Webb Family Tree

John Shakespeare was a tanner and a glovemaker. He was an alderman of Stratford for years. He also served a term as high baliff or Mayor. Towards the end of his life, John Shakespeare lost most of his money. When he died in 1601, he left William only a little real estate.

1534 AD England Breaks With Church in Rome- After the Church of Rome canceled his annulment to Catherine, and had Henry VIII excommunicated for marrying Anne Boylen, Henry breaks with Rome. He has the parliament pass the Act of Supremacy which states that the King is the supreme head of the English church, and he is the one to appoint all clergy. Henry goes on to break up England monstaries. This results in unforseen economic consequences with more land is enclosed and less common land for peasants to graze their animals.

1534 AD Cartier Claims Canada - Jacques Cartier, sailing under the patronage of King Frances I of France, arrived at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. After exploring the area, he claimed the area for France.

1536 AD Anne Boleyn Beheaded -Ann Boleyn is beheaded at the request of her husband Henry VIII on the charge of adultery. Henry goes on to marry her lady in waiting Jane Seymour.

1536 AD John Calvin Publishes Institution Chretienne -In 1536 John Calvin published his treatise Institutes of Christian Religion. The treatise was 532 pages in length and its preamble was addressed to the King of France. The book became a roadmap of Protestant thought.

1540 AD First Known Native American Composition A Native American singer from the city of Tlaxcala, Mexico composes a mass.

1540 AD Thomas Cromwell Executed - Thomas Cromwell who was King Henry VIII closest advisor was beheaded in 1540. He was at the forefront of the Kings efforts to break the power of the Catholic church. Cromwell lost some of the confidence of Henry when he selected Anne duke of Cleves as Henry's new wife after the death of Jane Seymour. Henry on meeting her stated " she had no looks, spoke no English and was no better then a Flander mare". When Cromwell was accused of being a herectic Henry went along with his beheading in the Tower of London.

1540 AD Ethiopian Music Notation Developed -According to traditional belief, the musical notational signs used in Ethiopian Coptic chant were developed during the reign of King Claudius (1540-1559) by two priests, Azza Gera and Azza Ragwel. The oldest surviving noted manuscripts in Ethiopia date from the 16th century. The notation consists of markings in the margins and between the lines of text.

1541 AD Henry VIII, King of England Becomes King of Ireland - 1541 was another busy year for Henry VIII. In February Henry had his fifth wife Catherine beheaded for committing adultery. In June he became King of Ireland

1542 AD Westerner in Japan -The first European visitors arrive in Japan aboard a shipwrecked Chinese ship. The Portuguese travelers have muskets, which they sold to the Japanese, who soon duplicate them.

1542 AD DeSoto Discovers Mississippi - On May 8, 1541, Hernando de Soto's expedition in the New World discovered the Mississippi River. The expedition had started out in Florida, in April 1538. It ended in September 1542, when the remnants of the expedition arrived in Mexico. The expedition left behind a trail of slain Indians. De Soto himself died of fever three weeks after arriving on the Mississippi. The expedition had actually crossed the River upstream earlier but had not realized it.

1543 AD Copernicus Claims Earth Circles the Sun In 1543 Nicolaus Copernicus published De revolutionbu orbium coelestiium. This work set out to prove that the earth and the other planets circle around the sun. This was in direct contrast to the accepted theory that everything circled the earth.

1543 AD First Illustrated Study of Human Body - In 1543 Adreas Vesalius published De fabricaq corporis humani. It was the first illustrated systematic study of the human anatomy, and revived the concept of scientific study of the human body

1546 AD Peace of Andres -The Peace of Ardres was signed in 1546 between England and France. It ended a two year war between the two. Under its terms England received indemnity from France and was allowed to retain the French port of Boulogne for eight years.

1547 AD Ivan the Terrible Czar of all the Russians -On January 17th Ivan IV had himself crowned the czar of all of Russia. He was the first Russian ruler to be crowned czar.

1550 AD The Peace of Boulogne -Peace is once again restored between England and France with the signing of the peace treaty of Boulogne. Under its terms England withdrew from Scotland, France also regained Boulogne in return for an indemnity.

1552 AD Treaty of Passau -The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V attempted to force the Protestant Princes of Southern Germany to return to Catholicism at the point of the sword. Prince Henry II of France took advantage of the situation by allying himself with the Protestants and seizing Metz, Toul and Verdun. Charles was forced to leave Germany and sign the Treaty of Passau granting the Protestants religious liberty. In 1555 the Peace Augsburg was signed, under whose terms each German prince was allowed to pick a religion for his state.

1554 AD Thomas Wyatt- Leads a Rebellion Against - Thomas Wyatt led a rebellion against Mary Queen of England. The cause of the rebellion the impending marriage of Mary to Phillip son of the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor. Mary was plannning to restore Catholicism to England. His army was defeated on February 9th and Wyatt was executed in April. Following Mary's marriage, Protestants and former Protestants were persecuted, with many being burned at the stake.

