1550s

• January 6 – Spanish Captain Hernando de Santana founds the city of Valledupar, in modern-day Colombia.
• February 8 – Pope Julius III succeeds Pope Paul III as the 221st pope.
• March 12 – Arauco War: Battle of Penco – Several hundred Spanish and indigenous troops under the command of Pedro de Valdivia defeat an army of 60,000 Mapuche, in modern-day Chile.
• March 24 – "Rough Wooing": England and France sign the Treaty of Boulogne, by which England withdraws from Boulogne in France and returns territorial gains in Scotland.[1]
• March 29 – Sherborne School in England is refounded by King Edward VI.
• April 16 – Valladolid debate on the rights and treatment of indigenous peoples of the Americas by their Spanish conquerors opens at the Colegio de San Gregorio in Valladolid, Castile.
• June 12 – The city of Helsinki, Finland (belonging to Sweden at this time) is founded by King Gustav I of Sweden.

• July (at least) – John Dee finishes his studies at the Old University of Leuven.[2]
• July 7 – Chocolate is introduced to Europe.
• July 21 – The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) is approved by Pope Julius III.
• October 2 – Battle of Sauðafell in Iceland: Daði Guðmundsson of Snóksdalur defeats the forces of Catholic Bishop Jón Arason who is captured and executed, resulting in Iceland becoming fully Protestant.

• Altan Khan crosses the Great Wall of China and besieges Beijing, burning the suburbs.
• The summit level canal between Alster and the Trave in Germany ceases to be navigable.[3]
• The first grammatical description of the French language is published by Louis Maigret.
• The first book in Slovene, Catechismus, written by Protestant reformer Primož Trubar, is printed in Schwäbisch Hall, Holy Roman Empire.
• Nostradamus' first almanac is written.
• Approximate date – The discovery of silver at Zacatecas and Guanajuato in Mexico stimulates silver rushes.

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