15th century
| Centuries: | 14th century - 15th century - 16th century |
| Decades: | 1400s 1410s 1420s 1430s 1440s 1450s 1460s 1470s 1480s 1490s |
As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500.
Contents |
Overview
Events
- Renaissance affects philosophy, science and art.
- The New Monarchs come to power in France, England, Portugal and Spain.
- Rise of Modern English language from Middle English.
- Lollardy is suppressed in England; John Badby is the first person burnt at the stake for heresy in England.
- Great Schism of the Catholic Church is ended in 1417.
- Foundation and rise of the Aztec empire in Mexico.
- The famous Battle of Agincourt is fought in 1405, remembered as one of England's finest hours.
- Jeanne d'Arc in 1429 leads French forces to a victory against England in a battle of the Hundred Years' War.
- The duchy of Burgundy is a major power in Europe.
- The Inca people begin their conquest of the Andean regions under Sapa Inca Pachacuti.
- Brazil is discovered by Pedro Álvares Cabral, thus creating the United Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil.
- Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Empire (in 1453), and the Empire conquers several more countries in the Balkans.
- John Huss is burned at the stake
- The Spanish Inquisition is established.
- João Vaz Corte-Real is believed to have reached Newfoundland in 1472, accompanied by Didrik Pining, Hans Pothorst and John of Kolno.
- Muslims and Jews are expelled from southern Spain after almost 800 years of Muslim rule, in 1492.
- The Ancient Pueblo Peoples Native American civilization mysteriously disappears.
- Christopher Columbus reaches Caribbean islands in 1492 and South America in 1498, initiating the Spanish Empire.
- Portuguese Vasco da Gama completes sea voyage to India, in 1498.
- Zheng He's fleet sails from China to South-East Asia, India, East Africa and Egypt.
- The Sultanate of Malacca is established. Through its trade and empire, Malays are converted to Islam.
- The Wolof establish the Jolof Empire.
Significant people
- Takeda Shingen, great japanese Daimyo
- Joan of Arc, national heroine of France
- Christopher Columbus sails to the Americas for Spain
- Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon as the monarchs of a unified kingdom who funded the founding of the New World.
- Vasco da Gama reaches India for Portugal, creating the first maritime alternative for the Silk Road
- Filippo Brunelleschi invents one-point perspective, leads innovation in Italian architecture
- Leonardo da Vinci, inventor and painter
- Henry V, the English King who won the famous Battle of Agincourt in 1405.
- Richard III, last English King of the house of York
- Henry VII, English King founds the Tudor dynasty
- Zheng He, Chinese eunuch admiral and explorer
- Mehmet II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Conqueror of Costantinople
Inventions, discoveries, introductions
- Printing technology refined by Johann Gutenberg.
- Commonwealth formed
Decades and years
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