- Jan 24 Abdij Church in Middelburg destroyed by fire
William I Declared Outlaw
Jan 24 In Netherlands, Duke of Alva declares William I of Orange an outlaw
Maximilian II Pays Tribute
Feb 17 Treaty of Adrianople of 1568: Representatives of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II and Ottoman Sultan Selim II agree to a peace plan ending the war between the Habsburg monarchy and the Ottoman Empire; Maximilian agrees to provide a cash "present" and ruling authority is granted to the Ottomans in Transylvania, Moldavia, and Wallachia
Agreement of Interest
Feb 21 Treaty of Adrianople: Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II and Ottoman Sultan Selim II sign peace agreement between the Habsburg monarchy and the Ottoman Empire; the Ottomans receive cash and territories of Transylvania, Moldavia, and Wallachia
- Mar 23 Treaty of Longjumeau: French huguenots go on strike
Queen of Scots Defeated
May 13 Mary Queen of Scots is defeated at Battle of Langside
- May 16 Defeated at the Battle of Langside, Mary Queen of Scots flees to England in the hope Elizabeth I will help her regain her throne who instead detains her at Carlisle Castle
Elizabeth I Arrests Mary
May 19 English Queen Elizabeth I arrests Mary, Queen of Scots
- May 23 Battle of Heiligerlee, Groningen: Dutch rebels beat Spanish, thousands killed
- May 23 The Netherlands declares independence from Spain
- Jun 1 Duke of Alva oversees beheading of 18 nobles in Brussels as part of Council of Troubles/Council of Blood
- Jul 10 Battle on Eems: Dutch Water garrison beats Spanish
- Jul 13 Dean of St. Paul's London, Alexander Nowell perfects a way to bottle beer
- Jul 21 Battle at Jemmingen: Alva's troops beat Dutch rebellion
- Oct 5 Conference of York begins: trial against Mary, Queen of Scots
- Oct 5 William I of Orange's army occupies Brabant
- Oct 21 2nd Altenburger sermon: Philippisten/Gnesiolutheranen
- Dec 24 Morisco Revolt against Spanish suppression in the mountainous Alpujarra region of Granada, begins with a wave of violence led by Aben Humeya
- Dec 24 Uprising of Moriscos in Granada
Gregory I
Gregory XIII
Julius II
Julius III
Leo X
Pius V