This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1596.

Events

* January 20 – The first complete edition of ''

The Faerie Queene ''The Faerie Queene'' is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. Books IIII were first published in 1590, then republished in 1596 together with books IVVI. ''The Faerie Queene'' is notable for its form: at over 36,000 lines and over 4,000 sta ...

'' is published in six books. *February – James Burbage buys the disused

Blackfriars Theatre Blackfriars Theatre was the name given to two separate theatres located in the former Blackfriars Dominican priory in the City of London during the Renaissance. The first theatre began as a venue for the Children of the Chapel Royal, child ac ...

from Sir William More for £600, but is prevented from using it for theater by the opposition of wealthy influential neighbors. *

June 22 Events Pre-1600 * 217 BC – Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV Philopator of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. * 168 BC – Battle of Pydna: Romans under Lucius Aemilius Paullus defeat Macedonian King Perseus ...

– Lord Hunsdon dies; his place as

Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main c ...

will be taken by

William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham Sir William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, KG (1 November 1527 – 6 March 1597), lord of the Manor of Cobham, Kent, was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and a member of parliament for Hythe. Although he was viewed by some as a religious radical d ...

, who is sympathetic to the

Puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...

and hostile to the

English Renaissance theatre English Renaissance theatre, also known as Renaissance English theatre and Elizabethan theatre, refers to the theatre of England between 1558 and 1642. This is the style of the plays of William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson ...

. With Cobham's allowance, Thomas Skinner,

Lord Mayor of the City of London Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

bans players from the City and tears down several

inn-yard theatre In the historical era of English Renaissance drama, an Inn-yard theatre or Inn-theatre was a common inn with an inner courtyard with balconies that provided a venue for the presentation of stage plays. Beginnings The Elizabethan era is appropri ...

s: the Bel Savage Inn, the

Cross Keys Inn The Cross Keys Inn is a pub-restaurant and former coaching inn, trading since before 1750, on a corner of Midford Road in Odd Down, Bath in the English ceremonial county of Somerset. It is since 2014 a free (untied) house. It is a Grade II li ...

, and others. Cobham dies the next year, 1597. *July – English forces under

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG, PC (; 10 November 1565 – 25 February 1601) was an English nobleman and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following ...

, returning from the

Capture of Cádiz The Capture of Cádiz in 1596 was an event during the Anglo-Spanish War, when English and Dutch troops under Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and a large Anglo-Dutch fleet under Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, with support from th ...

, burn

Faro, Portugal Faro ( , ) is a municipality, the southernmost city and capital of the district of the same name, in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. With an estimated population of 60,995 inhabitants in 2019 (with 39,733 inhabitants in the city proper, ...

, but seize books from the library of scholar Fernando Martins Mascarenhas, Bishop of Faro, which will be transferred to the Bodleian Library in the University of Oxford. *''date unknown'' – The novel ''

Jin Ping Mei ''Jin Ping Mei'' () — translated into English as ''The Plum in the Golden Vase'' or ''The Golden Lotus'' — is a Chinese novel of manners composed in vernacular Chinese during the latter half of the 16th century during the late Ming dynasty ...

'' (金瓶梅, The Plum in the Golden Vase) by "Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng" circulates in manuscript in China.

New books

Prose

Thomas Harriot Thomas Harriot (; – 2 July 1621), also spelled Harriott, Hariot or Heriot, was an English astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer and translator to whom the theory of refraction is attributed. Thomas Harriot was also recognized for his con ...

– ''Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia'' *

Richard Johnson Richard or Dick Johnson may refer to: Academics * Dick Johnson (academic) (1929–2019), Australian academic * Richard C. Johnson (1930–2003), professor of electrical engineering * Richard A. Johnson, artist and professor at the University of ...

– ''The Famous Historie of the Seaven Champions of Christendom'' *

Thomas Nashe Thomas Nashe (baptised November 1567 – c. 1601; also Nash) was an Elizabethan playwright, poet, satirist and a significant pamphleteer. He is known for his novel ''The Unfortunate Traveller'', his pamphlets including ''Pierce Penniless,'' ...

– ''

Have with You to Saffron-Walden "Have With You To Saffron-Walden, Or, Gabriell Harveys hunt is up" is the title of a pamphlet written by Thomas Nashe and published in London in late 1596 by John Danter. The work is Nashe's final shot in his four-year literary feud with Dr. Gab ...

Drama

*Anonymous – ''Captain Thomas Stukeley'' * William Burton – ''De Amoribus Perinthii et Tyanthes'' *

George Chapman George Chapman (Hitchin, Hertfordshire, – London, 12 May 1634) was an English dramatist, translator and poet. He was a classical scholar whose work shows the influence of Stoicism. Chapman has been speculated to be the Rival Poet of Shakesp ...

