1553

1553 (MDLIII) was a common year starting on Sunday in the Julian calendar.

 Events 
 June 26 – Christ's Hospital and King Edward's School, Witley created by Royal Charter
 July 6 – Edward VI of England dies
 July 10 – Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England – for the next nine days
 July 18 – Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen – Lady Jane Grey willingly gives up the title of queen.
August 2 – Battle of Marciano. French forces invading Italy under Marshal Blaise de Monluc are defeated by an imperial army under the Marquis of Marignano and are forced to retreat into Siena, which is besieged by the imperial forces.
 August 3 – Queen Mary arrives in London
 August 22 – Duke of Northumberland, supporter of Jane Grey, executed
 September Protestant bishops in England are arrested and Roman Catholic bishops are restored
 September 23 – The Sadians consolidate their power in Morocco by defeating the last of their enemies
 October 27 – Calvinists burn Michael Servetus as a heretic in Geneva
Battle of Sievershausen – Elector Maurice of Saxony defeats the Catholic forces of Margrave Albert of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. Maurice is mortally wounded.
 Shanghai is fortified for the first time.