This is a timeline that I began working on some time ago, due to suggestion by another poster (can't recall who).
1533:
Queen Consort Anne of England, Marchioness of Pembroke and the second wife of King Henry VIII, gives birth to a son on 17 September. The child is named Edward, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester.
1536:
The former Queen, Katherine of Aragon, dies, allowing reconciliation between the two families of King Henry VIII. Due to the intervention of Queen Anne, the Lady Mary is once again recognised as a legitimate Princess and Marchioness of Calais. Queen Anne spent a considerable part of her life in France and encourages her husband to build an alliance with the Valois Dynasty. Princess Mary is betrothed to Charles, Duc d'Orleans, third son of King Francis I of France. Part of the Pale of Calais is to be her dowry, as Calais is ecclesiastically part of France and poses a long term problem for reaching a religious settlement in England.
1538:
Henry VIII implements the Six Articles, shutting down the most corrupt of the monasteries. The settlement is not as reformist as OTL, and is opposed by Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. The Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Essex, Thomas Cromwell is aware of Cranmer's weak point: his marriage. He reveals his knowledge to Henry VIII, who sends Cranmer to the block for treason. This action, undercutting one of the Queen's favourites, makes the Queen and Lord Chancellor bitter enemies.
1539:
Princess Mary is wed, at the age of twenty-three, becoming the daughter-in-law of the King of France. She will have two children: Francis, Duc d'Orleans (b.1541) and Charles, Duc d'Chatellerault (b.1543). At the time of their birth, they will be third and fourth in line to the English throne. Eighty years on, Mary's grandson will succeed to the throne as King Henry IV of France. She supports the general French policy of persecuting Huguenots.
1542:
The Italian Wars once again break out between the Franco-Ottoman alliance and the Holy Roman Empire. France is supported by Florence and Milan.
1543:
King Henry VIII and James Hamilton, Earl of Arras and Regent of Scotland, sign the Treaty of Greenwich, under which the infant Queen Mary I is betrothed to Prince Edward of Wales. King Francis I has his daughter-in-law approach her father for his support in the war against the Holy Roman Empire and Henry VIII commits English troops. The mother of Queen Mary, Maria of Guise, opposes the marriage and, ultimately, she will be forced to leave Scotland and settle in a convent in France.
1544:
As the costs of the war in Europe escalate, King Henry VIII steps up his closure of the monasteries. When this results in a popular backlash, Queen Anne convinces her husband that his Lord Chancellor is the one who should bear responsibility and Thomas Cromwell goes to the executioner's block. The new Lord Chancellor is the Earl of Southampton. The costs are also tight for King Francis I, who decides to imitate his neighbour and nationalise the assets of the Catholic Church, while still declaring nil tolerance for Calvinists and Lutherans. With the English capture of most of the Low Counties, Henry VIII decides to use the opportunity to undercut support for the Duke of Norfolk. His brother-in-law, the Earl of Sussex, is appointed to Ghent as Lord Lieutenant of Flanders. Baroness Catherine Seymour of Sudeley (OTL Catherine Parr) dies in childbirth.
1545:
Pope Paul III invites the nations of England and France to attend the Ecumenical Council of Bologna, in an attempt to find a way to deal with the splintering of the Church. However, his refusal to recognise them as respective leaders of their national churches means that both monarchs refuse to send anyone on their behalf.
1546:
A truce is reached in the war. England remains in control of the Netherlands, whose people are grateful for the end of a terrible Inquisition and support the liberation. France annexes Luxembourg and Lorraine.
1547:
King Francis I dies, leaving the throne to his son, who succeeds as King Henry II. He will reign for forty two years, one of the many long-reigning Valois kings. King Henry VIII enters his final illness. Emperor Charles V invades Saxony to cease the territory being used as a base for Lutheran heresy.
1548:
In gratitude for his services, Henry VIII elevates the Earl of Arran to the Order of the Garter and makes him Duke of Flanders on the condition that he will remain in Scotland as Regent. Queen Mary is, however, sent to London to be protected and raised away from the influence of her mother. Late in the year, King Henry VIII dies. He is succeeded by King Edward VI.
