- Jan 8 Jacob Vaet, Flemish composer/royal chaplain master, dies at about 37
- Jan 23 Jiajing, 12th Emperor of Ming Dynasty of China, dies at 59
- Jan 26 Nicholas Wotton, English diplomat, arranged marriage of Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves, dies at about 70
- Feb 9 Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, King consort of Mary, Queen of Scots, murdered at 21 in the orchard of Kirk o' Field in Edinburgh
- Feb 10 Lord Darnley Stuart, husband of English queen Mary, murdered
- Mar 31 Philip, the Generous, count of Hessen, dies at 62
- Apr 18 Wilhelm von Grumbach, German adventurer (tried to incite German Knights against Holy Roman Empire), executed by dismemberment at 63
- Apr 19 Michael Stifel, German theologist/mathematician, dies at about 79
- May 2 Marin Drzic, Croatian playwright (Dundo Maroje), dies
- May 3 Leonhard Paminger, Bavarian composer, dies at 72
- May 19 Juan Bautista de Toledo, Spanish architect (El Escorial), dies (b. c. 1515)
- May 31 Guido de Bres, Belgian theologian (b. 1522)
- May 31 Pereguin de la Grange, French minister, martyr of Reform, dies
- Jun 2 Shane O'Neill, Irish chieftain
- Jun 12 Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich, Lord Chancellor of England (b. 1490)
- Oct 1 Pietro Carnesecchi, Italian humanist (b. 1508)
- Nov 12 Anne de Montmorency, French duke, soldier and statesman (Marshal and Constable of France, influential at court), dies at 74
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning