1561 | Political Events
Political Events
Polish war hero Jan Tarnowski dies at Tarnów May 16 at age 72 after an outstanding career in which he has led a Portuguese army against the Moors, led Polish forces against the Teutonic Knights, halted Tatar raids into Poland, defeated a Moldavian army, directed a campaign against Muscovy, and encouraged settlement in southeastern Poland.
Irish chieftain Shane O'Neill captures his rival Calvagh O'Donnell and imprisons him in a monastery at Kildonnell, taking O'Donnell's wife, Catherine (née MacLean) as his mistress (see 1557). Previously the wife of the earl of Argyll, Catherine will be savagely abused but will nevertheless bear several of O'Neill's children (see 1562).
Mary, Queen of Scots, returns from France August 19, landing at Leith because England has refused her passage (see 1559). Escorted by a party that includes the courtier Pierre de Bocosel de Chastelard, 21 (who has developed a passion for her), the 18-year-old queen becomes embroiled in argument with Calvinist John Knox, who last year drew up a Confession of Faith denying papal authority in Scotland (see 1558; Chastelard, 1563).
Spain withdraws troops from the Netherlands, partly because she is preoccupied with resisting Ottoman power in the Mediterranean (but see 1568).