1550-1569 Elizabeth I, Pope Paul IV Ghettos Jews

This twenty year period covers the reign of Edward VI who died in 1553 and was succeeded by his sister Mary I who, in turn, died in 1558 and was succeeded by another sister Elizabeth I. In this period there was constant warfare in the world, but it was good that Elizabeth came to power during this period as she undid all the Catholic changes that Mary had instituted and returned England to a Protestant nation.

A year after, the 1551–1562 Ottoman-Habsburg War in Hungary broke out, as did the 1551–1581 Ottoman-Habsburg War in the Mediterranean. Then came the 1552–1555 Charles V's war with Maurice of Saxony, the 1552 Conquest of Kazan, the 1554–1557 Second Russo–Swedish War, the 1557–1571 Livonian War, the 1559–1560 Scottish Rebellion against the French, the 1562–1598 Wars of Religion (Huguenot Wars) in France, the 1562–1568 Ottoman-Habsburg War in Hungary, the 1563–1570 Danish–Swedish War, the 1568–1571 Morisco Revolt in Spain and the 1568–1648 Eighty Years' War of Dutch independence.

At her coronation, Elizabeth issued an Act of Supremacy declaring her the supreme governor of the Protestant Church of England. There were catholic uprising in the north of England in 1569, but compared to what the English had been through with Mary -- and what was happening in Catholic Europe -- her rule was just and fair. 

Pope Paul IV, who ruled Rome from 1555-1559, established an Index of Prohibited Books during this period and confined the Jews of Rome to ghettos and made them wear distinctive headgear (previously in 14th century Spain the Jews and the Muslims were required to wear a badge denoting their religion in order to prevent Christians from being deceived into marrying them).

In 1559 Henri II of France died in a jousting accident and was succeeded by Francois II (who died in 1560 and was succeeded, after a regency, by Charles IX in 1563).

In 1560 the French diplomat Jean Nicot brought tobacco to Europe - hence 'nicotine'. In 1562 Charles Hawkins, competing with Spain, initiated the British West Indian slave trade and in 1563 the Anglican church was established.

1530-1549 Henry VIII breaks with Rome, Portuguese reach Japan

This twenty year period covers the reign of Henry VIII who died in 1547 and was suceeded by his son Edward VI. This period saw constant warfare -- most awful of which was the 1532-1544 Spanish Conquest of Peru -- but a significant milestone during this period happened in 1542 when the Portuguese reached Japan and opened up an ancient and amazing civilization to the rest of the world.

The 1528–1533 Ottoman-Habsburg War in Hungary was ongoing, and then came the 1531 Swiss Civil War, the 1532-1544 Spanish Conquest of Peru by Pizarro, the 1532–1546 Ottoman-Habsburg War in the Mediterranean, the 1533–1536 Counts' War in Denmark, the 1537–1544 Renewed Ottoman-Habsburg War in Hungary and the 1546–1547 Schmalkaldic War.

Henry VIII went crazy during this period. He broke with the Catholic Church by divorcing his first wife - Catherine of Aragon, mother of Mary Tudor - and marrying Anne Boleyn in 1533, with whom he had a daughter, Elizabeth, in the same year.

In 1535 he executed Anne Boleyn, married Jane Seymour (who bore him Edward in 1537), declared himself Head of the English Church and in the same year, 1535, he executed Thomas More for treason (refusing to renounce the Catholic Church) for which he was excommunicated by Pope Paul III in 1538.

In 1534 Cartier discovered the St Lawrence River, in 1540 the Jesuit Order established and in 1542 the Portuguese reached Japan. Being exposed to an aggressive imperialist world may have been a terrible event for the Japanese, but learning about this ancient and amazing civilization was a wonderful experience for the rest of the world.