In 1517 both Christendom and Islam changed course: in January the Ottomans took Cairo and soon became masters of Mecca and Medina, and in October Luther published his Ninety-five Theses.
The events
- Luther's Ninety-five Theses1517 · Wittenberg. Monk and professor Martin Luther issued 95 theses attacking the sale of indulgences. Spread rapidly by the printing press, they launched the Reformation, which split Western Christianity.
- Battle of Ridaniya and conquest of Egypt1517 · Cairo. Near Cairo, Selim I's army defeated the Mamluks of Sultan Tuman Bay. Egypt became Ottoman, along with guardianship of Mecca and Medina, strengthening Ottoman claims to leadership of the Islamic world.
More amazing facts
- 1514 · 1516 Raphael painted a memorial fresco for an elephant.
- 1515 The most famous rhinoceros in art was drawn by a man who never saw one. Dürer worked from a sketch, adding armour plates and an extra horn — and rhinos were drawn his way for over 200 years.
- 1515 · 1793 The iron maiden is not medieval: it was dreamed up in the late 18th century.
- 1519 · 1521 While Magellan's expedition circled the globe, Cortés fought the Aztecs.
- 1519 · 1522 The first sailors to circle the globe "lost" a day. Returning in 1522, they found their log was one day behind the calendar, although they had kept it without a gap.
- 1519 · 1521 · 1522 Magellan did not sail round the world: he was killed in the Philippines in 1521.