1541
| Years: 1538 1539 1540 - 1541 - 1542 1543 1544 | |
| Decades: 1510s 1520s 1530s - 1540s - 1550s 1560s 1570s | |
| Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century | |
- The first official translation of the entire Bible in Swedish
- February 12 - Pedro de Valdivia founds Santiago de Chile.
- May 8 - Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River naming it Rio de Espiritu Santo.
- May 23 - Jacques Cartier departs Saint-Malo France on his third voyage.
- August 29 - The Janissaries of Suleiman the Magnificent take Buda by ruse, hiding themselves as tourists.
- Muslims seal off The Golden Gate in Jerusalem.
- June 26 - Francisco Pizarro, Spanish conquistador of Peru
- November 24 - Margaret Tudor, widowed Queen consort of King James IV of Scotland.