The Wars of Religion

1519-1650

1519: Charles I of Spain becomes Holy Roman Emperor as Charles V.

1520: Suleiman the Magnificent becomes Sultan of Turkey.

1521: Hornando Cortes conquers the Aztec Empire.

1524: Peasants Revolt in Southern Germany.

1526: Battle of Mohacs: Ottoman Turks defeat Hungary, capture Buda.

1527: Troops from the Holy Roman Empire sack Rome.

1529: Second Diet of Speyer: The Lutheran minority becomes known as "Protestants."

1533: Pizzaro executes the Inca and claims control of Inca lands.

1534: Anabaptist State at Muenster, led by John of Leiden.

1545: Truce of Adrianople between Holy Roman Empire and Ottoman Turks.

1546: Schmalkaldic War: Charles V against an alliance of Protestant princes.

1555: Peace of Augsburg

1563: Peace of Ambois: Huguenots granted limited toleration.

1566: Calvinists riot in the Netherlands.

1567: Duke of Alba establishes an Inquisition to stop Calvinism in the Netherlands.

1572: Dutch War of Independence begins.

1572: St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre: begins Fourth War of Religion in France.

1579: Union of Utrecht--founding the Dutch Republic.

1587: Mary, Queen of Scots, is executed.

1588: The defeat of the Spanish Armada.

1593: Henry IV of France accepts Roman Catholicism.

1598: Edict of Nantes grants freedom of worship to the Huguenots.

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Text copyright 1996-1999 by David W. Koeller. All rights reserved.