1520 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1520.

Events

 * unknown dates
 * Scholars at Complutense University, Alcalá de Henares, under the direction of Diego Lopez de Zúñiga, complete the Complutensian Polyglot Bible.
 * Ulrich von Hutten's satirical poem Aufwecker der teutschen Nation (Awakener of the German Nation) is published – his earliest work in German.

Prose

 * Hochstratus Ovans
 * Martin Luther
 * To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (An den christlichen Adel deutscher Nation)
 * On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church (De captivitate Babylonica ecclesiae praeludium)
 * On the Freedom of a Christian
 * Niccolò Machiavelli – Discourse on Reforming the Government of Florence (Discorso sopra il riformare lo stato di Firenze)
 * Shin Maha Thilawuntha – Yazawin Kyaw (Burmese), supplement
 * Ruyijun zhuan (claimed completion date)

Drama

 * John Heywood – Johan Johan The Husband
 * Approximate year – Niccolò Machiavelli: Andria

Poetry

 * Robert Copland – L'enuoy of Robert Coplande [sic] (published in London by Wynkyn de Worde)
 * Terence (translated) – Terens in Englysh (published in Paris)
 * Approximate year
 * John Lydgate – Testament
 * Alexander the Great
 * The Squire of Low Degree (written c. 1500; published in London by Wynkyn de Worde)

Births

 * March 3 – Matthias Flacius, German Lutheran theologian (died 1575)
 * unknown date
 * François Baudouin, French humanist historian (died 1573)
 * Natalis Comes, Italian mythologist, poet and historian (died 1582)
 * Denis Lambin, French classicist (died 1572)
 * probable
 * Hernando de Acuña, Spanish poet (died 1580)
 * Giovanni Bona de Boliris, Italian humanist, poet and writer, writing in Latin and Italian (died 1572)
 * Thomas Churchyard, English author and poet (died 1604)
 * Pernette Du Guillet, French poet (died 1545)
 * Jorge de Montemor, Portuguese novelist and poet, writing in Spanish (died 1561)
 * Christophe Plantin, French-born Dutch humanist and printer (died 1589)
 * Madeleine Des Roches (Madeleine Neveu), French author, poet and salonnière (died 1587)
 * Alexander Scott, Scottish poet (died 1582/83)
 * Georg Thym, German teacher, poet and writer (died 1560)

Deaths

 * March 16 – Martin Waldseemüller, German humanist and cartographer (born c.1470)
 * May 31 – Johannes Aesticampianus, German humanist theologian (born 1457)
 * unknown date – William Dunbar, Scottish poet (born 1459/60)