John Cabot reaches North America
The first Europeans on the mainland since the Vikings
The Genoese Giovanni Caboto, sailing for England in the Matthew, landed on 24 June 1497 on the coast of Newfoundland or Cape Breton and claimed the land for Henry VII. The voyage founded England's claims in North America.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 15th century
Meanwhile around the world (±25 years)
Europe
- 1478 Spanish Inquisition established — 19 years earlier
- 1492 Fall of Granada — 5 years earlier
- 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas — 3 years earlier
- 1508–1512 Sistine Chapel ceiling — 11 years later
- 1517 Luther's Ninety-five Theses — 20 years later
Eastern Europe & Russia
- 1478 Annexation of Novgorod by Moscow — 19 years earlier
- 1480 Great Stand on the Ugra River — 17 years earlier
- 1514 Capture of Smolensk — 17 years later
Middle East
- 1501 Founding of Safavid Iran — 4 years later
- 1520–1566 Reign of Suleiman the Magnificent — 23 years later
Africa
- 1488 Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope — 9 years earlier
Asia
- 1498 Vasco da Gama reaches India — 1 year later
- 1510 Portugal takes Goa — 13 years later
- 1511 Portuguese capture of Malacca — 14 years later
Alive at the time
- Christopher Columbus (aged 46)
- Leonardo da Vinci (aged 45)
- Nicolaus Copernicus (aged 24)
- Michelangelo (aged 22)
- Martin Luther (aged 14)
- Ivan III (aged 57)
- Isabella I of Castile (aged 46)
- Amerigo Vespucci (aged 43)
- Henry VII (aged 40)
- Maximilian I (aged 38)