| February 6 | King Henri de Bourbon of Navarra becomes leader of Huguenots |
| February 12 | Spanish land guardian Don Juan of Habsburg signs "Eternal Edict" |
| July 24 | Spanish army/German mercenaries conquer Namur |
| July 24 | Treason of Don Juan in Brussels |
| August 17 | Peace of Bergerac: Political rights for Huguenots |
| October 25 | Pope Gregory XIII asks renewal of ecclesiastical hymns |
| November 15 | Sir Francis Drake aboard Pelican travels from Chile to Washington |
| November 23 | Water Geuzen under Captain Slope enter Amsterdam |
| December 13 | Sir Francis Drake sets sail from England to go around world |
| December 16 | Danzig surrenders to troops of Polish king Istvan Bathory |