1555 AD Jews Restricted to ghettos in Italy - In 1555 Pope Paul IV issued his bull Cum nimis absrudam. Under its terms Jews in the cities were restricted to their own quarters at night. Venice already had "ghettos" for the Jews.

1555 AD Treaty of Amasya - In 1555 the Treaty of Amasya was signed between the Ottoman Empire and Persia. This brought to an end the war between the parties. Under its terms Persia recognized the Ottoman sovereignty over Iraq.

1556 AD First Music Book Printed in the New World -An Ordinarium is published in a printing press in Mexico. The book includes music for church services.

1556 AD Second Battle of Panipat In 1556 Jala-ud-Din returns from exile after his father Humayun the Mughal emperor dies. Jala-ud-Din rules as Akbar. He defeats Hindu forces at the Battle of Panipat on November 5th . He thus regains the Hindustani Empire.

1557 AD Battle of Saint Quentin -Queen Mary of England comes to the support of her husband Phillip II in a conflict with France. The English and the Spanish defeat the French at the Battle of Saint Quentin. With Paris threatened the French are forced to recall their forces from Italy.

1557 AD Macao Established Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) brought Tan Sen from the court of Reva to become his own court musician. Tan Sen is best known for his attempts to join Hindu and Muslim musical styles. While Tan Sen was a master of the ancient Hindu vocal style, Dhrupad, he also created a new genre, Dabari.

1558 AD Elizabethian Age Begins - The Elizabethan Age in England begins with the death of Queen Mary and the ascension to the throne of Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII by Anne Boleyn.

1559 AD Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis The Religious Wars that had gone on incessantly between England, France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire are ended by the Treaty of Cateau- Cambresis. Under its terms France renounces claims to Italy, and confirms Spanish control of much of Italy.

1560 AD Treaty of Edinburgh - Mary, Queen of Scots declared herself Queen of England in 1559. The next year French troops in Scotland try to assert the claim of Mary against Elizabeth, who the Catholics claim is illegitimate (Elizabeth was the daugther of Henry and Anne Boleyn whose marriage to Henry was consider null by the Catholics). The French troops were beseiged at Leith, and the French were forced to sign the treaty of Edinburgh ceasing their interferance in the affairs of Scotland.

1562 AD Tan Sen Made Court Musician in India Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) brought Tan Sen from the court of Reva to become his own court musician. Tan Sen is best known for his attempts to join Hindu and Muslim musical styles. While Tan Sen was a master of the ancient Hindu vocal style, Dhrupad, he also created a new genre, Dabari.

1562 AD French Establish Settlement In Florida -The French first attempted to settle Florida in 1562. A group of Huguenots, under the direction of Jean Ribault, established a temporary settlement on the coast of what became South Carolina. When they were not resupplied, they abandoned the settlement. In 1864, a second group of Huguenots established a settlement at Ft. Caroline at the mouth of the St. Johns River.

1562 AD First French War of Religion France became embroiled in a religious civil war between the Huguenots and Catholics. The war was touched off by the massacre of Hugenots at Vassy on March 1. The Hugenots retailiated by killing priests and raping nuns. The Hugenots maintained a hold on Orleans, Lyon and Rouen. Queen Elizabeth of England pledged her support to the Hugenots.

1564 AD Michelangelo Dies -Michelangelo (properly Michelagniolo Buonarotti) died in 1567 His many works included the sculpture Bacchus, Maddona and Moses as well as the painting Last Judgement on the back of the Sistine Chapel.

1567 AD Rio de Janeiro Founded The Portuguese founded Rio de Janeiro. They first ousted the French colonists who were there.

1567 AD Second French War Begins -A second religious civil war broke out in France between the Catholics and the Hugenonts. The war broke out when the Hugenots attempted the capture King Charles IX and his regent mother Catherine de Medicis. The war ended with the signing of the Peace of Longjumeau in 1568.

1568 AD Eighty Years War BeginsA war that lasted for eighty years broke out when Flemish opponents to the Spanish inquisition were beheaded. 20 leading Flemish opponents inlcuding the Comte d' Egmont and Comte d' Horn were killed. The Flemish and Dutch then began a rebellion against Spanish rule.

1569 AD Northern Rebellion -Dukes of Northern England revolted against Elizabeth in order to restore Catholicism to England. The rebels hoped to free Mary, Queen of Scotts from captivity. Elizabeth put down the rebellion, and her troops killed 3,000 of the rebels.

1570 AD Third French War Begins The peace ended quickly when the Third French War broke out the next year. It lasted for two years and ended with the Peace of Saint Germain-en Laye.

1571 AD Battle of Lepanto -On October 7th, 1571 the Ottoman fleet of 240 galleys was defeated by a fleet from the Maritime League. The League's fleet consisted of ships from Spain, Malta, Genoa and Venice. The Maritime league takes 4,000 prisoneers, frees 12,000 Chritstian slaves and kills 25,000 Otoman in the battle.

1572 AD St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre On August 23 and 24th Catholics in France killed 50,000 Hugenonts in Paris and the provinces. The massacre was called for by the queen mother Catherine de Medici and is applauded by Pope Gregory XIII.