1549:
The English regency council has come to be dominated by the Dowager Queen Anne and the Earl of Southampton. There are concerns that the Dutch may use the opportunity to rebel against English rule and the Council forces an oath on the Dutch leadership to loyally support the claim of their "true and sovereign King" and recognise the incorporation of Flanders. In return, they are granted taxation concessions and a less intrusive government. In London, the imprisoned Bishop Gardiner is released and returned to his see. There is an attempt by Protestants to strengthen the reforms in the Anglican Church, causing uprisings both for and against the action. The Regency Council is forced to back down and retain much of the Catholic symbolism. In France, Marguerite de Navarre, who has done much to contain potential religious intolerance, dies.
1550:
King Edward VI declares his majority, dismissing the Earl of Southampton. He elevates Viscount Lisle to the position of Duke of Northumberland and makes him his first Lord Chancellor.
1551:
War breaks out once again between France and the Holy Roman Empire, with France taking the advantage of Lutheran uprisings that are already threatening Charles V and look like plunging the empire into civil war. The youthful King Edward VI joins in the conflict.
1552:
Emperor Charles V makes an edict of tolerance, granting freedom to Protestants within the empire.
1553:
English forces capture Cambrai and Liege, while the French take Verdun and Toul. The French army invades the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, threatening to overthrow Cosimo de Medici.
1554:
Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy and a loyal support of the Holy Roman Empire, is killed in battle in northern Italy. The title and the lands will fall to France and be granted to Jacques, Duc de Nemours, in return for his loyalty to the Valois over the Guise family, who support reconciliation with the Vatican. Edward Courtney is appointed Earl of Devon and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with order to enforce English rule. While the oppression of the Irish will be successful ultimately, but will take all of Edward's reign, with the last rebels pacified the year before his death. Mary of Guise, now in France, begins to push for an end to the alliance between England and France.
1555:
King Edward VI of England and Queen Mary I of Scotland, both resident in London, agree to marry in three years. Mary has spent over half her life in England and barely remembers her homeland, which is now under de facto English control. Peace talks open between the combatants in the war in Europe after the fall of Tuscany.
1556:
Saxony leaves the Holy Roman Empire, after a successful rebellion. As a result, Emperor Charles V abdicates, leaving the throne to Ferdinand I, who will sign the treaty of peace with France. It will be the last conflict between the two powers. However, the throne of Spain is left to King Philip II, who is betrothed to Elizabeth de Valois, the daughter of King Henry II and Catherine de Medici, as part of the peace settlement. Over the last seven years, the boom in English-Flemish trade has led to a great level of prosperity, and their reliance upon the Portuguese merchant fleet has helped to build Lisbon into a power in its own right.
1557:
Philip II of Spain launches a surprise attack against France. The conflict will drag on for two years without resolution, but will eventually end when the English and the Ottomans once again threaten to intervene. The Duchess of Lorraine (OTL Anne of Cleves) dies.
1558:
Edward VI and Mary I are wed in Westminster Abbey, uniting the two kingdoms under the Tudor Dynasty. Wales, Ireland and the Netherlands remain crown dominions. The Dowager Duchess of Orleans dies on her way to England for her brother's wedding and is buried in Calais. There is also a funeral in France, with the death of Dowager Queen Eleanor. Dowager Queen Anne of England travels to Paris for the funeral. Reminded of her youth in France and now isolated from power in London, she decides to spend time in Paris in the apartments of Queen Catherine and will live there for two years before returning for the birth of her first grandson. The first cousin of Dowager Queen Anne, the Duke of Norfolk, becomes the new Lord Chancellor, and will remain in that office until he attempts a palace coup many years later.
1559:
Queen Mary of England and Scotland gives birth to the Princess Elizabeth, while the royal family loses Frances Brandon, the King's cousin. King Henry II attempts to control the increasing instability in France by issuing a proclamation empowering him to define and seek out heresy, with the ambition of bringing down the Guise family. The destruction of the Spanish fleet by the Ottomans off Djerba leaves Philip II heavily indebted to Italian bankers and forces him to surrender the protectorate of Tunis. He settles for peace, especially after his first colonisation expedition to North America fails.
1560:
King Edward VI proudly announces the birth of his heir, Prince Henry, who will succeed him as King Henry IX (1600-17). To tie the Netherlands further into his realm, the King declares that Netherlands will replace Wales as the crown principality. The Union Flag is raised; however, Scotland and England will remain separate states. Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire signs a treaty with France and England to end his westward expansion to obtain recognition for his conquest of the Barbary States. Maria of Guise dies.
