January 31 - Battle of Gemblours. Spanish forces under Don John of Austria and Alexander Farnese defeat the Dutch. Don John begins to recover control of the French-speaking Southern Netherlands
August 4 - Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir - Moroccans defeat Portuguese. King Sebastian I of Portugal is defeated and killed in North Africa, leaving his elderly uncle, Cardinal Henry, as his heir. This initiates a succession crisis in Portugal.
October 1 - Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma, succeeds Don John as Spanish Governor-General of the Netherlands.
Tibet, Sonam Gyrso, receives from prince Atlan Khan the title of "Talaļ" and becomes the third Dalai Lama Buddhism
Battle of Wenden. The Russians are defeated by the Swedes, who proceed to take Polotsk.
