1596
Kepler's Mysterium Cosmographicum
A young German mathematician named Johannes Kepler published his Mysterium Cosmographicum, arguing that the orbits of the six known planets corresponded…
Descartes Born in La Haye
On March 31, in the Touraine village that would later be renamed in his honor, a sickly boy named Rene Descartes was born into a minor noble family.
English Sack Cadiz
An English expedition under the Earl of Essex and Lord Howard of Effingham stormed the Spanish port of Cadiz in a dawn attack, burned ships and warehouses…
Philip II's Third Bankruptcy
For the third time in his reign, Philip II's crown defaulted on its debts to Genoese and German bankers.
Shakespeare's Son Hamnet Dies
William Shakespeare's eleven-year-old son Hamnet was buried in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1596?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1596. The most significant is Kepler's Mysterium Cosmographicum.
What era was 1596 part of?
1596 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1596?
The events from 1596 span Europe.