1534 - Political Events

Political Events

The Irish lord deputy Garret Fitzgerald, 9th earl of Kildare (Young Gerald), is summoned to London in February on charges of disloyalty to Henry VIII. James, 10th earl of Desmond, has intrigued with the emperor Charles V, and Henry fears that Kildare will be unable to keep his country neutral. False rumors that Kildare has been executed reach his London-born son Thomas, 20, who seizes Dublin, renounces his allegiance to the king, and with some confederates murders Archbishop John Alen (see 1535).

Swedish forces under the command of Gustav Eriksson Vasa invade Denmark to support a revolt by Danish noblemen loyal to the deposed king Kristian II (see 1524). Count Kristoffer of Oldenburg leads the Danish troops in what will be remembered as the "Clashes of the Counts" (see 1535).

Ulrich, duke of Württemberg, regains his duchy from Ferdinand of Hapsburg, who is preoccupied with war against the Ottoman Turks and agrees to Ulrich's restoration in the Treaty of Kaaden on condition that Württemberg be an Austrian fiefdom (see 1519). Now 46, Ulrich has served under France's François I and enriched himself as a brigand since his expulsion in 1519 (see 1547)

Mary de Lorraine, 19, daughter of Claude de Lorraine, 1st duc de Guise, marries Louis d'Orleans, duc de Longueville, who will soon die (see 1538).

Ferrara's Alfonso I d'Este dies after a 29-year reign in which he has battled the two Medici popes, Julius II and Leo X. He is succeeded by his eldest legitimate son (he has sired some illegitimate ones by his mistress Laura Eustochia Dianti, whose descendants will rule as dukes of Modena and Reggio), and the new signore will reign until 1572 as Ippolito, erecting a magnificent villa at Tivoli.

Ottoman forces invade Mesopotamia under the command of Suleiman I and his grand vizier Ibrahim, take Tabriz from the Persians July 13, and take Baghdad November 18 from the Safavid governor Muhammad Sultan Khan. Baghdad will remain part of the Ottoman Empire until 1623 (and the Turks will recover it in 1638). Shah Tahmasp, now 20, has his regent executed and assumes personal power (but see 1538).

Tunis falls to Turkish forces led by the Ottoman admiral Barbarossa (Khair ad-Din) (see 1533; 1535).

Spain's Carlos I (the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) sends Diego de Almagro to help in the conquest of territory to the south of Peru that will be called Chile (see 1538).

The Inca city of Quito falls December 6 to Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Benalcázar (or Moyano, or Belalcázar), 39 (see 1533). He arrived in the New World 15 years ago, served under the late Pedros Arias Dávila, conquered what later will be Nicaragua, joined Francisco Pizarro's expedition to Peru, and has defeated the Inca chief Rumiñahui.