What happened in 1540
2 entries recorded for 1540, listed by date. That was 486 years ago.
1540 at a glance
- Years ago
- 486 (as of 2026)
- Century
- 16th century
- Decade
- 1540s
- Generation born
- Before the named generations
- Entries here
- 2
- Breakdown
- 2 historical events
January
- January 6
Henry VIII
King Henry VIII of England married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves; the marriage was annulled six months later.
July
- July 28
Henry VIII
King Henry VIII of England had his chief minister Thomas Cromwell executed for treason and heresy.
Questions about 1540
What happened in 1540?
This site records 2 entries for 1540, including Henry VIII on January 6. They are listed below by date.
How long ago was 1540?
486 years ago, counting from 2026. Anyone born in 1540 turns 486 this year.
Which century is 1540 in?
1540 falls in the 16th century, in the 1540s.
Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.