1561:
Heavy taxes in Spain lead to difficult social conditions and there is an attempt to assassinate King Sebastian I of Portugal. There is a commitment between Edward VI and Henry II to defend Portugal from any Spanish attack. After St Paul's Cathedral is struck by lightning and burnt by fire, King Edward interprets the act as a strike against those who oppose his Church. There is a purge of Calvinists and Protestants. A new Italianate cathedral will be constructed, completed in 1575.
1562:
Queen Mary gives birth to three more children. They are: Anne (b.1562, died in infancy); Edward (b.1564, d.1625) and Mary (b.1565, d.1627). The Duke of Guise, uncle to Queen Mary, is arrested and executed in France for treason; his plan has been to depose the King and restore the "true Catholic faith". Scotland receives its own parliament and James, Earl of Moray, the Queen's half brother, become Lord Chancellor of Scotland. A large number of Huguenots, sensing the rising tension in France, begin to make their way to North America. The Duc de Vendome send his son (OTL Henry IV of France) to Paris, hoping to avoid dragging his son into the coming conflict between the reformers, radicals and conservatives in France.
1563:
Huguenot refugees establish the settlement of Caroline on the banks of May River (OTL Jacksonville, Florida), the oldest European city in North America. Small farms spread out along the coastline, despite it having been claimed by Spain. Francis, Duke of Orleans and nephew to King Edward, marries Catherine of Cleves, the countess of Eu and second daughter of the Duc du Nevers.
1564:
Spain founds San Miguel in the Philippines. Spanish and French colonists encounter each other in North America and, after an initial battle, the French defeat the Spanish and destroy their colony. Emperor Ferdinand II dies, leaving his throne to Maxmilian II, who continues to struggle with the issues of religion. King Henry II of France moves against the main Huguenot threat, arresting Queen Jeanne of Navarre for treason, and setting off a massive outflow of Huguenot refugees to North America. The Duke of Orleans is admitted to the Order of the Garter.
1565:
Queen Jeanne of Navarre is executed on the orders of King Henry II. Her holdings will remain under French occupation for seven years, after which they will be incorporated into the French crown. Her twelve-year-old son, Henry, is adopted by the King and made Duke of Lorraine. Spain is opposed and declares war on France. Queen Mary of England and Scotland takes ill during the birth of her last child and comes close to death. She will recover, but with a shortened life span. King Edward VI joins the war against Spain.
1566:
The Ottoman Empire farewells its longest-serving ruler, Suleyman the Magnificent. He is replaced by Sultan Selim III, who announces his intention to remain at peace with the Hapsburgs. Henry II of France is devastated by the loss of his mistress, Diane de Poitiers.
1567:
The Dauphin is killed on the battlefield outside Barcelona. King Edward VI leads the battle to capture the city of Cadiz, forcing King Philip II to, once again, seek peace. As part of the treaty, Spain agrees to cede all North American territory south of 37 degrees latitude to France and all territory north of 33 degrees latitude to England, leaving it only an area around OTL North Carolina. France breaks down into civil war, with the Valois, Bourbon and Guise families each leading a faction. King Edward VI convinces the Bourbon to ally with the Valois to destroy the "old Catholicism".
1568:
A series of deaths in the Spanish royal family leaves Philip II only one heir, a two-year-old female, Infanta Isabella. She is betrothed to Rudolf, her second cousin and the eldest son of Maxmilian II, hinting at the reunification of the Hapsburg lands. To offset tensions with the Netherlands over English involvement in the French civil war, King Edward VI appoints William the Silent of Nassau as the first native-born Lord Lieutenant of the Netherlands. He also visits the territory with his eight-year-old heir, Prince Henry. During his absence, there is an attempted uprising in Scotland designed to create a Calvinist state. It fails.
1569:
Dowager Queen Anne of England, second wife of Henry VIII and mother of King Edward VI, dies in London. It goes unnoticed that her former lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, also dies this year. Suspicious of the actions of the Spanish Navy, King Edward orders his fleet to intervene if they approach the French coast. They encounter each other off Brittany and, as the navy has been expanded to deal with the Irish rebels, it is capable of dealing a deadly blow to the Spanish fleet. British troops land in Spain and take La Coruna, which they pledge to hold as a containment measure, and return when France is at peace. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is formed.
