1546

1546 (MDXLVI) was a year in the middle of the 16th century characterized by ongoing religious and political upheaval in Europe, alongside continued European expansion into the Atlantic world and persistent global trade networks. It sits within the broader context of the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation.

In Europe, the Holy Roman Empire under Charles V intensified its campaign against the Schmalkaldic League, a coalition of Lutheran princes and cities. The year saw continued military operations and shifting fortunes within the German states, contributing to the eventual realignment of religious and political authority in the region. At the same time, the Catholic Church pursued reform through the early stages of the Council of Trent, which began sessions in 1545 and continued into 1546, shaping Counter-Reformation policy and Catholic doctrine in the years to come. The broader settlement of religious tensions would not be finalized until later in the century, notably with the Peace of Augsburg in 1555.

Beyond Europe, the Mughal emperor Humayun remained in exile in Persia in 1546, a situation resulting from his defeat by Sher Shah Suri and his ongoing efforts to regain the throne of India, which would occur in 1555. The wider Ottoman and Safavid frontier remained active, reflecting the era’s persistent dynastic and imperial rivalries across Eurasia. In the Americas and Africa, European colonial and trading activities continued to expand, reinforcing growing global connections that would deepen in the following decades.

Culturally, Renaissance ideas and printing technologies sustained intellectual exchange across courts and cities, even as religious debates and reform movements dominated political life in many regions.