1522 - Political Events

Political Events

The uncrowned Holy Roman Emperor Carlos I (Charles V) expels French forces from Milan with help from Florence, Mantua, and the papacy. Former Florentine gonfalonier Piero di Tommaso Soderini dies at Rome June 13 at age 70. England's Henry VIII joins the war against France.

Henry VIII makes Piers Butler his lord deputy of Ireland. A cousin of Thomas Butler, 7th earl of Ormonde, who died childless, Butler seized the family estates and claimed the earldom in 1515 and has fought for the English against the rebel Irish lords, who have called him "The Red Earl." Now 55, Butler will renounce his claim to the earldom of Ormonde in 1528 and be made earl of Ossory but will be made earl of Ormonde 10 years later.

The Knights of St. John defend the island of Rhodes against the Ottoman sultan Suleiman I, who triumphs December 21 after a 6-month siege, taking the island from the order that has held it since 1306 (see Malta, 1530; Mohács, 1526).

The Ming emperor Jia Qing comes to power and expels the Portuguese for acts of piracy by Simao d'Andrade and others; he will reign until 1566.