1543

The year 1543 was a notable point in the Renaissance, marked by decisive developments in science, medicine, and European diplomacy that would influence later thought and political arrangements. It saw the publication of work that challenged established views and expanded the scope of human knowledge, as well as key diplomatic maneuvers in the conflict-prone landscape of 16th-century Europe.

In science and scholarship, 1543 is remembered for two landmark publications. Nicolaus Copernicus published De revolutionibus orbium coelestium in Nuremberg, presenting a heliocentric model that proposed the planets, including Earth, move around the Sun. Andreas Vesalius published De humani corporis fabrica in Basel, a detailed and empirical study of human anatomy that established new standards for medical observation and instruction.

In diplomacy and politics, the year featured the Treaty of Greenwich between England and Scotland, signed on July 1, 1543. The agreement proposed a dynastic marriage between Edward VI of England and Mary, Queen of Scots, as part of a strategy to unite the kingdoms. The policy provoked a strong reaction in Scotland, where Parliament later repudiated the terms, contributing to ongoing tensions and the later period of conflict known as the Rough Wooing.

Culturally, 1543 also saw the passing of notable figures in art. Hans Holbein the Younger, a German painter renowned for his portraits in the Tudor court, died in London in 1543. His work helped define English Renaissance portraiture and the visual culture surrounding Henry VIII.

Overall, 1543 is often cited as a year of pivotal shifts in knowledge and governance, with enduring legacies in astronomy, anatomy, and Anglo-Scottish diplomacy.