1570:
After three years of war, France returns to a civil society with a victory for the incumbent royal house and the routing of the House of Guise. There will be religious conflict for the next thirty years, but it will not again tip into full war. Despite the peace, English troops refuse to return La Coruna, but the French are unwilling to tempt fate and marry the Dauphin to Elizabeth of Austria as a symbol of truce. The union will give birth to a daughter. The Ottoman Empire occupy Cyprus.
1571:
England and Spain declare war.
1572:
The Duke of Norfolk, concerned about England's war with Spain, attempts to depose Edward VI and is executed. However, it seems there is no need for concern as English, Scot and Dutch troops capture the city of Grenada. The continuation of the war requires more concessions to the Netherlands, who, like England and Scotland, receive their own parliament, the States-General. Sigismund II dies and is replaced by Archduke Ernest of Austria.
1573:
King Philip II surrenders unconditionally and abdicates in favour of Rudolf, King of Hungary. French annexation of Navarre is recognised, as is English control of Cadiz, Malaga, Granada and La Coruna. The rise of English power is beginning to limit French enthusiasm for the continuation of the alliance, now nearing its fortieth year. It will lessen further when King Rudolf is forced to sell the Azores to England to pay back the heavy borrowing that typified the reign of Philip II. King Ernest of Poland-Lithuania is married to Anna Jagellion.
1574:
Murad III succeeds to the throne of the Ottoman Empire.
1575:
King Rudolf signs a treaty of peace and friendship with King Edward VI, pledging Maxmilian, Archduke of Austria, to the Princess Royal, Elizabeth. The long-serving Duke of Flanders finally dies in Edinburgh. His third son, the Marquess of Hamilton, takes his office and, like his predecessor, will neglect to travel to Ghent (though he will eventually retire there in 1605).
1576:
King Rudolf of Spain becomes Holy Roman Emperor.
1577:
Francis Drake leaves England to commence his circumnavigation of the world. He will claim the western coast of North America for England during his travels while Martin Frobisher is claiming OTL eastern Canada.
1578:
Queen Mary of Scotland dies. The death of King Sebastian of Portugal encourages Spain to invade. France and England are both heavily dependent upon the Portuguese merchant fleet and are forced to defend their interests, once again going to war with the Hapsburgs. The war between Europe's two blocs will last for thirteen years and will only end when the Holy Roman Empire revolts. King Henry I of Scotland is betrothed to Countess Emilia of Nassau.
1580:
The return of Sir Francis Drake.
1581:
The parliaments of England, Scotland and the Netherlands outlaw allegiance to the Pope and the practice of Roman Catholicism.
1583:
The first English settlement is made in the New World on the island of Newfoundland. Prince Henry and Princess Emilia of the Netherlands have a son, William (William III, r.1617-1641). Other children will be Mary (b.1587) and Anne (b.1590).
1584:
England establishes an illegal colony in Spanish-claimed territory in North Carolina. This does not appear to have been intentional, but due to confusion over cartography.
1585:
France withdraws from the war in defence of Portugal's independence in return for a status quo ante. Britain and Spain will continue to fight for dominance.
1587:
Catherine Culpepper (OTL Catherine Howard) dies.
1588:
Catherine of Braganza is installed as the Queen of Portugal after England defeats Spanish troops and establishes itself as the predominant power of Europe. She will reign until 1614.
1589:
King Henry II of France and his wife, Catherine de Medici, both pass away, leaving the throne to King Henry III (r.1589-1621). The new King renounces all experimentations with tolerance. With the defeat in Portugal, Rudolf I of Spain/II of the Holy Roman Empire faces revolts against his rule.
1591:
Rudolf abdicates and signs a peace treaty with England.
1595:
King Ernest of Poland-Lithuania dies and is replaced by his brother, Maxmilian, husband of Elizabeth, daughter of King Edward VI. She will modify Polish support for the Counterreformation.
1600:
King Edward VI the Great dies after fifty-two years on the throne. His son becomes Emperor King Henry IX. In three generations, his family has gone from minor nobility to rulers of much of Europe. In twenty years, France will have a King Henry IV and England et al. will have King William IV, both of them the great-grandsons of King Henry VIII.
