Historical
1520-1566: Turkey - The reign of Suleiman the Magnificent marks the zenith of the Ottoman Empire
1520: Portugal, Ethiopia - The first European diplomatic mission to Ethiopia, sent by the Portuguese, arrives at Massawa 9 April, and reaches the Imperial encampment of Emperor Dawit II in Shewa 9 October
1521: Philippines - Philippines discovered by Ferdinand Magellan, he was later killed in battle in central Philippines in the same year
1521: Portugal, China - After building fortifications at Tuen Mun, the Portuguese attempt to Invade Ming Dynasty China, but are expelled by Chinese naval forces
1521: Turkey, Serbia - Belgrade is captured by the Ottoman Empire
1522: Turkey - Rhodes falls to the Ottoman Turks of Suleiman the Magnificent, the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
1523: Sweden, Norway, Denmark - Sweden gains Independence from the Kalmar Union
1524-1525: Germany - German Peasants War in the Holy Roman Empire
1524: North America - Giovanni da Verrazzano is the first European to explore the Atlantic coast of North America between South Carolina and Newfoundland
1525: Spain, german, France - Battle of Pavia, Spain and Germany defeat Francis I of France and capture him
1526: India - Mughal Empire, founded by Babur, rules India until 1739 and hold titles until 1857
1526: Turkey. Hungary - Battle of Mohacs, the Ottomans defeat the Kingdom of Hungary
1527: Italy - Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, sacks Rome, this basically ends the Italian Renaissance
1527: Sweden - Protestant Reformation begins in Sweden
1529: Austria, Turkey - Siege of Vienna, Austrians defeat the Ottoman Empire
1529: Ethiopia - Battle of Shimbra, Kure Imam Ahmad Gragn defeats the Ethiopian Emperor Dawit II, the opening clash of the Ethiopian-Adal War
1529: Portugal, Spain - Treaty of Zaragoza defined the antimeridian of Tordesillas attributing the Moluccas to Portugal and Philippines to Spain
1531-1532: England - The Church of England breaks away from the Roman Catholic Church and recognizes King Henry VIII as the head of the Church
1531: Peru - The Inca Civil War is fought between the two brothers, Atahualpa and Huascar
1532: Spain, Peru - Francisco Pizarro leads the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire
1533: England - Anne Boleyn becomes Queen of England
1533: England - Elizabeth Tudor is born
1534: France, Canada - Jacques Cartier claims Quebec for France
1534: France - Affair of the Placards, Francis becomes more active in repression of French Protestants
1534: Turkey, Iraq - Battle of Baghdad, Ottomans capture Baghdad
1535: Germany - The Munster Rebellion, an attempt of radical, millennialist, Anabaptists in Germany to establish a theocracy ends in bloodshed
1536: Argentina - Foundation of Buenos Aires by Pedro de Mendoza
1536: England - Anne Boleyn is beheaded for adultery and treason
1536: Portugal - Establishment of the Inquisition in Portugal
1537: Portugal, Brazil - Portuguese establishes Recife in Pernambuco, north-east of Brazil
1538: Turkey, Spain, Italy - Battle of Preveza, Ottoman Turks defeat the Spanish-Venetian fleet
1539: North America - Hernando de Soto explores Inland North America
1541: Algeria, Spain - An Algerian military campaign by Charles V of Spain (Habsburg) is unsuccessful
1541: Brazil - Amazon River is discovered and explored by Francisco de Orellana
1541: Chile - Pedro de Valdivia founds Santiago de Chile
1541: Korea, Russia - Sahib I Giray of Crimea Invade Russia
1541: Turkey, Hungary - Capture of Buda and the absorption of the major part of Hungary by the Ottoman Empire
1542: France, England, Scotland - War resumes between Francis I of France and Emperor Charles V, this time Henry VIII is allied to the Emperor, while James V of Scotland and Sultan Suleiman I are allied to the French
1543: Ethiopia, Portugal - Battle of Wayna Daga, Ethiopian/Portuguese troops decisively defeat the Muslim army, Imam Ahmad Gragn killed
1543: Portugal, Japan - The Nanban trade period begins after Portuguese traders make contact with Japan
1544: France, Spain - Battle of Ceresole, French defeat an Imperial-Spanish army
1544: Scotland - Battle of the Shirts in Scotland, the Frasers and Macdonalds of Clan Ranald fight over a disputed chiefship, reportedly, 5 Frasers and 8 Macdonalds survive
1546: Italy - Michelangelo Buonarroti is made chief architect of St. Peters Basilica
1547: Russia - Grand Prince Ivan the Terrible is crowned tsar of (All)Russia, thenceforth becoming the first Russian tsar
1547: Spain, Italy, Hungary - Battle of Muhlberg, Emperor Charles V decisively dismantles the Schmalkaldic League
1548: China, Japan - The Ming Dynasty government of China Issues a decree banning all foreign trade and closes down all seaports along the coast, these Hai jin laws came during the Wokou wars with Japanese pirates
1548: Japan - Battle of Uedahara, firearms are used for the first time on the battlefield in Japan, and Takeda Shingen is defeated by Murakami Yoshikiyo
1549: El Salvador, Brazil - Tome de Souza establishes Salvador in Bahia, northeast of Brazil
1550-1551: Spain, Americas - Valladolid debate concerning the existence of souls in AmerIndians
1550: Mongolia, China - Mongols led by Altan Khan Invade China and besiege Beijing
1551: England - Fifth outbreak of sweating sickness in England, John Caius of Shrewsbury writes the first full contemporary account of the symptoms of the disease
1551: Malta, Libya - North African pirates enslave the entire population of the Maltese Island Gozo, between 5,000 and 6,000, sending them to Libya
1552: Russia, Bulgaria - Russia conquers the Khanate of Kazan