1521 - Political Events

Political Events

Juan de Padilla's insurgent communeros occupy Torrelobatón February 28, but the Battle of Villalar April 23 gives Carlos I a victory that ends the last Spanish resistance to absolutism (see 1520). Juan de Padilla is captured at Villalar while trying to retreat and is executed the next day at age 30 along with other leaders of the revolt. French support of the communeros and French designs on Navarre precipitate a war between France and Spain that will continue for 8 years. French forces take Pamplona May 20 and go on to take Fantarabia, but imperial forces invade Picardy with the mercenary army (Landsknechte) headed by Georg von Frundsberg, now 47. An army of 35,000 Spaniards lays siege to the town of Mézières, but the French knight Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard, leads a 1,000-man defense force that gives François I time to raise an army. The siege is lifted after 6 weeks, central France is saved, and François drives out the invaders.

Belgrade falls in August to the Ottoman sultan Suleiman I after a 3-week siege. His forces make raids into Hungary (see Rhodes, 1522).

Jan Tarnowski returns to his native Poland to lead an army against the Teutonic Knights in Prussia.

Former lord deputy of Ireland Sir Edward Poynings dies at Westenhanger, Kent, in October at age 62.

Portugal's Manuel I dies at Lisbon in December at age 52 after a 26-year reign marked by great Portuguese explorations and discoveries. He is succeeded by his 19-year-old son, who will reign until 1557 as João III.

China's 10th Ming emperor Zhengde (Cheng-te) drowns at age 31 (approximate) when his pleasure boat capsizes. In his 16-year reign he has had hundreds of court officials demoted, tortured, or killed for questioning his sometimes bizarre behavior, and while he has devoted himself to learning exotic languages and amusing himself by traveling around the country incognito, court eunuchs have gained so much power that future emperors will find it impossible to thwart them (see 1510). The southern provinces have had no representation at court, many people have turned to banditry, public offices have been bought and sold, and excessive taxes have been levied on the people. Zhengde is succeeded by a 15-year-old cousin who will reign until his death in 1566 as Jiajing (Chia-ching) but be no more effective (see 1542). The new emperor appoints Kiangsi province governor Wang Yangming (Wang Yang-ming) war minister and elevates him to the nobility. Wang's Instructions for Practical Living (Ch'uan-hsi hi) has elaborated on his basic philosophy that humans have an innate knowledge of what is good and what is evil.

Hernándo Cortéz starves out Tenochtitlán, which falls to his siege forces August 13 (see 1520). A group of 800 Aztec women and children have been captured when they came out of hiding at night in search of food. Cortéz becomes captain-general of New Spain and sole ruler of the Aztec with help from his mistress, Doña Marina (see 1522). She gives birth to the conquistador's son, and he rewards her for her services by bestowing upon her enough land, gold, and vassals to keep her comfortable for life, but he sends to Cuba for his young wife, the noblewoman Doña Catalina Suárez de Marcayda.