1565 facts for kids

March 1: Rio de Janeiro is founded.

The year 1565 (written as MDLXV in Roman numerals) was an exciting time in history, filled with important events across the globe. It was a common year starting on Monday in the Julian calendar. From the founding of new cities to major battles and the invention of everyday items, 1565 shaped the world in many ways.

Key Events of 1565

Early Year Highlights (January to March)

• In Russia, Ivan the Terrible began a period of strict control over his nobles, known as the oprichnina.
• A major conflict, the Battle of Talikota, significantly weakened the Vijayanagara Empire, which was the last large Hindu kingdom in South India.
• Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and his troops arrived on Cebu Island in the Philippines.
• On March 1, the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was founded by Estácio de Sá. It was originally named São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro.
• Later in March, López de Legazpi formed a special friendship agreement, called a blood compact (sandugan), with Datu Sikatuna on the island of Bohol, Philippines.

Mid-Year Developments (April to June)

• Cebu City was officially established by López de Legazpi, becoming the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines.
• In England, Huntingdon Grammar School was founded, providing education for young people.
• The powerful Ottoman Empire began the Great Siege of Malta, landing troops on the island. This was a very important battle for control of the Mediterranean Sea.
• The Treaty of Cebu was signed, giving Spain influence over Cebu.
• In Japan, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the Ashikaga shogun, lost his life during an invasion of Kyoto by Matsunaga Hisahide.

Later Year Events (July to September)

• Mary, Queen of Scots, married her cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in a Catholic ceremony at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.
• Elizabeth I of England granted the island of Sark in the Channel Islands as a special territory, or fief, to Hellier de Carteret.
• A rebellion against Mary, Queen of Scots, known as the Chaseabout Raid, began in Scotland. It was led by her half-brother, James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray. The rebellion ended by the end of September.
• Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his fleet first saw land in Florida.
• Menéndez de Avilés later landed in Florida to challenge the French presence there. He destroyed the French settlement of Fort Caroline.
• On September 8, St. Augustine, Florida was established by Menéndez de Avilés. Named after Augustine of Hippo, it became the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in what is now the United States. A special Thanksgiving ceremony was held there.
• The Knights of Malta successfully ended the Great Siege of Malta after four months of intense fighting.

End of Year Highlights (October to December)

• Ottavio Gentile Oderico was chosen to be the Doge (a leader similar to a duke) of the Republic of Genoa for two years.
• The Battle of Fukuda Bay saw Japanese ships try, but fail, to capture a Portuguese trading ship. This was the first recorded naval battle between Japan and a European nation.
• In the Northern Seven Years' War, the Battle of Axtorna took place in Sweden. The army of Denmark and Norway, led by Daniel Rantzau, defeated a larger Swedish force.
• The first Martello tower, called the Tour de Mortella, was finished in Corsica. These towers were designed for defense.
• The army of Burma, led by King Bayinnaung, conquered Chiang Mai, the capital of the Siamese Kingdom of Lan Na.
• By the end of the year, the Burmese Army also conquered Vientiane, the main city of the kingdom of Lan Xang (which is now Laos).
• A rebellion known as the Mariovo and Prilep rebellion occurred in Macedonia against the Ottoman Empire.

Innovations and New Schools

• The pencil was first officially described by Conrad Gesner and was becoming a common writing tool in England.
• Several new schools were founded, including John Beddoes School in Wales, Herlufsholm School in Denmark, and Bungay Grammar School in England.

People Born in 1565

Many important people were born in 1565 who would later make their mark on history.

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex

• January 17 – Mariana Navarro de Guevarra Romero, a Spanish nun.
• April 2 – Cornelis de Houtman, a Dutch explorer.
• May 15 – Hendrick de Keyser, a Dutch sculptor and architect.
• June 2 – Francisco Ribalta, a Spanish painter.
• August 16 – Christina, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, an important royal figure.
• October 6 – Marie de Gournay, a French writer and philosopher.
• November 10 – Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, an English nobleman and politician.
• Also born this year were Reza Abbasi, a Persian painter, and John Spottiswoode, who became an Archbishop in Scotland.

Important Figures Who Died in 1565

The year 1565 also saw the passing of several influential people.

Diego Laynez

Pope Pius IV

• January 19 – Diego Laynez, a Spanish Jesuit theologian.
• May 14 – Nicolaus von Amsdorf, a German Protestant reformer.
• June 17 – Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the Japanese shogun mentioned earlier.
• June 23 – Turgut Reis, a famous Ottoman naval commander.
• September 13 – William Farel, a French evangelist.
• October 12 – Jean Ribault, a French explorer and colonizer who played a role in the events in Florida.
• December 9 – Pope Pius IV, the leader of the Catholic Church.
• December 13 – Conrad Gessner, a Swiss naturalist who first documented the pencil.

See also

In Spanish: 1565 para niños