This timeline details the main wars that happened during the 16th Century
1499 to 22nd September 1504
Italian War of 1499-1505
Fought between: France, Papal States, Venice against Milan, Naples, Spain
Location – Italy
Result: Treaty of Lyon – France controlled northern Italy, Spain controlled the south and Sicily
Location – Italy
Result: Treaty of Lyon – France controlled northern Italy, Spain controlled the south and Sicily
1502 – 1600
Spanish Conquest of the Chibchan Nation
Fought between: Spain and The Chibchan
Location: Chibchan Nations (Colombia)
Result: Spanish conquest of the Chibchan nations (Colombia)
Location: Chibchan Nations (Colombia)
Result: Spanish conquest of the Chibchan nations (Colombia)
10th December 1508 to August 1516
War of the League of Cambrai
Fought between: Papal States, France, Holy Roman Empire, Spain against Venice (1508 – 1510)
Fought between: France, Duchy of Ferrara against Papal States, Venice (1510 – 1511)
Fought between: France, Duchy of Ferrara, Florence, Scotland against Papal States, Venice, Spain, England, Holy Roman Empire, Swiss Confederacy (1511 – 1513)
Fought between: France, Duchy of Ferrara, Venice against Papal States, Spain, England, Holy Roman Empire, Swiss Confederacy, Milan (1513 – 1516)
Location: England, France, Italy, Spain
Result: Victory for France and Venice
Fought between: France, Duchy of Ferrara against Papal States, Venice (1510 – 1511)
Fought between: France, Duchy of Ferrara, Florence, Scotland against Papal States, Venice, Spain, England, Holy Roman Empire, Swiss Confederacy (1511 – 1513)
Fought between: France, Duchy of Ferrara, Venice against Papal States, Spain, England, Holy Roman Empire, Swiss Confederacy, Milan (1513 – 1516)
Location: England, France, Italy, Spain
Result: Victory for France and Venice
February 1519 to 13th August 1521
Spanish Conquest of Mexico
Fought between: Spanish Empire against Aztec Empire
Location: Mexico
Result: Spanish conquest
Location: Mexico
Result: Spanish conquest
May 1521 to 6th September 1566
Wars of Suleiman the Magnificent
Fought between: Ottoman Empire against Hapsburg Empire, Holy Roman Empire, Hungary, Persia
Location: Hungary, Persia (Iran), Iraq, Moldova
Result: Expansion of the Ottoman Empire
Location: Hungary, Persia (Iran), Iraq, Moldova
Result: Expansion of the Ottoman Empire
Summer 1521 to Spring 1526
Italian Wars of 1521-26 (Four Years War)
Fought between: France, Venice against Spanish Empire, Holy Roman Empire, England, Papal States
Location: Italy, France, Spain, Netherlands
Result: French defeat, Francis I captured by Charles V
Location: Italy, France, Spain, Netherlands
Result: French defeat, Francis I captured by Charles V
Summer 1526 to 15th August 1530
War of the League of Cognac
Fought between: France, Venice, Florence, Milan, Papal States, England against Spanish Empire, Holy Roman Empire
Location: Italy:
Result: Hapsburg victory, Treaty of Cambrai
Location: Italy:
Result: Hapsburg victory, Treaty of Cambrai
16th November 1532 – 24th September 1572
Spanish Conquest of the Inca People
Fought between: Spain and The Incan Empire
Location: Peru
Result: Spain made the Incan Empire part of the Spanish Empire.
Location: Peru
Result: Spain made the Incan Empire part of the Spanish Empire.
March 1562 to April 1598
French Wars of Religion
Fought between: Protestants, Huguenots and England against Catholics, Catholic League, Spain
Location: France
Result: Edict of Nantes gave rights to Huguenots
Location: France
Result: Edict of Nantes gave rights to Huguenots
Autumn 1568 to January 1648
The Dutch Revolt (Eighty Years War)
Fought between: Dutch Republicans, England, France, Nassau against Spanish Empire, Holy Roman Empire
Location: Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
Result: The Dutch gained independence
Location: Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
Result: The Dutch gained independence
1570 to 7th March 1573
Fifth Ottoman-Venetian War (War of Cyprus)
Fought between: Ottoman Empire against Venice, Spain, Italian States
Location: Cyprus, Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea
Result: Ottoman victory
Location: Cyprus, Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea
Result: Ottoman victory
February 1587 to 18th August 1604
Anglo-Spanish War
Fought between: England, Dutch Republic, France against Spanish Empire
Location: Atlantic Ocean, France, Spain, Netherlands, England
Result: Treaty of London restored the status quo
Location: Atlantic Ocean, France, Spain, Netherlands, England
Result: Treaty of London restored the status quo
May 1592 to December 1598
Japanese Invasion of Korea
Fought between: Japan against Korea, China
Location: Korea
Result: Japanese defeat
Location: Korea
Result: Japanese defeat
First published 2015; Updated and republished Jan 10 2022 @ 10:35 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2015 – 2022). Wars, 16th Century.