1585

Years: 1582 1583 1584 - 1585 - 1586 1587 1588
Decades: 1550s 1560s 1570s - 1580s - 1590s 1600s 1610s
Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century 1585 in science

1585 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.

Events

January 12 - The Netherlands adopts the Gregorian calendar
Beginning of the Eighth War of Religion in France (also known as the War of the Three Henrys)
August 8 - John Davis enters Cumberland Sound in quest for the North West Passage.
August 17 - Capture of Antwerp by Spanish forces under the Prince of Parma.
Chocolate introduced to Europe commercially
England enters the Eighty Years' War

January 27 - Hendrick Avercamp, Dutch painter (died 1634)
March 5 - John George I, Elector of Saxony (d. 1656)
March 16 - Gerbrand Adriaensz Bredero, Dutch writer (died 1618)
September 9 - Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu, French statesman (d. 1642)
October 9 - Heinrich Schütz, German composer (died 1672)
October 28 - Cornelius Jansen, French bishop of Ypres and religious reformer (died 1638)
November 1 - Jan Brożek, Polish mathematician, physician, and astronomer (d. 1652)
December 4 - John Cotton, founder of Boston, Massachusetts (died 1652)
December 13 - William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (died 1649)
Uriel Acosta, Portuguese Jewish philosopher (died 1640)
John Ball, English puritan divine (died 1640)
Zachary Boyd, Scottish religious writer (died 1653)
Jan Brozek, Polish mathematician (died 1651)
Louis Cappel, French Protestant churchman and scholar (died 1658)
Gonzalo de Céspedes y Meneses, Spanish novelist (died 1638)
Francesco Fontana, Italian lawyer and astronomer (died 1656)
Evert Horn, Swedish soldier (died 1615)
Jacob Le Maire, Dutch mariner (died 1616)
Krzysztof Radziwill, Polish nobleman (died 1640)
Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara, Irish soldier (died 1655)
Lucilio Vanini, Italian free-thinker (died 1619)
Alexander Whitaker, Virginia Colony religious leader (died 1616)