The world in
What happened in 1586?
9 events across 5 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
Scientific RevolutionIn the 16th and 17th centuries, a Scientific Revolution took place in Europe, with breakthroughs in mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology, and chemistry, altering the human understanding of nature. It marked the emergence of modern science, breaking with Greek traditions, embracing a mechanistic worldview, integrating mathematics, and emphasizing new evidence.
Outbreak of the Protestant ReformationIn 1517, the Protestant Reformation broke out in Western Christianity. Initiated by theologians like Martin Luther, the movement posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and Catholic authority, seeking to return to the roots of Christianity. It marked the beginning of Protestantism, the end of the Middle Ages, and the start of the early modern period.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: 95Thesen.jpg : User:Shizhao derivative work: 6birc ( talk ) / Public domain ↗
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Cologne War breaks outIn 1583, armed conflict broke out between Catholic and Protestant factions within the Electorate of Cologne, marking the start of the Cologne War. Lasting until 1588, the war devastated the ecclesiastical principality, occurring against the backdrop of the Counter-Reformation after the Protestant Reformation, concurrently with the Dutch Revolt and the French Wars of Religion.
Anglo-Spanish War breaks outIn 1585, England launched a military expedition to the Spanish Netherlands under the Earl of Leicester, in support of the Dutch rebellion, initiating an undeclared, intermittent conflict with Spain that lasted until 1604.
East Asia
Rebuilding of St. Augustine's ChurchSt. Augustine's Church underwent a major rebuilding in the late 19th century, establishing its current form. The church, located on St. Augustine's Square in Macau, is part of the Historic Centre of Macau, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia (ZH) ↗Image: No machine-readable author provided. Glio~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain ↗
Founding of Hōkō-ji TempleHōkō-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, founded in the late 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He aimed to build a Daibutsu temple surpassing that of Nara. The architects were Nakamura Masakiyo and Heinouchi Yoshimasa, and the initial phase was reportedly completed in just three years. The temple's bell later sparked a literary inquisition over its inscription, which became a pretext for the Siege of Osaka, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Toyotomi clan. The bell is considered one of Japan's three great bells alongside those of Tōdai-ji and Chion-in.
Central Asian steppe
Founding of Erdene Zuu MonasteryIn 1585, Abadai Khan founded Erdene Zuu Monastery, the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia, on the site of the former capital Karakorum.
West Asia
Ottoman–Safavid War of 1578–1590 beginsIn 1578, war broke out between the Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire. The conflict, fought in Mesopotamia and surrounding regions, lasted about twelve years and ended with an Ottoman victory, forcing the Safavids to cede territory.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Atilim Gunes Baydin / Public domain ↗
North Africa
Construction of Bab Doukkala Mosque (Al-Hurra Mosque)The Bab Doukkala Mosque, named after the nearby city gate, was built in Marrakesh during the Saadian period. Founded by Massa'uda al-Wizkitiya, it is also known as the al-Hurra Mosque. Serving as the Friday mosque for a newly developed neighbourhood, it formed the centre of a large religious-charitable complex that included a madrasa, a hammam, a library, and a fountain.
Around 1586
These are known only to the century, not to the year. They are listed separately so a rough date is never mistaken for an exact one.
- Russian conquest of Siberia
- Beginning of the Columbian Exchange
- Beginning of the Renaissance
- Construction of the Badaling Section of the Great Wall
- Formation of the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests
- Founding of Varlaam Monastery
- Completion of the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge
- Construction of Villa d'Este begins