On This Day
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King Sigismund III Vasa of Poland marries first wife Anne of Austria at Wawel Cathedral in Kraków,

Sigismund III Vasa (Polish: Zygmunt III Waza, Lithuanian: Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King…

Sigismund III Vasa (Polish: Zygmunt III Waza, Lithuanian: Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632

N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden from 1592 to 1599. He was the first Polish sovereign from the House of Vasa. Religiously zealous, he imposed Catholicism across the vast realm, and his crusades against neighbouring states marked Poland's largest territorial expansion. As an enlightened despot, he presided over an era of prosperity and achievement, further distinguished by the transfer of the country's capital from Kraków to Warsaw.

Sigismund was the son of King John III of Sweden and his first wife, Catherine Jagiellon, daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland.

Historical Significance

Sigismund III Vasa (Polish: Zygmunt III Waza, Lithuanian: Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.

Key People

Sigismund III Vasa

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Events Before

  1. King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed

    King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed Forces Day

  2. German monarchy forms Protestant Union of Torgau

    German monarchy forms Protestant Union of Torgau

  3. Battle at Tondibi: Moroccan army under Judar [Jawdar] defeats Sultan Askia Ishaq II of Songhai

    Battle at Tondibi: Moroccan army under Judar [Jawdar] defeats Sultan Askia Ishaq II of Songhai

  4. Merchant traveller Ralph Fitch returns to England after a journey of eight years, including the first extensive explorat

    Merchant traveller Ralph Fitch returns to England after a journey of eight years, including the first extensive exploration of India and South East Asia by an English person

  5. Spanish troops in Zutphen surrender to Dutch and English forces under Maurice of Nassau

    Spanish troops in Zutphen surrender to Dutch and English forces under Maurice of Nassau

Events After

  1. William Louis of Nassau becomes governor/viceroy of Drenthe

    William Louis of Nassau becomes governor/viceroy of Drenthe

  2. Vatican opens blasphemy and theological heresy trial against Italian scholar and wayward friar Giordano Bruno; proceedin

    Vatican opens blasphemy and theological heresy trial against Italian scholar and wayward friar Giordano Bruno; proceedings drag on for over 7 years [1]

  3. The Uppsala Synod is summoned to confirm the exact forms of the Lutheran Church of Sweden

    The Uppsala Synod is summoned to confirm the exact forms of the Lutheran Church of Sweden

  4. English Separatist Puritans John Greenwood and Henry Barrowe tried and sentenced to death on the charge of devising and

    English Separatist Puritans John Greenwood and Henry Barrowe tried and sentenced to death on the charge of devising and circulating seditious books

  5. Recantation of Loos, Dutch scholar Coinelius Loos recants his earlier written protest against witchcraft persecution in

    Recantation of Loos, Dutch scholar Coinelius Loos recants his earlier written protest against witchcraft persecution in Trier, Germany before officials in Brussels

More from the 1590s

Korean naval commander Admiral Yi Sun-sin begins his famous war diary "Nanjung ilgi" (included in UNESCO's Memory of the

Korean naval commander Admiral Yi Sun-sin begins his famous war diary "Nanjung ilgi" (included in UNESCO's Memory of the World 2013) [1]

Jacob van Neck's fleet leaves Bantam, Java in modern-day Indonesia with 1 million pounds of pepper and cloves and a furt

Jacob van Neck's fleet leaves Bantam, Java in modern-day Indonesia with 1 million pounds of pepper and cloves and a further half a ship full of nutmeg, mace and cinnamon

King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed

King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed Forces Day

William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" is thought to have been first performed; officially published early 1597

William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" is thought to have been first performed; officially published early 1597

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 31, 1592?
Sigismund III Vasa (Polish: Zygmunt III Waza, Lithuanian: Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden from 1592 to 1599. He was the first Polish sovereign from the House of Vasa. Religiously zealous, he imposed Catholicism across the vast realm, and his crusades against neighbouring states marked Poland's largest territorial expansion.
Why is King Sigismund III Vasa of Poland marries first wife Anne of Austria at Wawel... significant?
Sigismund III Vasa (Polish: Zygmunt III Waza, Lithuanian: Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632 N.
Who was involved in King Sigismund III Vasa of Poland marries first wife Anne of Austria at Wawel...?
Key figures include Sigismund III Vasa.

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May 31 in HistoryYear 1592