– '' The Blind Beggar of Alexandria'' *

Antoine de Montchrestien Antoine de Montchrestien (, or ''Montchrétien'') (c. 15757 or 8 October 1621) was a French soldier, dramatist, adventurer and economist. Montchrestien was born in Falaise, Normandy. Son of an apothecary named Mauchrestien and orphan at a young a ...

– ''Sophonisbe'' * Lope de Vega **''Los comendadores de Córdoba'' ** **'' El marqués de Mantua'' **''El remedio en la desdicha'' *

Thomas Kyd Thomas Kyd (baptised 6 November 1558; buried 15 August 1594) was an English playwright, the author of ''The Spanish Tragedy'', and one of the most important figures in the development of Elizabethan drama. Although well known in his own time, ...

(probably, perhaps with Shakespeare) – '' The Raigne of King Edward the Third'' (published) *

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

– '' Henry IV, Part 1''

Poetry

Thomas Campion Thomas Campion (sometimes spelled Campian; 12 February 1567 – 1 March 1620) was an English composer, poet, and physician. He was born in London, educated at Cambridge, studied law in Gray's inn. He wrote over a hundred lute songs, masques ...

– ''Poemata'' *

Bartholomew Griffin Bartholomew Griffin (fl. 1596) was an English poet. He is known for his ''Fidessa'' sequence of sonnets, published in 1596. Works In August 1572 the Queen made a progress to Warwick, spending several days at Kenilworth Castle as guest of the Earl ...

– ''Fidessa'' *

Francisco Rodrigues Lobo Francisco Rodrigues Lobo (1580 – 4 November 1622), sometimes called the ''Portuguese Theocritus,'' was a Portuguese poet and bucolic writer. He was born of rich and noble New Christian parents in Leiria, reading philosophy, poetry and writing of ...

– ''Romances'' * Edmund Spenser – ''Colin Clouts Come Home Againe''

Births

* March 31 –

René Descartes René Descartes ( or ; ; Latinized: Renatus Cartesius; 31 March 1596 – 11 February 1650) was a French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician, widely considered a seminal figure in the emergence of modern philosophy and science. Ma ...

, French philosopher (died 1650) *

August 18 Events Pre-1600 * 684 – Battle of Marj Rahit: Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of Syria. * 707 – Princess Abe accedes to the imperial Japanese throne as Empress Genmei. *1304 & ...

–

Jean Bolland Jean Bolland ( la, Johannes Bollandus) (13 August 1596 – 12 September 1665) was a Jesuit priest, theologian, and prominent Flemish hagiographer. Bolland's main achievement is the compilation of the first five volumes of the ''Lives of th ...

, Flemish Jesuit writer (died

1665 Events January–March * January 5 – The ''Journal des sçavans'' begins publication of the first scientific journal in France. * February 15 – Molière's comedy '' Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre'', based on the Spanis ...

) *September **

Moses Amyraut Moïse Amyraut, Latin Moyses Amyraldus (September 1596 – 8 January 1664), in English texts often Moses Amyraut, was a French Huguenot, Reformed theologian and metaphysician. He was the architect of Amyraldism, a Calvinist doctrine that made ...

, French Protestant theologian (died

1664 It is one of eight years (CE) to contain each Roman numeral exactly once (1000(M)+500(D)+100(C)+50(L)+10(X)+(-1(I)+5(V)) = 1664). Events January–March * January 5 – In the Battle of Surat in India, the Maratha leader, Chhat ...

) **

James Shirley James Shirley (or Sherley) (September 1596 – October 1666) was an English dramatist. He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Charles Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so m ...

, English dramatist (died

1666 This is the first year to be designated as an ''Annus mirabilis'', in John Dryden's 1667 poem so titled, celebrating England's failure to be beaten either by the Dutch or by fire. It is the only year to contain each Roman numeral once in d ...

) *

September 4 Events Pre-1600 * 476 – Romulus Augustulus is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself "King of Italy", thus ending the Western Roman Empire. * 626 – Li Shimin, posthumously known as Emperor Taizong of Tang, assumes the throne ove ...

–

Constantijn Huygens Sir Constantijn Huygens, Lord of Zuilichem ( , , ; 4 September 159628 March 1687), was a Dutch Golden Age poet and composer. He was also secretary to two Princes of Orange: Frederick Henry and William II, and the father of the scientist Ch ...

, Dutch poet (died

1687 Events January–March * January 3 – With the end of latest of the Savoyard–Waldensian wars in the Duchy of Savoy between the Savoyard government and Protestant Italians known as the Waldensians, Victor Amadeus III, Duke ...

) *''Unknown date'' –

Lucas Holstenius Lucas Holstenius, born Lukas Holste, sometimes called Holstein (1596 – 2 February 1661), was a German Catholic humanist, geographer, historian, and librarian. Life Born at Hamburg in 1596, he studied at the gymnasium of Hamburg, and later ...

