1603 facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	16th century – 17th century – 18th century
Decades:	1570s 1580s 1590s – 1600s – 1610s 1620s 1630s
Years:	1600 1601 1602 – 1603 – 1604 1605 1606

February 25: The first permanent Dutch trading post in Indonesia is established in Banten.

March 24: James I becomes King of England.

March 24: Tokugawa Ieyasu becomes Shogun of Japan.

1603 (MDCIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar, the 1603rd year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 603rd year of the 2nd millennium, the 3rd year of the 17th century, and the 4th year of the 1600s decade. As of the start of 1603, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.

The year 1603 was a time of significant changes and important events across the globe. New leaders rose to power, brave explorers set sail for distant lands, and fresh ideas in science and culture began to emerge. It was a year that helped shape the future of many nations, from Europe to Asia and beyond.

Key Events of 1603

January to March: New Beginnings and Conflicts

January 24 – English Admiral Christopher Newport tried to take control of the Spanish island of Jamaica to get supplies. Spanish defenders stopped his fleet, and he moved his ships to Central America.
February 17 – A sea battle, known as the Battle of Puerto Caballos, took place near Guatemala. Spanish ships fought against English and French ships. The English and French forces explored the area for two weeks, and many Spanish soldiers were injured or lost their lives.
February 25 – During the Dutch–Portuguese War, a Portuguese ship called the Santa Catarina was captured by Dutch ships near Singapore. This was part of a larger struggle for control over trade routes.
March 15 – French explorer Samuel de Champlain began his first voyage to the settlement of New France in what is now Canada. He departed from Honfleur, France.
March 24 – This was a very important day for two different parts of the world:
- Queen Elizabeth I of England passed away at Richmond Palace. She had ruled England since 1558. Her cousin, King James VI of Scotland, became James I of England. This event, called the Union of the Crowns, brought the crowns of Scotland and England together.
- In Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu was granted the title of shōgun by Emperor Go-Yozei. He established the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo (modern-day Tokyo). This marked the start of the Edo period, a long era of peace and stability in Japan that lasted 265 years.
March 30 – The Nine Years War (Ireland) ended with the submission of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, to the English Crown. The Treaty of Mellifont was signed, bringing peace to Ireland.

April to June: Trade, Funerals, and Alliances

April 27 – The first permanent Dutch trading post in Indonesia was established in Banten. Vice Admiral Wybrand van Warwijck set up a factory there to store and package black pepper for trade.
April 28 – The funeral for Queen Elizabeth I of England was held in Westminster Abbey.
May 8 – Mozes Székely became the Prince of Transylvania. He was appointed by the Ottoman Sultan, Mehmed III. Székely died in battle on July 17.
May 13 – In modern-day northern Thailand, the rulers of Chiang Mai regained control of the Nan province and captured its ruler, Cao Cetabut.
May 14 – Pope Gabriel VIII of Alexandria, the leader of the Coptic Christian Church, passed away after nearly 16 years. He was succeeded by Pope Mark V.
May 19 – "The King's Men," a group of English actors, received a special permission from King James. This company included William Shakespeare, who was one of its 26 main actors. They performed many of his famous plays.
May 26 – The Battle of Sluis took place at sea off the Belgian Netherlands. Spanish ships tried to break through a blockade of the port of Sluis but were unsuccessful. Many sailors lost their lives.
May 29 – A special feast, called a tabagie, was held in Tadoussac, Canada. French explorers Samuel De Champlain and François Gravé Du Pont formed an alliance with representatives from the Innu, Algonquin, and Maliseet tribes.
June 7 – Prince Şehzade Mahmud, the 16-year-old son of Sultan Murad III of the Ottoman Empire, died due to political reasons.

July to September: Trials and Scientific Progress

July 17 – Sir Walter Raleigh was arrested in England. He was accused of plotting against the new King James.
July 25 – The official crowning ceremony for James I as King of England took place at Westminster Abbey. The celebrations were kept small because of a widespread illness.
August 17 – The Accademia dei Lincei, the world's oldest scientific academy, was founded in Rome by Federico Cesi.
September 20 – Samuel Champlain arrived back in France after his voyage to Canada.
September 20 – During the Ottoman–Safavid War (1603–1618), the Safavid Army of Iran, led by Emperor Abbas the Great, launched a surprise attack on Tabriz. This city had been under Ottoman control since 1588. Tabriz was recaptured after 29 days.

October to December: More Conflicts and Leadership Changes

October 6 – On the Philippine island of Luzon, a conflict against Spanish rule ended in Manila. Many Chinese residents tragically lost their lives during this event.
October 18 – Yemişçi Hasan Pasha, a high-ranking official in the Ottoman Empire, died due to political reasons. Sultan Mehmed III appointed Yavuz Ali Pasha to take his place.
October 21 – During the Ottoman–Safavid War (1603–1618), the Safavid Army of Iran, led by Emperor Abbas the Great, officially recaptured Tabriz from the Ottoman Empire after 15 years.
November 15 – After taking Tabriz, Abbas the Great led the Safavids in a siege of Yerevan.
November 17 – Sir Walter Raleigh faced a trial for disloyalty to the king in Winchester Castle. He was found guilty but was not put to death at that time. Instead, he was sent to prison in the Tower of London.
November – The Rokugō rebellion took place in Japan. More than 1,000 masterless samurai, known as rōnin, rebelled to support their exiled lord.
December 22 – Sultan Mehmed III of the Ottoman Empire died. His son, Ahmed I, became the new Sultan.
December 29 – Yavuz Ali Pasha, who had been appointed as the new Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire in October, arrived in Constantinople to begin his service. He passed away from illness seven months later.

Ongoing Events

Russian famine of 1601–1603 – A severe famine continued in Russia during this period.

Events with Unknown Dates

A rebellion started in Transylvania.
French Huguenot Pierre de Gua received royal permission to settle in North America. He founded the colony of Acadia.
Yaqob was removed as Emperor of Ethiopia, and his cousin Za Dengel took his place.
Johann Bayer published the Uranometria, a star atlas that was the first to map the entire sky.
Japanese female entertainer Izumo no Okuni created kabuki dance drama in Kyoto.
The earliest of eight companies that would later merge to form the Kikkoman Corporation, known for making soy sauce, was founded in Japan.

Notable Births in 1603

Ivan III Drašković

Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark

Joseph of Cupertino

January to March

January 3 – Paul Stockmann, German hymnwriter.
January 27 – Sir Harbottle Grimston, 2nd Baronet, English lawyer and politician.
January 27 – Humphrey Mackworth, English politician and judge.
January 30 – David Denicke, German jurist and hymnwriter.
January – Shackerley Marmion, English dramatist.
February 2 – Louise de Bourbon, French noble.
February 7 – Friederich Stellwagen, German organ builder.
February 12 – Friedrich Wilhelm II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg.
March 2 – Pietro Novelli, Italian painter.
March 13 – Ivan III Drašković, Croatian nobleman and soldier.
March 18 – Simon Bradstreet, English colonial magistrate.
March 21 – Samuel Luke, English politician.