1516
Ferdinand Dies, Charles Inherits Spain
King Ferdinand of Aragon, grandfather of Europe's most tangled dynastic knot, died at Madrigalejo.
Ottomans Rout the Mamluks at Marj Dabiq
North of Aleppo, Selim I's artillery and arquebusiers obliterated the Mamluk cavalry of Sultan Qansuh al-Ghawri, who died of a stroke in the saddle.
More Publishes Utopia
The English humanist Thomas More, writing in elegant Latin, described an imaginary island commonwealth where property was held in common, priests married…
Erasmus Edits the Greek New Testament
Working against a Basel printer's frantic deadline, Erasmus produced the first published Greek New Testament with a fresh Latin translation alongside.
Concordat of Bologna
Francis I and Pope Leo X signed an agreement giving the French king the right to nominate bishops, abbots, and priors throughout France.
Want 1516 in context? Print the whole 16th century as a one-sheet timeline chart.
Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1516?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1516. The most significant is Ferdinand Dies, Charles Inherits Spain: King Ferdinand of Aragon, grandfather of Europe's most tangled dynastic knot, died at Madrigalejo.
What era was 1516 part of?
1516 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1516?
The events from 1516 span Europe and Middle East.