1580
Iberian Union
Philip II of Spain claimed the vacant Portuguese throne after the death of his uncle, Cardinal-King Henry.
Drake Returns to Plymouth
The Golden Hind slipped into Plymouth harbor with spices, plundered silver, and a crew that had been given up for dead.
Montaigne Publishes the Essays
The melancholy Gascon gentleman Michel de Montaigne published the first two books of his Essais…
Plague Sweeps Venice
An outbreak of bubonic plague killed perhaps fifty thousand Venetians, nearly a third of the city, within months.
Drake Knighted on the Golden Hind
Elizabeth I came aboard the Golden Hind at Deptford and knighted Francis Drake on the deck of his battered flagship, wearing a gold-embroidered gown.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1580?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1580. The most significant is Iberian Union: Philip II of Spain claimed the vacant Portuguese throne after the death of his uncle, Cardinal-King Henry.
What era was 1580 part of?
1580 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1580?
The events from 1580 span Europe.