Events January–March January 12 – Şehzade Mehmed, the 15-year old half-brother of Ottoman Sultan Osman II, is put to death by hanging on Osman's orders. Before dying, Mehmed prays aloud that Osman's reign as Sultan be ruined. January 18 – The Dutch East India Company formally names its fortress at Jayakarta in Indonesia, calling it Batavia. Upon the independence of the Dutch East Indies as Indonesia in 1945, Batavia will be renamed Jakarta. January 22 – The Tianqi era begins in Ming Dynasty China, six months after Zhu Changluo becomes the Taichang Emperor. January 24 – Twelve days after the murder of Prince Mehmed on orders of Sultan Osman II, Constantinople is hit by bitter winter weather, leading to rioting by persons who believe that the punishment of Osman is the will of Allah. January 28 – Pope Paul V (Camillo Borghese) dies at the age of 70 after 15 years as Pontiff. January 29 – Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, declares the Elector of the Palatinate, Frederick V, to be a traitor to the Empire. February 9 – Papal Conclave of 1621: Pope Gregory XV succeeds Pope Paul V, as the 234th pope. February 17 – Myles Standish is appointed as the first commander of Plymouth Colony. March 16 – Samoset, a Mohegan, visits the settlers of Plymouth Colony and greets them: "Welcome, Englishmen! My name is Samoset." March 22 – The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags. March 31 – King Philip IV of Spain begins his 44-year rule. April–June April 1 – The Plymouth, Massachusetts colonists create the first treaty with native Americans. April 5 – The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, on a return trip to England. April 9 – The Twelve Years' Truce between the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Empire expires, and both sides prepare to resume the Eighty Years' War. May 2 – The Panama earthquake affects the Isthmus of Panama, with an estimated magnitude of 6.9, and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII * May 12 – The city of Tornio in Lapland is founded by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, becoming the northernmost city in the world at the time. May 24 – The Protestant Union is formally dissolved. June 3 – The Dutch West India Company is founded. June 21 – Thirty Years' War: Twenty-seven Czech lords are executed on the Old Town