1574 AD Tunis Annexed by Ottomans -An Ottoman army under the command of Sinan Pasha retakes Tunisia. The Austians had driven the Ottomans out the year before. It is annexed to the Ottoman Empire.

1576 AD Treaty of Ghent -In November 1576 Spanish garrisons in the lowlands who had not been paid for a period of time revolted and vented their rage on the native nation. In Antwerp alone they massacred 6,000 men, women and children and burned 800 houses. As a result of the decision, William of Orange persuaded the 17 provinces of the Lowlands to unite under the treaty of Ghent, putting aside their differences to fight the Spanish inquisition and restore their liberties.

1577 AD Sixth War of Religion -A Sixth war of Religion broke out between Catholics and Hugenots in 1577. The war was brief and Henri III offered the Hugenots generous terms as a settlement.

1578 AD Portuguese Army Defeated in Morocco - Sebastian, the King of Portugal leads an army to restore the deposed sultan of Morocco. Moroccans at the Battle of Alcazarquivir annihilated the Portuguese army. Sebastian was killed in the battle.

1581 AD Battle of Pskov - Stepen Bathory led the Poles to a victory over the forces of Ivan the Terrible at the battle of Pskov. The Polish victory forced Ivan to agree to a peace accord in which he ceded Livonia on the Baltic.

1581 AD Tartar Khanate of Siberia- Russian -The Russians doubled the size of their country by taking control of the Tartar Khanate of Siberia. The Khanate was subdued by Ermak Timofeev and his peasant soldiers who were hired by Ivan the Terrible.

1584 AD Russian Czar Ivan the Terrible Dies On March 18th 1584 Ivan the Terrible the Czar of Russia died at the age of 53. Ivan had been the Russian Czar for 34 years. He was seceded by his son Fedor Ivanovich who was considered feebleminded.

1585 AD Eighth War of Religion- The Eighth Religious War otherwise known as the War of the Three Henry’s began when the Holy League vowed to deny Henri of Navarre the French throne. Henri II of Valoois and Henri of Guise, both Catholics, battled Henri of Navarre. The Catholics were victorious.

1587 AD Drake attacks Spanish Court of Cadiz The Spanish plans under Philip II to invade England were delayed when Sir Francis Drake attacked the Bay of Cadiz. Drake destroyed 10,000 tons of Spanish shipping and delayed the Spanish assault for a year.

1588 AD Rakuware Pottery Developed - Rakuware a renowned Japanese pottery style was so named when a prize with that name was given to the family who helped develop the process that made it possible.

1588 AD Spanish Armada The Spanish fleet sailed on July 12, 1588. It consisted of 128 ships carrying 29,522 sailors. The British fleet consisted of 116 large ships and numerous coastal vessels.

On the morning of the 21st, elements of the British fleet attacked superior Spanish forces to forestall their landing troops. The British fleet succeeded in sowing confusion amongst the Spanish fleet, causing many a Spanish ship to collide . The fight continued on and off for five days. There were no decisive battles, just continued engagements in which the English consistently achieved the upper hand. After five days of battering, the Spanish armada which was running low on provisions decided to withdraw. Their path back to Spain became littered with wrecks of additional ships that never made it home.

1590 AD Japan Unified - Japan is unified by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A series of military campaigns together with his vassal Tokugawa Ieyasu leads to a single unified government.

1592 AD Japan Invades Korea The Japanese, under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, invaded Korea after the Koreans rejected Japanese terms for a trade agreement. The Japanese quickly captured Seoul. The Chinese then intervene first by sea and then by sending troops across the Yalu River. They force the Japanese south.

1595 AD Battle of Fontaine- Francaise -The French House of Bourbon was officially established on February 27, 1594 with the official Roman Catholic coronation of Henri of Bourbon. The next year Henri IV declared war on Spain. He won an important battle at Fontaine-Francaise near Dijon. The Catholic League then abandoned by the Spanish.

1595 AD Dutch East Indies Company Begins Trading in Asia The Dutch East Indies Company sent its first ships to the Orient to trade. It soon became an important factor in trading in Asia.

1597 AD Jesuits Crucified in Japan -Toyotomi Hideyoshi orders the crucifixion of 3 Jesuits, 6 Franciscans and 17 Japanese converts to Christianity. He then orders the remaining missionaries to leave the country. When they do not he backs off, fearing an end to Portuguese trading, trading that has become more important now that he was at war with China.

1597 AD Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" Published In 1597 Love's Labour's Lost, the first play under William Shakespeare's name was published.

1598 AD Edict of Nantes -Henry IV King of France issued on April 13, 1598 the Edict of Nantes. The edict gave full civil rights to Protestants in France. It did not provide them with full religious freedom, but did allow them to gather and pray in select locations.

1598 AD Revolt Against the English Irish forces under the leadership of Hugh O’Neill, defeated the English at the Battle of Yellow River on August 14, 1598. The battle began a revolt that swept through Ireland. In April 1599 English forces led by Robert Devereux landed in Dublin to put down the revolt. He was defeated in September 1599.