Events

• January 7 - Boris Godunov seizes the throne of Russia following the death of his brother-in-law, Tsar Feodor I
• April 13 - Edict of Nantes - Henry IV of France grants French Huguenots equal rights with Catholics. Considered the end of the French Wars of Religion.
• May 2 - Peace of Vervins - End of war between France and Spain
• September 25 - Battle of Stängebro . The Catholic King Sigismund of Sweden and Poland is defeated in his attempt to resume control of Sweden by the Protestant forces of his uncle, Charles Albert. Sigismund is deposed shortly thereafter.
• Philosopher Tommaso Campanella organizes an uprising in Calabria against the rule of Spanish viceroy - he is captured and sentenced for 27 years in jail
• Irish rebellion against the English rule - rebel victory at battle of the Yellow Ford
• Parliament of England passes an act that allows transportation of convicts to colonies

Births

• April 23 - Maarten Tromp, Dutch admiral
• July 31 - Alessandro Algardi, Italian sculptor
• December 7 - Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Italian baroque sculptor (d. 1680)
• Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1677)

Deaths

• January 6/7 - tsar Feodor I of Russia
• September 13 - Philip II of Spain (b. 1527)
• September 18 - Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Japanese shogun