Explore 105 historical events from 1490–1499.
Pope Alexander VI was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503.
Rodrigo de Borja is elected as Head of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Alexander VI.
Sabina of Bavaria-Munich was Duchess consort of Württemberg by marriage to Ulrich, Duke of Württemberg.
Sabina of Bavaria, Bavarian duchess and noblewoman (died 1564)
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic M…
Spain and Christopher Columbus sign the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices
On 31 March 1492, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, issued the Alhambra Decree, ordering all unconverted Jews to leave t…
The Crown's decision to expel the Jews is announced in Zaragoza, Aragon, to the kingdom's procurators
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish transatlantic voyages in the name of the Catholic Monarchs, opening…
Spain gives Christopher Columbus his commission of exploration
The Alhambra Decree was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, ordering the expulsion of unconv…
The Edict of Expulsion is officially proclaimed in Castile, requiring all Jewish residents to leave within three months
Andrea Alciato, commonly known as Alciati, was an Italian jurist and writer. He is regarded as the founder of the French school of legal humanists.
Andrea Alciato, Italian jurist and writer (died 1550)
Elizabeth Tudor was the second daughter and fourth child of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.
Elizabeth Tudor, English daughter of Henry VII of England (died 1495)
Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen. He was one of the earliest Protestant rulers in the H…
Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, German prince (died 1566)
Matteo Tafuri was an Italian philosopher, astrologer and physician, who was famed for his divination, but also was reputed to be a magician who practised demonic arts.
Matteo Tafuri, Italian alchemist (died 1582)
Casimir IV Jagiellon was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447 until his death in 1492. He was one of the most active Polish-Lithuanian rulers; under him, …
Casimir IV Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447 (born 1427)
Elizabeth Woodville, known as Dame Elizabeth Grey during her first marriage, was Queen of England from 1 May 1464 until 3 October 1470 and from 11 April 1471 until 9 April 1483 as …
Elizabeth Woodville, Queen consort of England (born 1437)
The Alhambra Decree was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, ordering the expulsion of unconv…
All remaining Jews are expelled from Spain when the Alhambra Decree takes effect.
On 31 March 1492, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, issued the Alhambra Decree, ordering all unconverted Jews to leave t…
The Jews are expelled from Spain: 40,000–200,000 leave. Sultan Bayezid II of the Ottoman Empire, learning of this,…
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish transatlantic voyages in the name of the Catholic Monarchs, opening…
Christopher Columbus arrives in the Canary Islands on his first voyage to the New World.
In linguistics, grammar is the system of rules that governs how a natural language is structured and used, as evidenced by its speakers or writers. Grammar rules may concern the us…
The first grammar of the Spanish language (Gramática de la lengua castellana) is presented to Queen Isabella I.
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish transatlantic voyages in the name of the Catholic Monarchs, opening…
Christopher Columbus sails from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, his final port of call before crossing the Atlantic…
Beatrice of Silva, born Beatriz de Menezes da Silva, was a Portuguese noblewoman who became the foundress of the monastic Order of the Immaculate Conception. Amadeus of Portugal's …
Beatrice of Silva, Dominican nun
Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick was an important late medieval English noblewoman. She was the daughter of Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, and his second wife, Is…
Anne Neville, Countess of Warwick (born 1426)
Pope Innocent VIII, born Giovanni Battista Cybo, was head of the Catholic Church and leader of the Papal States from 29 August 1484 to his death, in July 1492. Son of the viceroy o…
Innocent VIII, pope of the Catholic Church (born 1432)
A papal conclave was held from 6 to 11 August 1492 to elect a new pope to succeed Innocent VIII, who had died on 25 July 1492. Of the 27 members of the College of Cardinals, all bu…
The first conclave to be held in the Sistine Chapel elected Roderic Borja as Pope Alexander VI to succeed Innocent VIII.
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish transatlantic voyages in the name of the Catholic Monarchs, opening…
Christopher Columbus set sail from San Sebastián de La Gomera in the Canary Islands on his first voyage across the…
The Kingdom of Kongo was a kingdom in Central Africa. It was located in present-day northern Angola, the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Gabon and…
Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries, adopting the baptismal name of João I
Suzanne de Bourbon was suo jure Duchess of Bourbon and Auvergne from 1503 to her death alongside her husband Charles III.
Suzanne, Duchess of Bourbon (died 1521)