ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

**1523**

1523 was a common year that started on a Thursday. It was a significant year for various events and developments across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

### Politics and World Affairs

* **Siege of Rhodes**: The siege of Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire ended after half a year with the capture of the island by Sultan Suleyman I. The Knights of the Order of St. John under Grand Master Philippe de Villiers de l’Isle-Adam were given free escort and first settled on the island of Crete, which was at this time in Venetian hands.
* **Dissolution of the Kalmar Union**: The nobility of Denmark and Norway rose against King Christian II, who had already struggled with the Swedish War of Liberation under Gustav Wasa. Christian was forced to abdicate and flee to the Netherlands. His uncle Frederick I was elected king by the Danish estates.
* **Holy Roman Empire**: The insurgent knights in the war of knights had to surrender against the supremacy of Philip I of Hesse after their leader Franz von Sickingen on 7 May. May was fatally wounded by a cannonball. Sickingen's castle Drachenfels in the Wasgau was destroyed by the victors, although it was handed over by the castlevogt without a fight, its reconstruction is forbidden.
* **Quedlinburger Recess**: The Quedlinburger Recess ended the Hildesheimer Stiftsfehde. The Hochstift Hildesheim was reduced to the so-called Kleine Stift, while the Principality of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel and the Principality of Calenberg had recorded large territorial gains.

### Europe

* **Winter in France**: A very harsh winter occurred in the South of France after 15 January.
* **Ottoman Turks**: The Ottoman Turks took the island of Rhodes to the Hospitallers.
* **Zurich dispute**: The Canton of Zurich was the first state to separate from the Church of Rome. Preacher Ulrich Zwingli defended 67 theses in the presence of several hundred people and the Vicar General of Constance.

### Asia

* **Ningbo incident**: Two rival Japanese delegations claiming the monopoly of dependent trade with China were competing; a boat and buildings were burned down, a dozen people killed. As a result of this incident and the piracy of the Portuguese, Emperor Ming Jiajing prohibited any maritime communication with other countries.
* **Black revolt in Santo Domingo**: A black revolt occurred in Santo Domingo.

### Americas

* **Arrival of Flemish Franciscan missionaries**: Three Flemish Franciscan missionaries arrived in Veracruz, marking the first time that Christianity was introduced to New Spain.
* **Founding of Santiago de los Caballeros**: Pedro de Alvarado founded Santiago de los Caballeros on 6 December. He went to search for gold and committed many indigenous massacres.

### Other Events

* **Battle of al-Shihr**: Troops from Portugal fought in the Battle of al-Shihr on Arabian Peninsula (in what is today Yemen) on February 25.
* **Construction of Fort Kastela**: The construction of Fort Kastela by Portuguese invaders was completed, marking the beginning of Portuguese claims to the Spice Islands (now the Maluku Islands).
* **Rescue of Sister Katharina von Bora**: Fish merchant Leonhard Köppe helped carry out the rescue of Von Bora and other Cistercian Catholic nuns from the Nimbschen Abbey in Germany near Grimma and Leipzig.
* **Election of Gustav I as King of Sweden**: Sweden became an independent kingdom with the election of Gustav I. Wasa in front of the Cathedral of Strängnäs and broke away from the Kalmar Union, which finally ceased to exist.

**Key Dates**

* January 1: Siege of Rhodes ends
* January 20: Christian II of Denmark abdicates
* February 25: Battle of al-Shihr
* March 18: Creation of the Treasury of Savings
* April 17: Diriangén, ruler of the Chorotega speakers, stages an attack on the Spanish invaders led by González Dávila
* May 10: Insurgent knights in the war of knights surrender to Philip I of Hesse
* May 23: Quedlinburger Recess ends the Hildesheimer Stiftsfehde
* June 6: Sweden becomes an independent kingdom with the election of Gustav I. Wasa