1552 - Political Events

Political Events

France's Henri II signs the Treaty of Chambord with Maurice of Saxony January 15, promising to supply troops and money for the war against the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Maurice takes Augsburg in May, nearly captures Charles at Innsbruck, and forces Charles's kinsman Friedrich of Hapsburg to sign the Treaty of Passau August 2 permitting Protestant princes freedom of religion at least until the next diet. Charles lays siege to Metz, which is defended by the 33-year-old François de Lorraine, 2nd duc de Guise, and a 4-year war begins between France and the emperor, but Charles lifts his siege and withdraws after losing more than 12,000 men in a single month to typhus and scurvy.

The duke of Somerset, former lord protector of England's Henry VI, is executed January 22 after a trial on trumped-up charges.

The czar of Muscovy Ivan IV attacks Kazan with 50 guns and an army of 150,000 after a faction in Kazan offers him the entire khanate. He lays siege August 20 to the fortress and takes it by assault October 2, using artillery to breach the walls of the Tatar capital. The Volga becomes a Russian river for the first time and Ivan goes on to attack Astrakhan.

Former Spanish viceroy to New Spain Antonio de Mendoza dies at Lima July 21 at age 62 (approximate), having been promoted to viceroy of Peru after a distinguished 15-year reign in which he helped to bring peace and stability to the Mexicans, introducing the printing press, promoting construction of schools and hospitals, and encouraging improvements in mining, agricultural methods, and cattle raising.