1528

1528 was a leap year in the Julian calendar and falls in the middle of the 16th century, a period marked by political and religious upheaval across many regions of the world.

In Europe, the aftermath of the Sack of Rome in 1527 contributed to ongoing conflicts as part of the Italian Wars. The major powers at the time—Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Habsburg territories; Francis I of France; the Papacy; and various princes and towns in the Holy Roman Empire—pursued shifting alliances and campaigns that shaped continental politics.

In the Americas, European colonization and exploration continued to expand, with expeditions that affected Indigenous polities and trade routes. The Narváez expedition, which began in 1527, endured into 1528 as ships were wrecked along the Gulf coast and survivors moved inland toward Mexican territories.

Beyond Europe and the Americas, the Ming dynasty governed China while frontier and regional powers negotiated border policies; along Africa’s Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts, Portuguese and other traders extended their networks, contributing to the era's global exchange.

Culturally, the period saw continued dissemination of ideas through the printing press and the growth of Renaissance scholarship in intellect, arts, and science.