rhine and killing many - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Uppsala Castle, the site of the Sture Murders In the year 1567, Portuguese forces drive the French out of Rio de Janeiro (Jan 20), a Spanish mercenary army surprises and kills a band of rebels in Oosterweel in the Habsburg Netherlands, beginning the Eighty Years' War (Mar 13), the infamous Sture Murders take place at Uppsala Castle in Sweden (May 24), Mary, Queen of Scots, is forced to abdicate and is replaced by her one-year-old son (Jul 24) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

In the year 1539, Spain annexes Cuba (Jan 14), the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay, Florida with the goal to find gold (May 30), the first printing press in North America is set up in Mexico City, the Protestant Reformation i.e. the movement against papal authority goes on - and all these fine people were born: 1539-xxxx Humphrey Gilbert* adventurer/explorer/pioneer of the English colonial empire in North America - Greenway, Brixham, England (1583/c. Continue reading

Pensacola in northwestern Florida. Photo credit to TheCustomOfLife In the year 1559, Elizabeth I of England is crowned in Westminster Abbey (Jan 15), John Knox returns from exile to Scotland to become the leader of the beginning Scottish Reformation (May 2), a Spanish missionary colony arrives from Vera Cruz (Mexico) at Pensacola Bay, founding the oldest European settlement in the mainland U.S. (Aug 15), the University of Geneva is founded by John Calvin - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec Emperor In the year 1525, the last Aztec Emperor, Cuauhtémoc, is killed by the Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés (Feb 28), the first human rights related document written in Europe, the pamphlet The Twelve Articles, is published in the German town of Memmingen (Mar 20), Martin Luther marries ex-nun Katharina von Bora (Jun 13), European-brought diseases sweep through the Andes, killing thousands, including the Inca, the Navarre witch trials begin - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Richard Chancellor’s voyage from England to Arkhangelsk in 1553. Picture courtesy Timewisetraveller In the year 1553, Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England (Jul 10), but abdicates when Mary I is proclaimed the rightful Queen (Jul 19), English explorer Richard Chancellor reaches Arkhangelsk, whereby trade between England and Russia is opened (Aug), Anglican bishops in England are arrested, and Roman Catholic bishops restored (Sep) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

St. Olaf’s Church in Tallinn, Estonia In the year 1549, Salvador da Bahia, Brazil’s first capital, is founded (Mar 29), Francis Xavier arrives in Japan (Jul 27), the spire of Lincoln Cathedral in England is blown down,** leaving St. Olaf’s Church in Tallinn as the world’s tallest structure** - and all these fine people were born: 1549-0126 Francesco Bassano the Younger* painter - Bassano del Grappa, Venetian Republic (1592/43) 1549-0204 Eustache Du Caurroy* (B) composer - Gerberoy, France (1609/60) Continue reading

Cayman Islands, orginally called Las Tortugas (The Turtle Islands) due to the abundance of turtles there In the year 1503, Christopher Columbus discovers the Cayman Islands, which he names Las Tortugas (May 10), Naples is captured by the Spanish (May 13), King James IV of Scotland marries Margaret Tudor (Aug 8), Queen Isabella I of Spain prohibits violence against native tribes (Oct 30), Leonardo da Vinci probably starts work on painting the Mona Lisa in Florence, Vasco da Gama establishes India’s first Portuguese fortress at Kochi on the southwest coast of India - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Enjoying some beer in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife In the year 1516, the Reinheitsgebot is instituted in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, regulating the purity of beer permissible for sale (Apr 23), peace is declared between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire (Dec 4), Thomas More publishes his most famous work Utopia, the Venetian Ghetto is instituted, the first ghetto anywhere in the world - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Inside the Trinity College, Dublin In the year 1592, Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university, is founded (Mar 3), the Japanese invasions of Korea begin (Apr 13), the 1592–1593 London plague breaks out in England (Aug), English explorer John Davis probably discovers the Falkland Islands (Aug 9), Sigismund becomes the King of Sweden (Nov 17) - and all these fine people were born: 1592-xxxx Jooseppi Matinpoika Seppälä** father of Mikki Joosepinpoika Kokko (b Seppälä) - Sweden-Finland (after 1654) Continue reading