1581
Act of Abjuration
The Estates-General of the northern Netherlands formally renounced their allegiance to Philip II of Spain at The Hague.
Ermak Crosses the Urals
The Cossack ataman Ermak Timofeevich crossed the Ural mountains at the head of eight hundred men, defeated the Siberian khan Kuchum, and claimed western…
English Jesuit Mission Begins
Edmund Campion and Robert Persons landed secretly in England as the first English Jesuit missionaries.
Moscow Burns Books
Ivan the Terrible, increasingly paranoid in his final years, ordered the burning of books he suspected of heretical influence and personally examined…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1581?
Saeculum lists 4 events from 1581. The most significant is Act of Abjuration: The Estates-General of the northern Netherlands formally renounced their allegiance to Philip II of Spain at The Hague.
What era was 1581 part of?
1581 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1581?
The events from 1581 span Europe and Central Asia.