1559 in History

Francis II succeeds his father Henry II as King of France

Frederick II succeeds Christian III as King of Denmark and Norway

Government introduces legislation restoring royal authority over the English church

Act of Supremacy restores the crown's authority over the Church of England

Act of Uniformity restores a revised English prayer book

The Privy Council instructs Norfolk to assist the Scots against the French

Elizabeth accepts peace with France and temporary French possession of Calais

Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury

Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury

Consecrated after all the Marian Bishops had been removed from office

Creates the Royal Audiencia of Charcas to govern Upper Peru

Philip II creates the Royal Audiencia of Charcas for Upper Peru

Prince Bayezid flees toward Safavid Persia after defeat by Suleyman's supporters

Treaty provides that Calais may be restored after eight years or compensated

William Cecil becomes Elizabeth's principal adviser in the early reign

Consecrated after all the Marian Bishops had been removed from office

Maitland joins opponents of Mary of Guise and supports the Protestant cause

Philip II decides to marry Elizabeth of Valois rather than Elizabeth I

Elizabeth opens her first parliament to settle religion and succession

Mary of Scots becomes Queen Consort of France and links Scotland to Guise influence

Francis of Guise gains influence under the young Francis II

Francis II's accession strengthens the political influence of the Guise family

The Privy Council instructs Norfolk to assist the Scots against the French

Bacon serves as Lord Keeper during the first year of Elizabeth's reign

Argyll supports the Protestant Lords of the Congregation

James Stewart supports Protestant lords opposing the regency

Philip appoints Margaret of Parma as regent in the Netherlands

Parliament addresses Elizabeth & urges her to marry

Henry II's daughter Elizabeth marries Philip II as part of the peace settlement

Meets Elizabeth I & presents a petition requesting the Queen marry & provide an heir

Gargrave presents Commons petition urging Elizabeth to marry and provide an heir

Elizabeth answers parliamentary pressure by refusing to be hurried into marriage

Philip II marries Elizabeth of Valois under the Cateau Cambresis settlement

Attends the opening of a Reformation Parliament

Mary of Guise faces Protestant unrest after Knox's preaching

Knox preaches at Perth and religious unrest spreads

Meets Elizabeth I & presents a petition requesting the Queen marry & provide an heir

Giovanni Angelo Medici is elected Pope Pius IV

The revised Book of Common Prayer comes into use under Elizabeth

Elizabeth reshapes the Privy Council around trusted Protestant and moderate advisers

Mary of Scots becomes queen consort of France after Francis II succeeds

Restores the anti-papal laws of Henry VIII

Parliament supports Elizabeth's reforms even though the Bishops do not

Attends the opening of a Reformation Parliament

Margaret of Parma begins governing the Spanish Netherlands for Philip II

Knox returns from exile and becomes a leading voice of the Scottish Reformation

Philip II returns to Spain after leaving the Netherlands

Charles Cardinal of Lorraine becomes a leading adviser to Francis II

Royal Injunctions direct clergy and parishes to follow the new settlement

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Calais is ceded to France for 8 yrs

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Franche-Comte

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Milan

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Naples

Under the Treaty of Cateau Cambresis Spain retains Sicily

William of Orange is appointed stadholder in the Habsburg Netherlands

The Government drafts a petition requesting the Queen to marry & provide an heir

The accession of Francis II and his consort, Mary Stuart, niece of Francois de Guise, is a triumph for the Guise family

Elizabeth's council moves toward aiding Scottish Protestants against French influence

Elizabeth takes the title Supreme Governor rather than Supreme Head of the Church

Henry II is fatally wounded during a tournament celebrating the peace

Philip II decides to marry Elizabeth of Valois rather than Elizabeth I

Agrees an Anglo-French truce over Scotland

Elizabeth I cedes Calais to France for 8 yrs

Spain retains Franche-Comte, Milan, Naples & Sicily. Philip II marries Henry II's daughter Elizabeth. Ends war between the Valois of France & the Habsburg Empire

Philip II marries Henry II's daughter Elizabeth. Henry II's sister marries Emmanuel Comte de Savoy. Ends war between the Valois of France & the Habsburg Empire

Henry II ends the long Habsburg Valois war by treaty with Spain and England

Philip II makes peace with France after decades of Habsburg Valois warfare

Spain retains Franche-Comte, Milan, Naples & Sicily. Philip II marries Henry II's daughter Elizabeth. Henry II's sister marries Emmanuel Comte de Savoy. Ends the war between the Valois of France & the Habsburg Empire

Ivan IV accepts a temporary truce during the Livonian War

Elizabeth's government orders church visitations to enforce religious conformity

Birth of Johan Tserclaes Graf von Tilly

Birth of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick, 3rd Baron Rich, son of Robert Rich, 2nd Baron Rich and Elizabeth Baldry

Death of Christian II former King of Denmark Norway and Sweden

Christian III dies and the Danish throne passes to Frederick II

Death of Henry II, mortally wounded in a tournament

Henry II dies from wounds suffered in a tournament

Paul IV dies after a severe and controversial pontificate

Suleyman's forces defeat Prince Bayezid in the Ottoman succession struggle

A Coronation procession is held in the streets of the City of London

Elizabeth is crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey

Francis is crowned King of France

Elizabeth rides through London in a public coronation procession before her crowning