1533:
Queen Consort Anne of England, Marchioness of Pembroke and the second wife of King Henry VIII, gives birth to a son on 17 September. The child is named Edward, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester.
1536:
The former Queen, Katherine of Aragon, dies, allowing reconciliation between the two families of King Henry VIII. Due to the intervention of Queen Anne, the Lady Mary is once again recognised as a legitimate Princess and Marchioness of Calais. Queen Anne spent a considerable part of her life in France and encourages her husband to build an alliance with the Valois Dynasty. Princess Mary is betrothed to Charles, Duc d'Orleans, third son of King Francis I of France. Part of the Pale of Calais is to be her dowry, as Calais is ecclesiastically part of France and poses a long term problem for reaching a religious settlement in England.
1538:
Henry VIII implements the Six Articles, shutting down the most corrupt of the monasteries. The settlement is not as reformist as OTL, and is opposed by Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. The Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Essex, Thomas Cromwell is aware of Cranmer's weak point: his marriage. He reveals his knowledge to Henry VIII, who sends Cranmer to the block for treason. This action, undercutting one of the Queen's favourites, makes the Queen and Lord Chancellor bitter enemies.
1539:
Princess Mary is wed, at the age of twenty-three, becoming the daughter-in-law of the King of France. She will have two children: Francis, Duc d'Orleans (b.1541) and Charles, Duc d'Chatellerault (b.1543). At the time of their birth, they will be third and fourth in line to the English throne. Eighty years on, Mary's grandson will succeed to the throne as King Henry IV of France. She supports the general French policy of persecuting Huguenots.
1542:
The Italian Wars once again break out between the Franco-Ottoman alliance and the Holy Roman Empire. France is supported by Florence and Milan.
1543:
King Henry VIII and James Hamilton, Earl of Arras and Regent of Scotland, sign the Treaty of Greenwich, under which the infant Queen Mary I is betrothed to Prince Edward of Wales. King Francis I has his daughter-in-law approach her father for his support in the war against the Holy Roman Empire and Henry VIII commits English troops. The mother of Queen Mary, Maria of Guise, opposes the marriage and, ultimately, she will be forced to leave Scotland and settle in a convent in France.
1544:
As the costs of the war in Europe escalate, King Henry VIII steps up his closure of the monasteries. When this results in a popular backlash, Queen Anne convinces her husband that his Lord Chancellor is the one who should bear responsibility and Thomas Cromwell goes to the executioner's block. The new Lord Chancellor is the Earl of Southampton. The costs are also tight for King Francis I, who decides to imitate his neighbour and nationalise the assets of the Catholic Church, while still declaring nil tolerance for Calvinists and Lutherans. With the English capture of most of the Low Counties, Henry VIII decides to use the opportunity to undercut support for the Duke of Norfolk. His brother-in-law, the Earl of Sussex, is appointed to Ghent as Lord Lieutenant of Flanders. Baroness Catherine Seymour of Sudeley (OTL Catherine Parr) dies in childbirth.
1545:
Pope Paul III invites the nations of England and France to attend the Ecumenical Council of Bologna, in an attempt to find a way to deal with the splintering of the Church. However, his refusal to recognise them as respective leaders of their national churches means that both monarchs refuse to send anyone on their behalf.
1546:
A truce is reached in the war. England remains in control of the Netherlands, whose people are grateful for the end of a terrible Inquisition and support the liberation. France annexes Luxembourg and Lorraine.
1547:
King Francis I dies, leaving the throne to his son, who succeeds as King Henry II. He will reign for forty two years, one of the many long-reigning Valois kings. King Henry VIII enters his final illness. Emperor Charles V invades Saxony to cease the territory being used as a base for Lutheran heresy.
1548:
In gratitude for his services, Henry VIII elevates the Earl of Arran to the Order of the Garter and makes him Duke of Flanders on the condition that he will remain in Scotland as Regent. Queen Mary is, however, sent to London to be protected and raised away from the influence of her mother. Late in the year, King Henry VIII dies. He is succeeded by King Edward VI.
