1550 CE

The Valladolid debate on the rights and treatment of indigenous peoples of the Americas by their Spanish conquerors opens at the Colegio de San Gregorio in Valladolid, Castile. The Spanish Catalan city of Cullera is plundered by the Ottoman Empire General Dragut Reis, and most of its inhabitants are sold into slavery in Algeria. King Gustav Vasa founds Helsingfors, now the Helsinki, the capital of Finland.

In the 1550s, the 16th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • February – envoys of the Kingdom of France conclude treaties with O'Neill, O'Donnell and O'Doherty.Irelandsource
  • March 24 – "Rough Wooing": England and France sign the Treaty of Boulogne, by which England withdraws from Boulogne in France and returns territorial gains in Scotland.source
  • 24 March – The Treaty of Boulogne ends the hostilities with England known as the Rough WooingScotlandsource
  • April 16 – The Valladolid debate on the rights and treatment of indigenous peoples of the Americas by their Spanish conquerors opens at the Colegio de San Gregorio in Valladolid, Castile.source
  • July 17 – grant to Humphrey Powell to start printing in Ireland.Irelandsource
  • July – instructions issued to Lord Deputy for resumption, surveying and leasing of Leix and Offaly.Irelandsource
  • November 25 – Luis de Velasco becomes the second Viceroy of New Spain, which encompasses all Spanish territory in North America and Central America. Velasco succeeds Antonio de Mendoza, the first Viceroy, who has been ordered to become the Viceroy of Peru.source
  • Afonso de Noronha becomes viceroy of India (until 1554)Indiasource

Conflict & Security

  • February 25 – (10th day of 2nd month of Tenbun 19) In Oita, Ōita Prefecture, an attack within the Ōtomo clan of Japanese samurai takes place after clan leader Ōtomo Yoshikazu seeks to disinherit his oldest son and to make his third son, Ōtomo Shioichimaru, as his designated successor. Supporters of the oldest son, Ōtomo Yoshishige, invade Yoshikazu's home and kill Shioichimaru and four other family members.source
  • March 12 – Arauco War: Battle of Penco – Several hundred Spanish and indigenous troops under the command of Pedro de Valdivia defeat an army of 60,000 Mapuche in modern-day Chile.source
  • May 20 – The Spanish Catalan city of Cullera is plundered by the Ottoman Empire General Dragut Reis, and most of its inhabitants are sold into slavery in Algeria.source
  • June 28 – Capture of Mahdia (1550): The Spanish Armada arrives in North Africa to begin the process of capturing the fortress of Mahdia (now in Tunisia) from control of the Ottoman Empire.source
  • July 25 – Capture of Mahdia (1550): Troops commanded by Ottoman General Turgut Reis make a counterattack on the Spanish invaders, led by General Andrea Doria. Both sides sustain heavy losses, and the Spanish succeed in forcing the Ottomans to retreat back inside Mahdia.source
  • September 2 (5th waning of Tawthalin 912 ME) – King Bayinnaung of Burma begins a four-month siege of the former Burmese capital, Toungoo, occupied by the king's rebellious brother Minkhaung.source
  • September 10 – Spanish troops, commanded by Genoa's General Andrea Doria, capture the Tunisian fortress of Mahdia from the Ottoman Empire after fighting that began on June 28.source
  • October 2 – Battle of Sauðafell in Iceland: Daði Guðmundsson of Snóksdalur defeats the forces of Catholic Bishop Jón Arason, resulting in Iceland becoming fully Protestant. Arason is captured; he is executed, along with his two sons, on November 7.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • January 6 – Spanish Captain Hernando de Santana founds the city of Valledupar, in modern-day Colombia.source

Religion & Belief

  • February 7 – After a 10-week conclave in Rome to elect a new Pope, Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, Bishop of Palestrina, is selected on the 61st ballot after Reginald Pole of England falls two votes short of winning. Ciocchi del Monte takes the name Pope Julius III and is crowned the next day, succeeding the late Pope Paul III.source
  • May 15 – The vestments controversy is resolved in the Church of England with a compromise on the style of clothing worn by Anglican priests. John Hopper is allowed ordination as the Bishop of Gloucester without being required to wear Anglican vestments, but must not forbid anyone in his bishopric from wearing the vestments if they wish.source
  • July 21 – The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) is approved by Pope Julius III.source
  • August 5 – The University of Santa Catalina is authorized in Spain by a canonical bull from Pope Julius III.source
  • The first book in Slovene, Catechismus, written by Protestant reformer Primož Trubar, is printed in Schwäbisch Hall, Holy Roman Empire.source

Economy & Finance

Technology & Infrastructure

  • The summit level canal between the Alster and the Trave in Germany ceases to be navigable.source

