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The 1580s: 1580–1589
1580–1589 · worldwide, all places
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Philip II sent 130 ships against England in 1588 and lost them to storms, English seamanship and bad luck. In Japan, Hideyoshi avenged Nobunaga's murder and pushed toward unification, and in Virginia, 115 English colonists vanished from Roanoke Island around 1587.
1588 broke Spanish sea power and 1587 emptied Roanoke. The Japanese film The Kiyosu Conference dramatizes the succession meeting after Nobunaga's death in 1582, and Lost Colony retells the Roanoke disappearance of 1587. Open the 1580s on the StoryTerra map and explore its stories by place.
5 famous stories set in the 1580s
Live snapshot of the top 5 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-05). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.
Browse 22 books, 5 movies and 1 game set in the 1580s (1580–1589).
Legacy
The much-praised Legacy offers an exquisite psychological portrait of the Queen who defined an era, beloved and touted by readers for its stunning storytelling and intriguing take on the monarch's life. From the…
The Kiyosu Conference
After the forced suicide of Nobunaga Oda at the Incident at Honnō-ji powerful figures Katsuie Shibata Hideyoshi Toyotomi Nagahide Niwa and Tsuneoki Ikeda meet to decide on a successor. The conference would become…
The Assassination of the Duke de Guise
The film portrays the events on the day King Henri III of France arranged for Duke Henri de Guise to be murdered.
Lost Colony: The Legend of Roanoke
English colonists arriving on Roanoke Island in 1587 find the fort built years before deserted. Soon after members of the colony begin to die in horrible ways. Before returning to England for provisions leader John…
The Devil-Ship Pirates
A pirate ship fighting in 1588 on the side of the Spanish Armada suffers damage and must put into a village on the British coast for repairs. The village is small and isolated and the Spanish convince the villagers that…
The 5 stories above are just a sample of the 28 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live 1580–1589 catalogue, use the button above — or browse the whole 16th century. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.
Relevant picks from this decade
Elizabethan Britain: 1558–1603 — The vibrant and tumultuous era under Queen Elizabeth I — flourishing arts including Shakespeare's plays, bold sea voyages, and the dramatic defense… Explore Elizabethan Britain: 1558–1603
Renaissance Rome: 1400–1600 — The rebirth of art, culture, and power in Rome — figures like Michelangelo and Raphael shaping history and storytelling, Borgia popes and Sistine… Explore Renaissance Rome: 1400–1600
Renaissance Venice: 1400–1600 — The jewel of the Renaissance — Venice was a hub for art, politics, and trade, inspiring tales of intrigue, romance, and masked balls in canalside… Explore Renaissance Venice: 1400–1600
Spanish Golden Age: 1500–1700 — A flourishing era of art, literature, and maritime expansion that made Spain a global power — Quixote's windmills, Lope's Madrid stages, Velázquez's… Explore Spanish Golden Age: 1500–1700
Ming China: 1368–1644 — Known for its cultural achievements and exploration, the Ming dynasty influenced East Asia's history and folklore profoundly — treasure fleets,… Explore Ming China: 1368–1644
Mughal India: 1526–1857 — Step into the opulent world of the Mughal Empire, which ruled the Indian subcontinent for centuries — a golden age of art, architecture, and culture… Explore Mughal India: 1526–1857
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1570s · 16th century · Time hub · All places · 1590s