, German humanist (died 1661) *''Probable year of birth'' – Udriște Năsturel, Wallachian scholar and poet (died c.

1658 Events January–March * January 13 – Edward Sexby, who had plotted against Oliver Cromwell, dies in the Tower of London. * January 30 – The " March Across the Belts" (''Tåget över Bält''), Sweden's use of winte ...

)

Deaths

February 16 Events Pre-1600 *1249 – Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khagan of the Mongol Empire. *1270 – Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Livonian Order in the Battle of Kar ...

–

Friedrich Sylburg Friedrich Sylburg (1536 – 17 February 1596) was a German classical scholar. The son of a farmer, he was born at Wetter near Marburg. He studied at Marburg, Jena, Geneva, and, lastly, Paris, where his teacher was Henry Estienne (Stephanus), to ...

, German classical scholar (born

1536 __NOTOC__ Year 1536 ( MDXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January – King Henry VIII of England suffers a leg injury during a jou ...

) * February 19 –

Blaise de Vigenère Blaise de Vigenère (5 April 1523 – 19 February 1596) () was a French diplomat, cryptographer, translator and alchemist. Biography Vigenère was born into a respectable family in the village of Saint-Pourçain. His mother, Jean, arrang ...

, French cryptographer, diplomat, scientist, and author (born

1523 Year 1523 ( MDXXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 20 – Christian II is forced to abdicate as King of Denmark and Norway. ...

) * August 11 ''(bur.)'' –

Hamnet Shakespeare Hamnet Shakespeare (baptised 2 February 1585 – buried 11 August 1596) was the only son of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway, and the fraternal twin of Judith Shakespeare. He died at the age of 11. Some Shakespearean scholars spe ...

, English schoolboy, son of William (born

1585 Events January–June * January – The Netherlands adopts the Gregorian calendar. * February – The Spanish seize Brussels. * April 24 – Pope Sixtus V succeeds Pope Gregory XIII, as the 227th pope. * May 19 – S ...

) *

October 3 Events Pre-1600 * 2457 BC – Gaecheonjeol, Hwanung (환웅) purportedly descended from heaven. South Korea's National Foundation Day. * 52 BC – Gallic Wars: Vercingetorix, leader of the Gauls, surrenders to the Romans under Juliu ...

–

Florent Chrestien Florent Chrestien (January 26, 1541 – October 3, 1596) was a French satirist and Latin poet. Chrestien was the son of Guillaume Chrestien, an eminent French physician and writer on physiology, was born at Orléans. A pupil of Henri Estienne, the ...

, French writer (born 1541) *

November 1 Events Pre-1600 *365 – The Alemanni cross the Rhine and invade Gaul. Emperor Valentinian I moves to Paris to command the army and defend the Gallic cities. * 996 – Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk, Bishop of Freisin ...

–

Pierre Pithou Pierre Pithou (1 November 1539 – 1 November 1596) was a French lawyer and scholar. He is also known as Petrus Pithoeus. Life He was born at Troyes. From childhood he loved literature, and his father Pierre encouraged this interest. Young ...

, French lawyer and scholar (born

1539 __NOTOC__ Year 1539 ( MDXXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January – Toungoo–Hanthawaddy War – Battle of Naungyo, Burm ...

) * November 9 ''(bur.)'' – George Peele, English dramatist and poet (born

1556 __NOTOC__ Year 1556 ( MDLVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 16 – Charles V, having already abdicated as Holy Roman Emperor, ...

) *''Unknown date'' **

Madeleine de l’Aubespine Madeleine may refer to: Common meanings * Madeleine (name), also Madeline, a feminine given name *Madeleine (cake), a traditional sweet cake from France * Mary Magdalene, also called the Madeleine Arts and entertainment * ''Madelein'' (1919 ...

, French poet and patron (born

1546 Year 1546 (Roman numerals, MDXLVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * May 19 – The Siege of Kawagoe Castle ends in defeat for the Uesugi cla ...

) **

Jean Bodin Jean Bodin (; c. 1530 – 1596) was a French jurist and political philosopher, member of the Parlement of Paris and professor of law in Toulouse. He is known for his theory of sovereignty. He was also an influential writer on demonology. Bodi ...

, French political philosopher (born

1530 Year 1530 ( MDXXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 1530th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 530th year of the 2nd millennium, the 3 ...

) *''Probable year of death'' –

Henry Willobie Henry Willobie (or Willoughby) (1575? – 1596?) is the ostensible author of a 1594 verse novella called '' Willobie His Avisa'' (in modern spelling, ''Willoughby's Avisa''), a work that is of interest primarily because of its possible connection ...

, English poet (born 1575)

References

{{Year in literature article categories Years of the 16th century in literature