1555
Peace of Augsburg
Charles V's brother Ferdinand brokered a religious settlement at Augsburg allowing each German prince to choose Lutheranism or Catholicism for his lands.
Charles V Begins to Abdicate
In a tearful ceremony at Brussels, the exhausted emperor handed the Low Countries to his son Philip.
Tobacco Reaches France
The French diplomat Jean Nicot, posted to Lisbon, sent tobacco seeds and powder back to Catherine de Medici, who tried them for her migraines.
Nostradamus Publishes Les Propheties
The French astrologer Michel de Nostredame published the first edition of his Centuries, nearly a thousand ambiguous quatrains predicting future calamities.
Tobacco Seeds Reach Europe
Seeds of the tobacco plant arrived in Europe via Portuguese ships returning from the Americas…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1555?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1555. The most significant is Peace of Augsburg: Charles V's brother Ferdinand brokered a religious settlement at Augsburg allowing each German prince to choose Lutheranism or Catholicism for his lands.
What era was 1555 part of?
1555 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1555?
The events from 1555 span Europe.