1578

Events

• January 31 - Battle of Gemblours - Spanish forces under Don John of Austria and Alexander Farnese defeat the Dutch. Don John begins to recover control of the French-speaking Southern Netherlands
• August 4 - Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir - The Moroccans defeat the Portuguese. King Sebastian I of Portugal is defeated and killed in North Africa, leaving his elderly uncle, Cardinal Henry, as his heir. This initiates a succession crisis in Portugal.
• October 1 - Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma, succeeds Don John as Spanish Governor-General of the Netherlands.
• Tibet - Sonam Gyrso receives from prince Atlan Khan the title of "Talaï" and becomes the third Dalai Lama.
• Battle of Wenden - The Russians are defeated by the Swedes, who proceed to take Polotsk.
• The Ottoman Empire conquers Abkhazia.

Births

• April 1 - William Harvey, English physician
• April 14 - King Philip III of Spain
• July 9 - Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
• December 2 - Agostino Agazzari, composer and writer on music
• Giambattista Andreini, Italian actor and playwright (d. 1650)

Deaths

• April 19 - Uesugi Kenshin, Japanese samurai and warlord
• August 4 - King Sebastian I of Portugal
• October 1 - Don John of Austria, illegitimate son of Emperor Charles V, victor of the Battle of Lepanto, Spanish Governor-General of the Netherlands