1549:
The English regency council has come to be dominated by the Dowager Queen Anne and the Earl of Southampton. There are concerns that the Dutch may use the opportunity to rebel against English rule and the Council forces an oath on the Dutch leadership to loyally support the claim of their "true and sovereign King" and recognise the incorporation of Flanders. In return, they are granted taxation concessions and a less intrusive government. In London, the imprisoned Bishop Gardiner is released and returned to his see. There is an attempt by Protestants to strengthen the reforms in the Anglican Church, causing uprisings both for and against the action. The Regency Council is forced to back down and retain much of the Catholic symbolism. In France, Marguerite de Navarre, who has done much to contain potential religious intolerance, dies.
1550:
King Edward VI declares his majority, dismissing the Earl of Southampton. He elevates Viscount Lisle to the position of Duke of Northumberland and makes him his first Lord Chancellor.
1551:
War breaks out once again between France and the Holy Roman Empire, with France taking the advantage of Lutheran uprisings that are already threatening Charles V and look like plunging the empire into civil war. The youthful King Edward VI joins in the conflict.
1552:
Emperor Charles V makes an edict of tolerance, granting freedom to Protestants within the empire.
1553:
English forces capture Cambrai and Liege, while the French take Verdun and Toul. The French army invades the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, threatening to overthrow Cosimo de Medici.
1554:
Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy and a loyal support of the Holy Roman Empire, is killed in battle in northern Italy. The title and the lands will fall to France and be granted to Jacques, Duc de Nemours, in return for his loyalty to the Valois over the Guise family, who support reconciliation with the Vatican. Edward Courtney is appointed Earl of Devon and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with order to enforce English rule. While the oppression of the Irish will be successful ultimately, but will take all of Edward's reign, with the last rebels pacified the year before his death. Mary of Guise, now in France, begins to push for an end to the alliance between England and France.
1555:
King Edward VI of England and Queen Mary I of Scotland, both resident in London, agree to marry in three years. Mary has spent over half her life in England and barely remembers her homeland, which is now under de facto English control. Peace talks open between the combatants in the war in Europe after the fall of Tuscany.
1556:
Saxony leaves the Holy Roman Empire, after a successful rebellion. As a result, Emperor Charles V abdicates, leaving the throne to Ferdinand I, who will sign the treaty of peace with France. It will be the last conflict between the two powers. However, the throne of Spain is left to King Philip II, who is betrothed to Elizabeth de Valois, the daughter of King Henry II and Catherine de Medici, as part of the peace settlement. Over the last seven years, the boom in English-Flemish trade has led to a great level of prosperity, and their reliance upon the Portuguese merchant fleet has helped to build Lisbon into a power in its own right.
1557:
Philip II of Spain launches a surprise attack against France. The conflict will drag on for two years without resolution, but will eventually end when the English and the Ottomans once again threaten to intervene. The Duchess of Lorraine (OTL Anne of Cleves) dies.
1558:
Edward VI and Mary I are wed in Westminster Abbey, uniting the two kingdoms under the Tudor Dynasty. Wales, Ireland and the Netherlands remain crown dominions. The Dowager Duchess of Orleans dies on her way to England for her brother's wedding and is buried in Calais. There is also a funeral in France, with the death of Dowager Queen Eleanor. Dowager Queen Anne of England travels to Paris for the funeral. Reminded of her youth in France and now isolated from power in London, she decides to spend time in Paris in the apartments of Queen Catherine and will live there for two years before returning for the birth of her first grandson. The first cousin of Dowager Queen Anne, the Duke of Norfolk, becomes the new Lord Chancellor, and will remain in that office until he attempts a palace coup many years later.
1559:
Queen Mary of England and Scotland gives birth to the Princess Elizabeth, while the royal family loses Frances Brandon, the King's cousin. King Henry II attempts to control the increasing instability in France by issuing a proclamation empowering him to define and seek out heresy, with the ambition of bringing down the Guise family. The destruction of the Spanish fleet by the Ottomans off Djerba leaves Philip II heavily indebted to Italian bankers and forces him to surrender the protectorate of Tunis. He settles for peace, especially after his first colonisation expedition to North America fails.
1560:
King Edward VI proudly announces the birth of his heir, Prince Henry, who will succeed him as King Henry IX (1600-17). To tie the Netherlands further into his realm, the King declares that Netherlands will replace Wales as the crown principality. The Union Flag is raised; however, Scotland and England will remain separate states. Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire signs a treaty with France and England to end his westward expansion to obtain recognition for his conquest of the Barbary States. Maria of Guise dies.
