1585
Antwerp Falls to Parma
After a year-long siege punctuated by floating fire ships and a daring pontoon bridge across the Scheldt, Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, took Antwerp…
Roanoke Colony Founded
Walter Raleigh's first Roanoke colony was planted on a sandy island off the Carolina coast under the governor Ralph Lane.
Akbar Shifts Capital to Lahore
Akbar moved his imperial capital from Fatehpur Sikri, abandoned for lack of water, to Lahore in the Punjab, closer to the northwestern frontier.
England Treaty of Nonsuch
Elizabeth I signed the Treaty of Nonsuch with the Dutch rebels, pledging troops and money to defend them against Spain.
Harriot Arrives in Virginia
The English mathematician Thomas Harriot accompanied Ralph Lane's colony to Roanoke Island and spent a year learning the Algonquian language, observing native…
Want 1585 in context? Print the whole 16th century as a one-sheet timeline chart.
Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1585?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1585. The most significant is Antwerp Falls to Parma.
What era was 1585 part of?
1585 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1585?
The events from 1585 span Europe, North America and South Asia.