1544

Lore & Background

In 1544, the Battle of Ceresole was fought on April 11 near Turin, where French forces under the Comte d'Enghien defeated troops of the Holy Roman Empire under the Marques Del Vasto. The year also saw the Peace of Crépy on September 18, ending the war between Charles V and Francis I, though the war between France and England continued. In Sweden, the estates swore loyalty to King Gustav Vasa and his heirs on January 13, ending the traditional electoral monarchy. On January 24, Gemma Frisius made the first recorded use of a camera obscura to observe a solar eclipse. The Fourth Diet of Speyer convened on February 20. In England, five Roman Catholic priests were executed on March 7 for involvement in the Prebendaries' Plot. The Battle of Glasgow was fought on March 16 for control of Scotland. Friedrich II became Elector Palatine on March 16 upon the death of his brother Ludwig V. Royal assent was given on March 29 to the Third Succession Act, amended Treason Act, and King's Style Act. The Italian town of Agropoli was sacked by Ottoman raiders on April 21. English forces captured Leith and Edinburgh on May 3 and burned Edinburgh on May 7. The Treaty of Speyer was signed on May 23 between the Holy Roman Empire and Denmark. The allied French and Ottoman navies departed Marseille on May 23. The English Navy began crossing the Channel on May 25 to invade France. The Battle of Serravalle was fought on June 4. The Duke of Norfolk crossed the Channel on June 8. The Ottoman Navy plundered Ischia on June 24. The siege of Saint-Dizier began on July 10. The Battle of the Shirts was fought on July 15. Henry VIII began the siege of Boulogne on July 19. Albert, Duke of Prussia granted land for the University of Königsberg on July 20. The university was inaugurated on August 17. Saint-Dizier surrendered on August 17. Boulogne surrendered on September 14. Juan Bautista Pastene made landfall in San Pedro Bay on September 18 and explored the estuary of Valdivia on September 22. The Second Siege of Boulogne began on October 9. Rüstem Opuković Pasha became Grand Vizier on November 24. Crown Prince Yi Ho became King of Korea on December 9. Mongols burned the suburbs of Beijing. Luca Ghini became chair of botany at the University of Pisa. Rats first appeared in South America in Peru. Portuguese explorers encountered Taiwan, calling it Ilha Formosa. The tomato was first mentioned in E

In Their Own Story

The map room in the Parisian palace smells of tallow and ink. A cartographer unrolls a sheet showing the coast of what the French call 'Nouvelle-France,' the Portuguese holdings along the African shore, and the scattered English settlements that have survived the last winter. The king's secretary taps a finger on the Iberian peninsula, where two crowns are drawing closer together with every passing year. Outside the window, the bells of a Reformed parish ring across the rooftops, a sound that would have been unthinkable a generation ago. The game has not yet begun, but the board is already crowded, and every piece has a century of history behind it.

Reader's Guide

1544 is a year of intense warfare in Europe, with major battles and sieges in Italy, France, Scotland, and England. Players may focus on the French-Habsburg conflict, the English invasion of Scotland and France, or the Ottoman raids in the Mediterranean. The year also features significant political changes in Sweden and Korea, as well as cultural milestones like the first camera obscura use and the founding of the University of Königsberg.

Did You Know?

• The Battle of Ceresole was fought on April 11, 1544, between French and Holy Roman Empire forces.
• Gemma Frisius made the first recorded use of a camera obscura on January 24, 1544.
• The Peace of Crépy on September 18, 1544, ended the war between Charles V and Francis I.
• Rats made their first appearance in South America in 1544, arriving in Peru.
• The tomato was first mentioned in European literature in 1544 by Pietro Andrea Mattioli.