1561:
Heavy taxes in Spain lead to difficult social conditions and there is an attempt to assassinate King Sebastian I of Portugal. There is a commitment between Edward VI and Henry II to defend Portugal from any Spanish attack. After St Paul's Cathedral is struck by lightning and burnt by fire, King Edward interprets the act as a strike against those who oppose his Church. There is a purge of Calvinists and Protestants. A new Italianate cathedral will be constructed, completed in 1575.
1562:
Queen Mary gives birth to three more children. They are: Anne (b.1562, died in infancy); Edward (b.1564, d.1625) and Mary (b.1565, d.1627). The Duke of Guise, uncle to Queen Mary, is arrested and executed in France for treason; his plan has been to depose the King and restore the "true Catholic faith". Scotland receives its own parliament and James, Earl of Moray, the Queen's half brother, become Lord Chancellor of Scotland. A large number of Huguenots, sensing the rising tension in France, begin to make their way to North America. The Duc de Vendome send his son (OTL Henry IV of France) to Paris, hoping to avoid dragging his son into the coming conflict between the reformers, radicals and conservatives in France.
1563:
Huguenot refugees establish the settlement of Caroline on the banks of May River (OTL Jacksonville, Florida), the oldest European city in North America. Small farms spread out along the coastline, despite it having been claimed by Spain. Francis, Duke of Orleans and nephew to King Edward, marries Catherine of Cleves, the countess of Eu and second daughter of the Duc du Nevers.
1564:
Spain founds San Miguel in the Philippines. Spanish and French colonists encounter each other in North America and, after an initial battle, the French defeat the Spanish and destroy their colony. Emperor Ferdinand II dies, leaving his throne to Maxmilian II, who continues to struggle with the issues of religion. King Henry II of France moves against the main Huguenot threat, arresting Queen Jeanne of Navarre for treason, and setting off a massive outflow of Huguenot refugees to North America. The Duke of Orleans is admitted to the Order of the Garter.
1565:
Queen Jeanne of Navarre is executed on the orders of King Henry II. Her holdings will remain under French occupation for seven years, after which they will be incorporated into the French crown. Her twelve-year-old son, Henry, is adopted by the King and made Duke of Lorraine. Spain is opposed and declares war on France. Queen Mary of England and Scotland takes ill during the birth of her last child and comes close to death. She will recover, but with a shortened life span. King Edward VI joins the war against Spain.
1566:
The Ottoman Empire farewells its longest-serving ruler, Suleyman the Magnificent. He is replaced by Sultan Selim III, who announces his intention to remain at peace with the Hapsburgs. Henry II of France is devastated by the loss of his mistress, Diane de Poitiers.
1567:
The Dauphin is killed on the battlefield outside Barcelona. King Edward VI leads the battle to capture the city of Cadiz, forcing King Philip II to, once again, seek peace. As part of the treaty, Spain agrees to cede all North American territory south of 37 degrees latitude to France and all territory north of 33 degrees latitude to England, leaving it only an area around OTL North Carolina. France breaks down into civil war, with the Valois, Bourbon and Guise families each leading a faction. King Edward VI convinces the Bourbon to ally with the Valois to destroy the "old Catholicism".
1568:
A series of deaths in the Spanish royal family leaves Philip II only one heir, a two-year-old female, Infanta Isabella. She is betrothed to Rudolf, her second cousin and the eldest son of Maxmilian II, hinting at the reunification of the Hapsburg lands. To offset tensions with the Netherlands over English involvement in the French civil war, King Edward VI appoints William the Silent of Nassau as the first native-born Lord Lieutenant of the Netherlands. He also visits the territory with his eight-year-old heir, Prince Henry. During his absence, there is an attempted uprising in Scotland designed to create a Calvinist state. It fails.
1569:
Dowager Queen Anne of England, second wife of Henry VIII and mother of King Edward VI, dies in London. It goes unnoticed that her former lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, also dies this year. Suspicious of the actions of the Spanish Navy, King Edward orders his fleet to intervene if they approach the French coast. They encounter each other off Brittany and, as the navy has been expanded to deal with the Irish rebels, it is capable of dealing a deadly blow to the Spanish fleet. British troops land in Spain and take La Coruna, which they pledge to hold as a containment measure, and return when France is at peace. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth is formed.
