Historical Events
- Jan 15 King Francis I of France commissions Jean-Francois Roberval to settle the province of New France
- Feb 12 Santiago, Chile, founded (or Feb 24)
- Feb 24 Santiago, Chile founded by Pedro de Valvidia (or 2/12)
- Apr 4 Ignatius of Loyola becomes 1st superior-general of Jesuits
- Apr 7 Francis Xavier leaves Lisbon on a mission to the Portuguese East Indies
- Apr 25 -26) Liege flooded after heavy down pour
- May 6 King Henry VIII orders a bible in English be placed in every church in England
- May 8 Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his expedition discover the Mississippi River
- Jun 18 Irish parliament selects Henry VIII of England as King of Ireland
- Jul 9 Estevão da Gama departs Massawa, leaving behind 400 matchlock men and 150 slaves under his brother Christovão da Gama, with orders to help the Emperor of Ethiopia defeat Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi who has invaded his Empire
- More Historical Events
Famous People Born in 1541
- Jan 26 Florent Chrestien, French writer (d. 1596)
- Mar 25 Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1587)
- Apr 8 Michele Mercati, Italian physician and gardener, born in Rome, Italy (d. 1593)
- Oct 31 Hendrik van Kinschot, Dutch lawyer
- Nov 9 Menso Alting, Dutch reformed vicar and theologist, born in Eelde, Netherlands (d. 1612)
Martin Luther
Michelangelo
Charles V
Francis I of France
Henry VIII
Suleiman the Magnificent
Francisco Pizarro
Paracelsus