1539 CE

The Treaty of Frankfurt is signed at Frankfurt-am-Main by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor on behalf of the Empire's Roman Catholic states, and the Lutheran theologian Philip Melanchthon, representative of the Schmalkaldic League of Protestant German states. Effective May 1, the parties agree that no violent actions will be taken by either side against the other during a 15 month truce period. Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay, Florida with 600 soldiers, with the goal of finding gold. He also introduces pigs into North America. The revolt of Ghent begins in the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium) as members of the city's guilds demand the right to choose their own leaders, and the resignation of the Spanish-sponsored city leaders. Within four days, the city is under the control of nine guild leaders.

In the 1530s, the 16th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

January 4 – Giannandrea Giustiniani Longo is elected to a two year term as Doge of the Republic of Genoa in Italy, succeeding Giovanni Battista Doria.source
January 12 – Treaty of Toledo: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (aka Charles I of Spain) and Francis I of France agree to make no further alliances with England. The treaty comes after Henry VIII of England's split with Rome and Pope Paul III.source
January 12 - France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire agree to make no further alliances with England.France source
March 1 – King Henry VIII of England summons Parliament to meet, with the session to start on April 28.source
April 19 – The Treaty of Frankfurt is signed at Frankfurt-am-Main by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor on behalf of the Empire's Roman Catholic states, and the Lutheran theologian Philip Melanchthon, representative of the Schmalkaldic League of Protestant German states. Effective May 1, the parties agree that no violent actions will be taken by either side against the other during a 15 month truce period.source
April 28 – The English Parliament meets for the first time since 1536, after being summoned by King Henry VIII as his seventh Parliament.source
August 15 – King Francis I of France issues the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêt, that places the whole of France under the jurisdiction of the royal law courts, and makes French the language of those courts, and the official language of legal discourse.source
August - The Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts is signed, the oldest law in France remaining today.France source

Conflict & Security

January – Toungoo–Hanthawaddy War – Battle of Naungyo, Burma: The Toungoos decisively defeat the Hanthawaddys.source
May 30 – Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay, Florida with 600 soldiers, with the goal of finding gold. He also introduces pigs into North America.source
June 26 – Battle of Chausa in modern-day Buxar, India: Sher Shah Suri defeats the Mughal emperor, Humayun (Sher Shah goes on to form the Sur Empire, and take control of nearly all Mughal territory).source
July 18 – The siege of Castelnuovo (now the town of Herceg Novi in Montenegro) is started by General Hayreddin Barbarossa, leader of the Ottoman Empire's Army, after the Spanish commanding officer, Francisco de Sarmiento, rejects an offer of honorable surrender with safe passage. Spain had taken the city in war from the Ottomans in 1538, giving the Christian Europeans control of the eastern Mediterranean sea and access to the Holy Land. With 50,000 Ottomans against less than 4,000 Spanish defenders, Castelnuovo falls in less than three weeks.source
August 17 – The revolt of Ghent begins in the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium) as members of the city's guilds demand the right to choose their own leaders, and the resignation of the Spanish-sponsored city leaders. Within four days, the city is under the control of nine guild leaders.source
Suklenmung succeeds his father as king of Ahom (reigns until 1552)India source
Suhungmung's reign as king of Ahom ends with his death (began 1497).India source
The Geraldine League is founded by Manus O'Donnell and Conn O'Neill and begins its invasion of The Pale.Ireland source

Exploration & Expansion

Teseo Ambrogio's Introductio in Chaldaicam lingua, Syriaca atq Armenica, & dece alias linguas, published in Pavia, introduces several Middle Eastern languages to western Europe for the first time.source
Lands at Monkstown, Dublin, granted to Sir John Travers, Master of the Ordnance in Ireland.Ireland source

Religion & Belief

March 30 – Canterbury Cathedral surrenders, and reverts to its previous status of 'a college of secular canons.source
April 17 – At Dresden in Germany, Heinrich IV of the House of Wettin, nicknamed "Heinrich der Fromme" (Henry the Pious) becomes the new Duke of Saxony within the Holy Roman Empire upon the death of his older brother, Georg der Bärtige ("George the Bearded").source
May 5 – The English House of Lords creates a committee, balanced between religious reformers and religious conservatives, to examine and determine doctrine, eventually forming the "Six Articles".source
June 28 – The Six Articles, an Act of the Parliament of England, is given royal assent reaffirms certain Catholic principles in Henry VIII's Church of England.source
July 13 – Lütfi Pasha becomes the new Grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire after being appointed by the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent following the death of Ayas Mehmed Pashasource
September 7 – Guru Angad Dev becomes the second Guru of the Sikhs.source
November 1 – Joachim II Hector introduces Lutheranism in the Margraviate of Brandenburg, becoming the second Prince-Elector after the Prince-Elector of Saxony to turn Protestant.source
November 26 – Abbot Marmaduke Bradley and 31 monks sign the deed surrendering Fountains Abbey to the English Crown.source
December 7 – Juan Pardo de Tavera, Archbishop of Toledo, begins his administration as the Grand Inquisitor of Spain.source
Beaulieu Abbey, Bolton Abbey, Colchester Abbey, Newstead Abbey, St Albans Abbey, St Mary's Abbey, York and Hartland Abbey (the last) fall prey to the Dissolution of the monasteries in England.source
Lutheranism is forcibly introduced into Iceland, despite the opposition of Bishop Jón Arason.source
Guru Angad Dev becomes second guru of Sikhism.India source
Tintern Abbey (County Wexford) (seized 25 July).Ireland source
St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin (28 October).Ireland source