1570:
After three years of war, France returns to a civil society with a victory for the incumbent royal house and the routing of the House of Guise. There will be religious conflict for the next thirty years, but it will not again tip into full war. Despite the peace, English troops refuse to return La Coruna, but the French are unwilling to tempt fate and marry the Dauphin to Elizabeth of Austria as a symbol of truce. The union will give birth to a daughter. The Ottoman Empire occupy Cyprus.
1571:
England and Spain declare war.
1572:
The Duke of Norfolk, concerned about England's war with Spain, attempts to depose Edward VI and is executed. However, it seems there is no need for concern as English, Scot and Dutch troops capture the city of Grenada. The continuation of the war requires more concessions to the Netherlands, who, like England and Scotland, receive their own parliament, the States-General. Sigismund II dies and is replaced by Archduke Ernest of Austria.
1573:
King Philip II surrenders unconditionally and abdicates in favour of Rudolf, King of Hungary. French annexation of Navarre is recognised, as is English control of Cadiz, Malaga, Granada and La Coruna. The rise of English power is beginning to limit French enthusiasm for the continuation of the alliance, now nearing its fortieth year. It will lessen further when King Rudolf is forced to sell the Azores to England to pay back the heavy borrowing that typified the reign of Philip II. King Ernest of Poland-Lithuania is married to Anna Jagellion.
1574:
Murad III succeeds to the throne of the Ottoman Empire.
1575:
King Rudolf signs a treaty of peace and friendship with King Edward VI, pledging Maxmilian, Archduke of Austria, to the Princess Royal, Elizabeth. The long-serving Duke of Flanders finally dies in Edinburgh. His third son, the Marquess of Hamilton, takes his office and, like his predecessor, will neglect to travel to Ghent (though he will eventually retire there in 1605).
1576:
King Rudolf of Spain becomes Holy Roman Emperor.
1577:
Francis Drake leaves England to commence his circumnavigation of the world. He will claim the western coast of North America for England during his travels while Martin Frobisher is claiming OTL eastern Canada.
1578:
Queen Mary of Scotland dies. The death of King Sebastian of Portugal encourages Spain to invade. France and England are both heavily dependent upon the Portuguese merchant fleet and are forced to defend their interests, once again going to war with the Hapsburgs. The war between Europe's two blocs will last for thirteen years and will only end when the Holy Roman Empire revolts. King Henry I of Scotland is betrothed to Countess Emilia of Nassau.
1580:
The return of Sir Francis Drake.
1581:
The parliaments of England, Scotland and the Netherlands outlaw allegiance to the Pope and the practice of Roman Catholicism.
1583:
The first English settlement is made in the New World on the island of Newfoundland. Prince Henry and Princess Emilia of the Netherlands have a son, William (William III, r.1617-1641). Other children will be Mary (b.1587) and Anne (b.1590).
1584:
England establishes an illegal colony in Spanish-claimed territory in North Carolina. This does not appear to have been intentional, but due to confusion over cartography.
1585:
France withdraws from the war in defence of Portugal's independence in return for a status quo ante. Britain and Spain will continue to fight for dominance.
1587:
Catherine Culpepper (OTL Catherine Howard) dies.
1588:
Catherine of Braganza is installed as the Queen of Portugal after England defeats Spanish troops and establishes itself as the predominant power of Europe. She will reign until 1614.
1589:
King Henry II of France and his wife, Catherine de Medici, both pass away, leaving the throne to King Henry III (r.1589-1621). The new King renounces all experimentations with tolerance. With the defeat in Portugal, Rudolf I of Spain/II of the Holy Roman Empire faces revolts against his rule.
1591:
Rudolf abdicates and signs a peace treaty with England.
1595:
King Ernest of Poland-Lithuania dies and is replaced by his brother, Maxmilian, husband of Elizabeth, daughter of King Edward VI. She will modify Polish support for the Counterreformation.
1600:
King Edward VI the Great dies after fifty-two years on the throne. His son becomes Emperor King Henry IX. In three generations, his family has gone from minor nobility to rulers of much of Europe. In twenty years, France will have a King Henry IV and England et al. will have King William IV, both of them the great-grandsons of King Henry VIII.
