1542
| Years: 1539 1540 1541 – 1542 – 1543 1544 1545 | |
| Decades: 1510s 1520s 1530s – 1540s – 1550s 1560s 1570s | |
| Centuries: 15th century – 16th century – 17th century | |
Events
- War resumes between Francis I of France and Emperor Charles V. This time Henry VIII of England is allied to the Emperor, while James V of Scotland and Sultan Suleiman I are allied to the French.
- November 25 – Battle of Solway Moss. An English army invades Scotland and defeats a Scottish army.
- December 14 – Princess Mary Stuart becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland.
- The first contact of Japan with the West occurs when a Portuguese ship, blown off its course to China, lands in Japan.
Births
- June 24 – St. John of the Cross, Spanish Carmelite friar and poet (d. 1591)
- October 15 – Akbar, Jellaladin Mahommed, ruler of the Mughal Empire (d. 1605)
- December 8 – Queen Mary I of Scotland (d. 1587)
Deaths
- February 13 – Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII of England (executed)
- May 21 – Hernando de Soto, Spanish explorer
- August 24 – Gasparo Contarini, Italian diplomat and cardinal (b. 1483)
- December 14 – King James V of Scotland (b. 1512)
Categories: 1542