- Feb 2 M Rossi's opera "Erminia sul Giordano" premieres in Rome
Galilei and the Inquisition
Feb 13 Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before Inquisition for professing belief that earth revolves around the Sun
St. Peter's Baldachin
Feb 22 St. Peter's Baldachin, the cathedral's sculptural centerpiece, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is inaugurated by Pope Urban VIII in Rome
Champlain Again Leads New France
Mar 1 Samuel de Champlain reclaims his role as commander of New France on behalf of Cardinal Richelieu
- Mar 7 Prince Frederick Henry appoints himself viceroy of Limburg
Yes, We Have Some Bananas
Apr 10 First bananas go on sale in London in the shop window of Thomas Johnson's apothecary
- Apr 23 Sweden & Protestant German monarchy form Union of Heilbronn
- Jun 2 Prince Frederick Henry conquers fort Rhine at Cologne
- Jun 20 Charter for Maryland is given to Lord Cecil Baltimore
- Jun 22 Galileo Galilei recants his "heretical" position that the Earth orbiting the Sun was at odds with the Bible and church teaching (Vatican apologizes in Oct 1992 for how it handled the case)
- Oct 8 Massachusetts Bay Colony forms its first government
- Oct 22 Battle of Liaoluo Bay: Dutch East India Company defeated by Chinese Ming naval forces in southern Fujian sea
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