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Contents: political eventsexploration, colonization religion education literature art agriculture |
The Venetian city of Famagusta on the eastern coast of Cyprus falls to Ottoman forces August 6 after an 11-month siege by an estimated 70,000 Turks, commanded by Lala Mustafa. Reinforcements reached the city January 23, its 5,000-man Venetian garrison has put up an heroic defense, but when the Venetian commander Marcantonia Bragadino ran out of ammunition and entered the Ottoman camp to discuss surrender terms, he was seized and flayed alive. The remaining garrison of 2,000 is slaughtered along with everyone else inside the city walls; Nicosia, too, is taken, and Cyprus will remain under Ottoman rule for the next 207 years.
The Battle of Lepanto October 7 in the Gulf of Lepanto near Corinth ends in defeat for an Ottoman fleet of 240 galleys. The Maritime League of Spanish, Venetian, Genoese, and Maltese vessels under the command of Don Juan de Austria loses 12 of its 212 galleys with about 5,000 oarsmen and soldiers, but the Spanish commander Alvaro de Bazán, 44, marqués de Santa Cruz, plays a major role in defeating the Turks, who lose 80 galleys and suffer 25,000 casualties. The allies capture 117 ships with their stores and provisions, take 4,000 prisoners, and free 12,000 Christian galley slaves, shattering the myth of Turkish invincibility. However, the merchants of Venice are eager for peace and fail to follow up on their triumph (see 1573). Constantinople will regain full strength within a year.
Catherine de' Medici relays to the French minister Le Mothe Fenelon in February her son the duc d'Anjou's complaint that England's Elizabeth appears to be extremely immoral and that he would be universally ridiculed if he were to take "so depraved a bride." Fenelon writes back that there is no truth in the slurs cast upon Elizabeth, and Anjou, when sounded out, says he would not dream of giving up his faith (if anyone is depraved it is he, not Elizabeth).
English authorities at Dover arrest Roman Catholic courier Charles Baillie in April and find that he is carrying letters from Florentine conspirator Roberto Ridolfi, 39, who has hatched a scheme to murder Elizabeth, finance a Spanish invasion of England, and supplant Elizabeth with her Catholic cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, who is then to be married to Thomas Howard, 4th duke of Suffolk. Employed as a merchant banker by the English government, Ridolfi has left England in March to seek help from Pope Pius V, Spain's Felipe II, and Fernando, duque de Alva; he returns to his native Florence after the discovery of his plot and will become a Florentine senator in 1600. Norfolk is arrested, Scottish bishop John Leslie confesses his involvement in the conspiracy late in the year, and he will be held prisoner until late in 1573 (see Mayne, 1577).
Huguenot leader Gaspard II de Coligny gains favor with France's Charles IX and proposes that the king send a combined army of Catholics and Huguenots to drive Spanish forces out of Flanders (see 1570). Coligny hopes that by having Huguenots serve in the army alongside Catholics he will protect them from further persecution and advance his own position, but the queen mother Catherine de' Medici has allied herself with Spain, is wary of Coligny's growing influence, and opposes a war with Madrid (see 1572).
Crimean Tatars sack Moscow.
The Laotian king Setthathirath I dies at age 37 (approximate) after a 24-year reign in which he has moved the capital from Luang Prabang to Vien Chan (later Ventiane), repelled two Burmese invasions, but lost Chiang Mai to Burma. His country dissolves into anarchy, Burmese forces invade it, and no strong ruler will emerge until 1637.
Manila is founded May 19 by Miguel López de Legazpi (see 1568). He has deposed the local Muslim ruler, subjugated the Filipino natives, and now moves his capital from Cebu to the new city, using it as a base for colonization as its galleon commerce with Acapulco attracts Spaniards and Chinese bent on getting rich quick in the trade of Mexican silver for Chinese silks.
Japanese strongman Nobunaga Oda destroys the Enryakuji Buddhist monastery on Mt. Hiei, eliminating the most militarily powerful of his enemies.
Transylvania's Diet gives constitutional recognition to the four received religions that were given freedom 3 years ago by Jan Sigismund (but see 1579).
Parliament makes it high treason for anyone to question the queen's title as head of the Church of England. More than 180 Roman Catholics will be executed under the new law (see Mayne, 1577), others will have their property confiscated, and still others will flee to the Continent.
Harrow School is founded by a charter granted by England's Queen Elizabeth to John Lyon, a yeoman of Preston. It will open its first building to scholars in 1611.
Poetry: "Serene Night" ("Noche Serena") by Luis de Léon.
Painting: Portrait of Marguerita Gonzaga by Sofonisba Anguissola, now 39, who has married the Spanish nobleman Don Fabrizio. Benvenuto Cellini dies at Florence February 13 at age 70; his autobiography will be published in 1728.
Spanish naturalist-physician Francisco Hernandez calls vanilla araco aromatico and says it enjoys favor—for its alleged healing properties as well as for its taste and aroma—among grandees in New Spain, whence he has been sent by Felipe II.
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