1578
From Freepedia
| Years: 1575 1576 1577 - 1578 - 1579 1580 1581 | |
| Decades: 1540s 1550s 1560s - 1570s - 1580s 1590s 1600s | |
| Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century | |
Events
- January 31 - Battle of Gemblours - Spanish forces under Don John of Austria and Alexander Farnese defeat the Dutch. Don John begins to recover control of the French-speaking Southern Netherlands
- August 4 - Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir - The Moroccans defeat the Portuguese. King Sebastian I of Portugal is defeated and killed in North Africa, leaving his elderly uncle, Cardinal Henry, as his heir. This initiates a succession crisis in Portugal.
- October 1 - Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma, succeeds Don John as Spanish Governor-General of the Netherlands.
- Tibet - Sonam Gyrso receives from prince Atlan Khan the title of "Talaï" and becomes the third Dalai Lama.
- Battle of Wenden - The Russians are defeated by the Swedes, who proceed to take Polotsk.
- The Ottoman Empire conquers Abkhazia.
- Sixth and so far the last outbreak of the sweating sickness in England
Births
- March 2 - George Sandys, English traveller (died 1644)
- April 1 - William Harvey, English physician (died 1657)
- April 14 - King Philip III of Spain (died 1621)
- May 16 - Everard Digby, English conspirator (died 1606)
- July 9 - Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1637)
- August 17 - Francesco Albani, Italian painter (died 1660)
- November 1 - Dmitry Pozharsky, Russian prince (died 1642)
- December 2 - Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer (died 1640)
- Giambattista Andreini, Italian actor and playwright (died 1650)
- Yamada Arinaga, Japanese retainer of Shimazu clan
- Benedetto Castelli, Italian scientist (died 1643)
- Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry, English lawyer (died 1640)
- Robert Cushman, Plymouth Colony settler (died 1625)
- Matahei Iwasa, Japanese painter (died 1650)
- Samuel Jordan, American colonial legislator (died 1623)
- Charles de Luynes, first duke of Chaulnes (died 1621)
- Grzegorz IV Radziwill, Polish magnate (died 1613)
- François Ravaillac, killer of Henry IV of France (died 1610)
- Ambrose Rokewood, English Gunpowder Plot conspirator (died 1606)
- Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland (died 1632)
- Horio Tadauji, Japanese daimyo (died 1604)
Deaths
- February 5 - Giambattista Moroni, Italian painter (born 1510)
- March 7 - Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (b. 1515)
- March 29 - Arthur Champernowne, English admiral (b. 1524)
- March 29 - Louis I, Cardinal of Guise, French cardinal (b. 1527)
- April 14 - James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, consort of Mary I of Scotland (born 1535)
- April 19 - Uesugi Kenshin, Japanese samurai and warlord (born 1530)
- August 4 - King Sebastian I of Portugal (born 1554)
- August 4 - Thomas Stucley, English adventurer (born 1525)
- August 11 - Pedro Nunes, Portuguese mathematician (b. 1502)
- October 1 - Don John of Austria, military leader (born 1547)
- Giorgio Giulio Clovio, Italian painter (born 1498)
- Cornelis Cort, Dutch engraver (born 1536)
- Thomas Doughty, English explorer
- Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor (born 1501)
- Amago Katsuhisa, Japanese nobleman (born 1553)
- Ikeda Katsumasa, Japanese military commander (born 1539)
- Juraj Julije Klovic, Dalmatian painter (born 1498)
- Pierre Lescot, French architect (born 1510)
- Giovanni Battista Moroni, Italian painter (born 1520)
- Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I Saadi, King of Morocco