Technology & Infrastructure

The first printing press in North America is set up in Mexico City.source

Health & Medicine

In Henan province, China, a severe drought with swarms of locusts is made worse, by a major epidemic outbreak of the plague.source
Priory Hospital of St. John the Baptist, Drogheda (26 July).Ireland source
Dundalk Priory Hospital (23 November).Ireland source
Priory Hospital of St. John the Baptist, Newtown Trim.Ireland source
Ardee Priory Hospital (6 December) and White Friars Priory.Ireland source

Culture & Society

February 9 – The first horse race is held at Chester Racecourse, the oldest still in use in England.source
May 25 – The inaugural declaration of the Protestant Reformation takes place in Leipzig (now part of Germany) with Martin Luther present, as Duke Henry IV pledges to adopt Lutheranism as the official religion of make the Duchy of Saxony.source
October 4 – Henry VIII contracts to marry Anne of Cleves.source
December 27 – Anne of Cleves arrives in England in fulfillment of the October 4 contract for marriage to King Henry VIII and the payment of a dowry of 100,000 florins to her brother. Anne and Henry are married 10 days later, but the marriage is annulled on July 12.source
The first edition of the Calvinist Genevan Psalter is published.source
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a former royal palace, is rebuilt.France source
St. Catherine's Priory, Co. Dublin (25 June).Ireland source
St. Mary's Carmelite Friary, Dublin (3 August).Ireland source

Births

February 13 – Elisabeth of Hesse, Electress Palatine by marriage (1576–1582) (died 1582)source
February 23 – Salima Sultan Begum, Empress of the Mughal Empire as a wife of Emperor Akbar (died 1613)source
February 23 – Henry XI of Legnica, thrice Duke of Legnica (died 1588)source
February 27 – Franciscus Raphelengius, Dutch printer (died 1597)source
March 5 – Christoph Pezel, German theologian (died 1604)source
April 30 – Archduchess Barbara of Austria, Austrian archduchess (died 1572)source
May 22 – Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford (died 1621)source
May 26 - Renée of Bourbon, Duchess of Lorraine (b.1494)France source
May 29 – Thomas Pounde, English Jesuit lay brother (died 1613)source
June 6 – Catherine Vasa, Regent of East Frisia (1599–1610) (died 1610)source
6 June - Catherine Vasa, princess (died 1610)Sweden source
June 13 – Jost Amman, Swiss printmaker (died 1591)source
July 4 – Louis VI, Elector Palatine (died 1583)source
September 18 – Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers, Italian-French dignitary and diplomat (died 1595)source
November 21 - Pierre Pithou, a lawyer and scholar, is born in Troyes, France. (d.1596)France source
December 5 – Fausto Paolo Sozzini, Italian theologian (died 1604)source
December 31 – John Radcliffe, English politician (died 1568)source
Olivier de Serres, author and soil scientist (d.1619)France source

Deaths

February 6 – John III, Duke of Cleves (born 1491)source
February 13 – Isabella d'Este, Marquise of Mantua (born 1474)source
March 2 – Askia Isma'il, ruler of the Songhai Empire in West Africa, dies after a reign of slightly less than two years and is succeeded by Askia Ishaq I.source
March 12 – Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, English diplomat and politician (b.1477)source
April 17 – George, Duke of Saxony (born 1471)source
April 19 – Katarzyna Weiglowa, Jewish martyr (born 1460)source
May 1 – Isabella of Portugal, Holy Roman Empress (born 1503)source
May 7 – Ottaviano Petrucci, Italian printer (born 1466)source
May 7 or September 22 – Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism (born 1469)source
July 5 – St Anthony Maria Zaccaria, Italian saint (born 1502)source
July 9 – Adrian Fortescue, English Roman Catholic martyr (born 1476)source
26 August – Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormonde, Lord Treasurer (born c.1467)Ireland source
August – Vannoccio Biringuccio, Italian metallurgist (born 1480)source
September 8 – John Stokesley, English prelate (born 1475)source
November 14 – Hugh Cook Faringdon, English Abbot of Readingsource
Suhungmung, king of Ahom (born 1497)India source