Explore 134 historical events from 1490–1499.
John of Saxony, also known as "John the Younger" or "Hans of Saxony" was Hereditary Prince of Saxony from the Albertine line of the House of Wettin.
John, Hereditary Prince of Saxony (died 1537)
Girolamo Savonarola, OP, also referred to as Jerome Savonarola, was an Italian ascetic Dominican friar from Ferrara and a preacher active in Renaissance Florence. He became known f…
Girolamo Savonarola, Italian friar and preacher (born 1452)
Isabella, Princess of Asturias, also known as Isabella of Aragon, was the eldest child and heiress presumptive of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. She w…
Isabella of Aragon, Queen of Portugal, eldest daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon (born 1470)
Tomás de Torquemada, anglicized as Thomas of Torquemada, was a Spanish Dominican friar and the first Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition. In that role, he led a group of ec…
Tomás de Torquemada, Spanish friar (born 1420)
The 1498 Meiō earthquake struck off the coast of Nankaidō, Japan, at approximately 08:00 local time on September 20, 1498. With an estimated magnitude of 8.6 Ms, it triggered a mas…
A tsunami caused by the Meiō earthquake washed away the building housing the statue of the Great Buddha (pictured) at…
Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Florence after whom America is named.
Amerigo Vespucci allegedly leaves Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World
Pope Alexander VI was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503.
Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola
John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII, King of England is the earliest known European ex…
John Cabot sets sail from Bristol, England, on his ship Matthew looking for a route to the west (other documents give a
The Cornish rebellion of 1497, also known as the First Cornish rebellion, was a popular uprising in the Kingdom of England, which began in Cornwall and culminated with the Battle o…
Battle of Deptford Bridge: Forces under King Henry VII defeat troops led by Michael An Gof
John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII, King of England is the earliest known European ex…
John Cabot lands in North America at Newfoundland leading the first European exploration of the region since the Vikings
Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese mariner, explorer and nobleman. His discovery of the first direct maritime route between Europe and India via the Cape of Good Hope and across the In…
Vasco da Gama sets sail on the first direct European voyage to India.
Pedro Gutiérrez de Valdivia or Valdiva was a Spanish conquistador and the first Governor of Colonial Chile. After having served with the Spanish army in Italy and Flanders, he was …
Pedro de Valdivia, Spanish conquistador, conquered northern Chile (died 1553)
Muhammad Abu 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad at-Tarabulsi al-Hattab al-Ru'yani, more commonly referred to in Islamic scholarship as al-Hattab or Imam al-Hattab, was a 16th-century CE Musli…
Al-Hattab, Muslim jurist (died 1547)
Ernest of Brunswick-Lüneburg, also frequently called Ernest the Confessor, was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and a champion of the Protestant cause during the early years of the Prote…
Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (died 1546)
Francesco Canova da Milano was an Italian lutenist and composer. He was born in Monza, near Milan, and worked for the papal court for almost all of his career. Francesco was herald…
Francesco Canova da Milano, Italian composer (died 1543)
Wolfgang Musculus was a Reformed theologian of the Protestant Reformation.
Wolfgang Musculus, German theologian (died 1563)
Benedetto Accolti the younger was an Italian cardinal. He was born in Florence, Italy, the son of Michele Accolti, patrician of Arezzo, and Lucrezia Alamanni. He died in Florence o…
Benedetto Accolti the Younger, Italian cardinal (died 1549)
Giovanni Borgia, 2nd Duke of Gandía was the second child of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei and a member of the House of Borgia. He was the brother of Cesare, Gioffre, …
Giovanni Borgia, 2nd Duke of Gandía, Italian son of Pope Alexander VI (born 1474)
Michael Joseph, better known as Michael An Gof, was one of the leaders of the Cornish rebellion of 1497, along with Thomas Flamank.
Michael An Gof, rebel leader
Thomas Flamank was a lawyer and former MP from Cornwall, who together with Michael An Gof led the Cornish rebellion of 1497, a protest against taxes imposed by Henry VII of England…
Thomas Flamank, rebel leader
James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley was a British nobleman and the only lord to fully join the Cornish rebellion of 1497 opposing the rule of Henry VII of England. He was a leader in th…
James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley, English rebel leader (born c
Sophia of Pomerania-Stolp, was a Duchess of Pomerania by birth, and married to Eric II, Duke of Pomerania.
Sophie of Pomerania, Duchess of Pomerania (born 1435)
John, Prince of Asturias and Girona was the only son of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, and heir apparent to both their thrones for nearly his entire l…
John, Prince of Asturias, only son of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile (born 1478)
Gustav Eriksson Vasa, also known as Gustav I, was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560. He was previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm (Riksföreståndare) from…
Gustav I of Sweden (died 1560)