Science & Discovery

  • Approximate date – The discovery of silver at Guanajuato in Mexico stimulates silver rushes.source

Crime & Justice

  • May 6 – Italian Protestant Michelangelo Florio, jailed since 1548 before being brought to trial for and sentenced to death for heresy, escapes from prison and is able flee to France.source
  • The witch trial against Lasses Birgitta, referred to as the first execution for witchcraft in Sweden.Swedensource

Disasters & Accidents

  • October 16 – Altan Khan crosses the Great Wall of China and besieges Beijing, burning the suburbs.source
  • Nenagh town and friary burned by O'Carroll.Irelandsource

Culture & Society

  • March 12 – Acapulco is founded by 30 families sent from Mexico City.source
  • March 29 – Sherborne School in England is refounded by King Edward VI.source
  • June 12 – The city of Helsinki (now in Finland but known as Helsingfors in Sweden at this time) is founded by King Gustav I of Sweden.source
  • 12 June - King Gustav Vasa founds Helsingfors, now the Helsinki, the capital of Finland.Swedensource
  • The first grammatical description of the French language is published by Louis Maigret.source
  • Nostradamus' first almanac is written.source

Births

  • February 1 John Napier, Scottish mathematician (died 1617)source
  • 1 February – John Napier, physicist, astronomer and mathematician, discoverer of logarithms (died 1617)Scotlandsource
  • April 12 – Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, Lord Great Chamberlain of England (died 1604)source
  • May 25 – Camillus de Lellis, Italian saint and nurse (died 1614)source
  • June 27 – King Charles IX of France (died 1574)source
  • July 27 – Charles IX of France (died 1574)Francesource
  • September 17 – Pope Paul V (died 1621)source
  • September 30 – Michael Maestlin, German astronomer and mathematician (died 1631)source
  • October 4 – King Charles IX of Sweden (died 1611)source
  • 4 October - Charles IX of Sweden, king (1604–1611) of Sweden (died 1611). Otherwise known as "King Karl Vasa IX of Sweden".Swedensource
  • October 28 – Stanislaus Kostka, Polish saint (died 1568)source
  • November 1 – Henry of Saxe-Lauenburg, Prince-Archbishop of Bremen, Prince-Bishop of Osnabruck and Paderborn (died 1585)source
  • November 6 – Karin Månsdotter, Swedish queen (died 1612)source
  • December 7 – Lithuanian noble Barbara Radziwiłł, wife of Sigismund II Augustus, King of Poland and Duke of Lithuania since 1547, has an elaborate coronation in Kraków as Queen consort and Grand Duchess, five months before her death at the age of 30.source
  • December 21 – Man Singh I, Mughal noble (died 1614)source
  • December 22 – Cesare Cremonini, Italian philosopher (died 1631)source
  • Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, Irish rebel (died 1616)source
  • Chand Bibi, warrior and acting Regent of Bijapur (1580–90) and regent of Ahmednagar (1596–99) (died 1599)Indiasource

Deaths

  • January 12 – Andrea Alciato, Italian jurist and writer (born 1492)source
  • February 2 – Sir Francis Bryan, courtier, diplomat and lawyer (born c.1490)Irelandsource
  • March 7 – William IV, Duke of Bavaria (born 1493)source
  • March 8 – John of God, Spanish friar and saint (born 1495)source
  • April 13 – Innocenzo Cybo, Italian Catholic cardinal (born 1491)source
  • April 30 – King Tabinshwehti of Burma (born 1516)source
  • April 30 – King Tabinshwehti of Burma is assassinated by two of his bodyguards while he is on a hunting trip. The two swordsmen, sent by Smim Sawhtut, Governor of Sittaung, behead the King, and a civil war begins as major governors rebel against the new Burmese King Bayinnaung.source
  • May 18 – Jean, Cardinal of Lorraine, French churchman (born 1498)source
  • July 22 – Jorge de Lencastre, Duke of Coimbra (born 1481)source
  • July 30 – Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton, English politician (born 1505)source
  • October 23 – Tiedemann Giese, Polish Catholic bishop (born 1480)source
  • November 6 – Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg (born 1487)source
  • December 6 – Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Flemish painter (born 1502)source
  • December 8 – Gian Giorgio Trissino, Italian humanist, poet, dramatist and diplomat (born 1478)source
  • December 29 – Bhuvanaikabahu VII, King of Kotte on most of the island of Sri Lanka, is assassinated by a gunman hired by the government of Portuguese India.source
  • Jean, Cardinal of Lorraine (born 1498)Francesource
  • Catherine d'Amboise, writer and poet (b.1475)Francesource
  • Unknown date - Lasses Birgitta, alleged witchSwedensource