1533

1533 was a year in the early modern period marked by political and religious change in Europe and the continuation of Spanish conquest in the Americas. It sits within the broader context of the Renaissance and the early stages of the Protestant Reformation, as well as ongoing European colonization and exploration.

In England, King Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn on January 25, 1533. This marriage occurred after difficulties over the royal divorce from Catherine of Aragon and contributed to England’s break with the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. In the same year, Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was born at Greenwich on September 7, later becoming one of England’s most enduring monarchs.

Across the Atlantic, the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire intensified. The Inca emperor Atahualpa was executed in 1533 after being held captive and ransomed by Francisco Pizarro’s forces, a turning point in the collapse of the Inca state and the establishment of Spanish control in the region.

Births and deaths of notable figures in 1533 reflect its historical impact. The birth of Elizabeth I would shape English politics and religion for decades. The death of Atahualpa marked a decisive event in the conquest of the Americas. In a broader sense, 1533 contributed to the shifting power dynamics of Europe and the Americas that would define the mid-16th century.