1590luvulle

1590luvulle is a Finnish-language designation referring to the decade spanning 1590–1599. In broader historical usage it denotes the final decade of the 16th century, a period marked by ongoing dynastic and religious conflicts in Europe, major military campaigns in East Asia, and cultural and scientific developments that helped shape the early modern world.

Geopolitically, the 1590s saw continued contestation between major powers. The Anglo-Spanish War persisted, while the Long Turkish War (1593–1606) involved Habsburg and Ottoman forces across southeastern Europe. In France the decade ended with the 1598 Edict of Nantes, which granted limited religious toleration and helped stabilize the kingdom after decades of civil wars. Spain experienced a dynastic transition in 1598 with the death of Philip II and the accession of Philip III.

In East Asia, the Imjin War (Japanese invasions of Korea, 1592–1598) had profound regional consequences, culminating in the withdrawal of Japanese forces after the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Scientific and cultural life continued to advance in Europe: Johannes Kepler published Mysterium Cosmographicum (1596), and the English stage flourished with companies performing works that formed the core of the Shakespearean canon; the Globe Theatre opened in London in 1599.

The decade is often seen as a transitional period bridging Renaissance cultural achievements and the political and scientific transformations of the 17th century, shaping patterns of state power, religion, and international engagement in the early modern era.