1556
Akbar Takes the Mughal Throne
Thirteen years old when his father Humayun fell down the library stairs of Delhi's Purana Qila, Akbar was crowned on a scaffold in the middle of a military…
Shaanxi Earthquake
Before dawn a catastrophic earthquake ripped through Shaanxi and neighboring provinces of Ming China.
Cranmer Burned at Oxford
Thomas Cranmer, architect of the English Book of Common Prayer, was burned at the stake outside Balliol College after recanting his recantation…
Akbar Wins the Second Battle of Panipat
Bairam Khan, regent for the teenage Akbar, crushed the Hindu general Hemu on the same plain where Babur had conquered thirty years earlier.
Charles V Finishes Abdicating
Charles V formally abdicated the Spanish and American crowns in favor of his son Philip II in Brussels, completing the transfer of his vast inheritance.
Charles V Retires to Yuste
After distributing his empires, the exhausted emperor retired to the monastery of Yuste in the Gredos mountains with a library…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1556?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 1556. The most significant is Akbar Takes the Mughal Throne.
What era was 1556 part of?
1556 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1556?
The events from 1556 span South Asia, East Asia and Europe.