The Portuguese succession crisis is resolved when King Philip II of Spain is declared Philip I of Portugal, bringing Portugal under Spanish rule.
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What Happened in April?
Sieges, raids, and monumental deaths. Discover key historical events from April that influenced the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The Banquet of Chestnuts takes place at the Vatican, notorious for its scandalous behavior.
King Henry IV of France issues the Edict of Nantes, granting religious liberties to the Huguenots.
Scottish preacher John Craig is appointed the first minister of Edinburgh.
King James VI of Scotland is crowned as King James I of England, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland.
The Union Flag, combining the flags of England and Scotland, is adopted for the first time.
English colonists establish the first permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown, Virginia.
Explorer Henry Hudson sets sail from Amsterdam on his voyage to North America.
Henry IV of France is assassinated by François Ravaillac in Paris.
The first King James Bible is published in London.
Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, marries English colonist John Rolfe in Virginia.
William Shakespeare dies in Stratford-upon-Avon on his birthday.
The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, Massachusetts, returning to England.
A Powhatan Indian attack on Jamestown in Virginia results in the deaths of hundreds of English settlers.
King Charles I of England disbands the Short Parliament.
Li Zicheng's rebel forces captures Beijing, on April 24, 1644, marking the effective end of the Ming dynasty as the last emperor, the Chongzhen Emperor, commits suicide. The fall of Beijing opened the path for the Manchu-led Qing dynasty to eventually take control of China.
Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a settlement at Cape Town, South Africa.
Oliver Cromwell dissolves the Rump Parliament in England, leading to the rule of the Protectorate.
The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb orders the destruction of the Hindu temple at Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, India on April 9, 1669.
The Convention Parliament meets in England, beginning the Restoration of the monarchy under Charles II.