1520
Suleiman the Magnificent Ascends
On the death of Selim the Grim, his son Suleiman rode into Istanbul and took the Ottoman throne.
La Noche Triste
On a rain-slashed night the Mexica rose against Cortes and drove the Spaniards and their Tlaxcalan allies from Tenochtitlan across the Tlacopan causeway.
Raphael Dies on Good Friday
Rome's favorite painter collapsed with a fever after, rumor said, a night of excess with his mistress.
Portuguese Reach Ethiopia
A Portuguese embassy led by Rodrigo de Lima reached the court of the Ethiopian emperor Lebna Dengel after a long overland journey from the Red Sea coast.
Exsurge Domine Condemns Luther
Pope Leo X issued the bull Exsurge Domine, threatening Luther with excommunication if he did not recant forty-one errors within sixty days.
Field of the Cloth of Gold
Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France met in a valley in Picardy for eighteen days of jousting, feasting, and gilded tents.
Chocolate Reaches Spain
Hernan Cortes sent Moctezuma's cacao beans and a grinding stone back to Charles V along with the first samples of a dark, bitter drink the Mexica sipped cold…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1520?
Saeculum lists 7 events from 1520. The most significant is Suleiman the Magnificent Ascends: On the death of Selim the Grim, his son Suleiman rode into Istanbul and took the Ottoman throne.
What era was 1520 part of?
1520 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1520?
The events from 1520 span Middle East, North America, Europe and Africa.