Year 1561 (MDLXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January-June January 31 – The Edict of Orleans suspends the persecution of the Huguenots in France. March 1 – Kingston Grammar School is founded in England. April 14 – The citizens of Nuremberg see what appears to be an aerial battle, followed by the appearance of a large black triangular object and a large crash (with smoke) outside the city. A news notice (an early form of newspaper) is printed on April 14, describing the event. May 8 – Madrid is declared the capital of Spain, by Philip II. June 4 The spire of Old St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London catches fire and crashes through the nave roof, probably as the result of a lightning strike. The spire is not rebuilt. The nobility of Harrien-Wierland and the town of Reval (on June 6) of the Livonian Order swear allegiance to Sweden. June 25 – Francis Coxe, an English astrologer, is pilloried at Cheapside in London, and makes a public confession of his involvement in "sinistral and artes". June 29 – Erik XIV is crowned King of Sweden. July–December July – Arauco War: The hated encomendero Pedro de Avendaño and two other Spaniards are killed, triggering the Second Great Rebellion of the Mapuche. July 12 – Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow (started in 1534) is finished. August – English merchant Anthony Jenkinson arrives in Moscow on his second expedition to the Grand Duchy of Moscow. August 19 – Mary, Queen of Scots, is denied passage through England after returning from France. She arrives at Leith, Scotland on August 19. September 2 – The Entry of Mary, Queen of Scots into Edinburgh, a spectacular civic celebration for the Queen of Scotland, is marred by religious controversy. September – Protestant reformer John Knox has a three-day debate in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland with Quintin Kennedy, commendator of Crossraguel Abbey, on transubstantiation. The result is inconclusive, but Kennedy is fighting a losing battle against the Reformation, which had been confirmed by the Scottish government in 1560. October 10 – Siege of Moji in Japan ends with the defenders retaining their position. October 18 – Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima: Takeda Shingen defeats Uesugi Kenshin, in the climax of their ongoing conflicts. November 28 – The Treaty of Vilnius is concluded during the