Year 1577 (MDLXXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June January 9 – The second Union of Brussels is formed, first without the Protestant counties of Holland and Zeeland (which is accepted by King Philip II of Spain), later with the Protestants, which means open rebellion of the whole of the Netherlands. March 17 – The Cathay Company is formed, to send Martin Frobisher back to the New World for more gold. May 28 – The Bergen Book, better known as the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, one of the Lutheran confessional writings, is published. The earlier version, known as the Torgau Book (1576), had been condensed into an Epitome; both documents are part of the 1580 Book of Concord. July–December July 9 – Ludvig Munk is appointed Governor-General of Norway. September 17 – The Treaty of Bergerac is signed between Henry III of France and the Huguenots. November – The Great Comet of 1577 is observed from Earth. November 13 – The Battle of Tedorigawa: Uesugi Kenshin's forces decisively defeat the forces of Oda Nobunaga; this will be Kenshin's last victory before his death the following year. November 19 – The Siege of Shigisan: with defeat coming close Matsunaga Hisahide commits suicide. December 13 – Francis Drake leaves Plymouth, England, aboard the Pelican, with four other ships and 164 men, on an expedition against the Spanish, along the Pacific coast of the Americas, which will become his circumnavigation. Date unknown Supposed massacre of the MacDonald inhabitants of the Scottish island of Eigg, by the Clan MacLeod. Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge over the Drina in Višegrad is completed in the Ottoman Empire. The church in San Pedro de Atacama is built, in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Casiodoro de Reina publishes his "Declaracion, o confesion de fe", the first and only Spanish confession of faith in the post Reformation period. Births January 9 – Anthony Irby, English politician (d. 1610) January 12 – Francesco Stelluti, Italian mathematician (d. 1652) January 13 – Hugh Audley, English moneylender/lawyer/philosopher (d. 1662) February 5 – Johann Baptist Grossschedel, German noble, alchemist and esoteric author (d. 1630) February 6 – Beatrice Cenci, Italian noblewoman who conspired to kill her father (d. 1599) February 7 – Francis Walsingham, English Jesuit (d. 1647) February 8 – Robert Burton, English scholar at Oxford University