Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).

• Pierre de Ronsard becomes court poet to Charles IX of France
• José de Anchieta, De Gestis Meni de Saa, written about this year, published in 1563; Portuguese in Brazil

Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• August 4 – Sir John Harington, sources differ on whether he was born this year or in 1561 (died 1612), English courtier, author, poet and inventor of a flush toilet
• Also:
  • Henry Chettle, birth year uncertain (died c. 1607), English playwright, writer and poet
  • William Fowler, birth year uncertain (died 1612), Scottish poet, writer, courtier and translator
  • Alexander Hume, birth year uncertain (died 1609), Scottish
  • Christopher Middleton, birth year uncertain (died 1628), English poet and translator
  • Sheikh Muhammad (died 1650), Indian Marathi language religious leader and poet
  • Anthony Munday (died 1633), English dramatist and miscellaneous writer
  • John Owen born about this year (died 1622), Welsh poet writing in Latin

Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

• January 1 – Joachim du Bellay (born c. 1522), French poet
• April 19 – Philipp Melanchthon died (born 1497), German professor, theologian and poet
• August 12 – Thomas Phaer, also spelled Phaire, Faer, Phayre, Phayer (born c. 1510), English lawyer, pediatrician, author, translator and poet
• December 21 – Georg Thym (born c. 1520), German teacher, poet and writer
• Approximate date – Hwang Jini (born c. 1506), Korean poet

• 16th century in poetry
• 16th century in literature
• Dutch Renaissance and Golden Age literature
• Elizabethan literature
• French Renaissance literature
• Renaissance literature
• Spanish Renaissance literature