1580
| Years: 1577 1578 1579 – 1580 – 1581 1582 1583 | |
| Decades: 1550s 1560s 1570s – 1580s – 1590s 1600s 1610s | |
| Centuries: 15th century – 16th century – 17th century | |
Events
- March 1 – Michel de Montaigne signs the preface to his most significant work, Essays. They are published later the same year.
- September 26 – Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe
- 1580-1764 First session of Jewish Waad (Sejm of 4 countries) in Lublin, Poland. 70 delegates of Jewish local kahals met to discuss issue of taxations and other important for Jewish communities issues.
- Portugal loses independence to Spain following the death without heirs of king Henry of Portugal. The Habsburg rule would last until 1640.
Births
- April 18 – (baptism) Thomas Middleton, English playwright. (d. 1627)
- Frans Hals, Dutch painter (d. 1666)
- Willebrord van Roijen Snell, Dutch mathematician (d. 1626)
- John Smith of Jamestown, Virginia settler (d. 1631)
Deaths
- June 10 – Luís de Camões, Portuguese poet (b. 1524)
- August 30 – Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy (b. 1528)
- November 3 – Jeronimo Zurita y Castro, Spanish historian (b. 1512)
- Andrea Palladio, Italian architect (b. 1508)
Categories: 1580