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Period: Oct 10, 1485 to Oct 10, 1509
Henry VII
England -
Period: Oct 10, 1492 to Oct 10, 1503
Alexander VI, Rodrigo Borgia
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1498 to Oct 10, 1515
Louis XII
France -
Period: Jan 1, 1500 to
Absolutism and Exploration
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Jan 1, 1502
Newfoundland
Amerigo Vespucci returns from his explorations of the New World. American continents named after him by German mapmaker. -
Period: Jan 1, 1503 to Dec 31, 1503
Pius III, Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1503 to Oct 10, 1513
Julius II, Giuliano della Rovere
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1509 to Oct 10, 1547
Henry VIII
England -
Jan 1, 1513
Vasco de Balboa
In 1513 Vasco Nunez de Balboa crosses the Isthmus of Panama and reaches the Bay of San Miguel, discovering the "Mar del Sur" (Pacific Ocean) -
Period: Oct 10, 1513 to Oct 10, 1521
Leo X, Giovanni de' Medici
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1515 to Oct 10, 1547
Francis I
France -
Jan 1, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan
Between 1519-1522 Ferdinand Magellan's expedition completes the first circumnavigation of the globe, exploring the coast of Patagonia and discovering and traversing the Strait of Magellan. -
Jan 1, 1521
Cortez conquers the Aztecs
The Spanish conquest of the Aztecs in 1521, led by Hernando Cortes, was a landmark victory for the European settlers. Following the Spanish arrival in Mexico, a huge battle erupted between the army of Cortes and the Aztec people under the rule of Montezuma. This led to more exploration in the "New World." -
Period: Oct 10, 1522 to Oct 10, 1523
Adrian VI, Adrian Florensz Boeyens
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1523 to Oct 10, 1534
Clement VII, Giulio de' Medici
Pope -
Jan 1, 1530
Jean Bodin
Jean Bodin's doctrine of sovereignty was adopted by virtually all the absolutist theorists of the seventeenth century. -
Jan 1, 1533
Francisco Pizarro defeats the Inca Empire
After years of preliminary exploration and military skirmishes, 169 Spanish soldiers under Francisco Pizarro and their native allies captured the Sapa Inca Atahualpa in the 1532 Battle of Cajamarca. It was the first step in a long campaign that took decades of fighting but ended in Spanish victory and colonization of the region as the Viceroyalty of Peru. -
Dec 3, 1533
Ivan the Terrible
Inherited the throne at 3 years old. Was a decent king until death of his wife, Anastasia Romanov, after which he killed his eldest son and imposed harsh laws and taxes on Russians, causing them to dislike him strongly. He died on March 28, 1584. -
Oct 6, 1534
St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes
French navigator Jacques Cartier becomes the first European explorer to discover the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec, Canada. In 1534, Cartier was commissioned by King Francis I of France to explore the northern American lands in search of riches and the rumored Northwest Passage to Asia. -
Period: Oct 10, 1534 to Oct 10, 1549
Paul III, Alessandro Farnese
Pope -
May 1, 1539
Hernando De Soto
In May 1539, de Soto set out from Cuba with about 600 men, plus horses, pigs, and equipment. His contract with the king required him to explore the region and establish settlements and forts. After landing on the southwest coast of Florida, the crew traveled through the Southeast before crossing the Mississippi River into what is now Arkansas on June 28, 1541 (June 18 on the Julian calendar, which was used at that time). -
Jan 1, 1540
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado explores the southwestern United States and discovers the Grand Canyon.In 1540, Coronado led a major Spanish expedition up Mexico's western coast and into the region that is now the southwestern United States. Though the explorers found none of the storied treasure, they did discover the Grand Canyon and other major physical landmarks of the region, and clashed violently with local Indians. -
Oct 6, 1543
Copernicus presents the Heliocentric Theory
It positioned the Sun near the center of the Universe, motionless, with Earth and the other planets rotating around it in circular paths modified by epicycles and at uniform speeds. The Copernican model departed from the Ptolemaic system that prevailed in Western culture for centuries, placing Earth at the center of the Universe, and is often regarded as the launching point to modern astronomy and the Scientific Revolution. -
Period: Oct 10, 1547 to Oct 10, 1559
Henry II
France -
Period: Oct 10, 1547 to Oct 10, 1553
Edward VI
England -
Period: Oct 10, 1550 to Oct 10, 1555
Julius III, Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte
Pope -
Jan 1, 1553
Mary Tudor
Mary took the throne after Edward’s death. She was married to Phillip II, and was known for trying to convert England to Catholicism because that is what her mother’s religion was. She is also known as Bloody Mary for burning and persecuting Protestants. -
Period: Oct 10, 1553 to Oct 10, 1558
Mary Tudor
England -
Period: Jan 1, 1555 to Dec 31, 1555
Marcellus II, Marcello Cervini
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1555 to Oct 10, 1559
Paul IV, Gian Pietro Carafa
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1556 to
Philip II
Spain -
Period: Oct 10, 1558 to
Elizabeth I
England -
Period: Oct 10, 1559 to Oct 10, 1560
Francis II
France -
Period: Oct 10, 1559 to Oct 10, 1565
Pius IV, Giovanni Angelo de' Medici
Pope -
Oct 7, 1560
Treaty of Berwick
Elizabeth I issued the Treaty of Berwick, stating that if she did not have an heir, the throne of England would pass to James I, Mary Queen of Scots’ son. Elizabeth forgot about the treaty and did not have an heir. The throne passed to James I. -
Period: Oct 10, 1560 to Oct 10, 1574
Charles IX
France -
Mar 1, 1562
French Wars of Religion Begin
The French Wars of Religion were fought between the Catholic League and the Huguenots. The beginning of the wars were started by the Massacre of Vassey (murder of of Huguenot worshipers). -
Oct 4, 1566
The Dutch Revolt
The Dutch revolt was the successful revolt of the northenrn, largely Protestant Seven Provinces of the Low Countries against the rule of King Philip of Spain. The Dutch revolted because the Spanish king tried to institue a 10% tax (Den Tiding Penning). -
Period: Oct 10, 1566 to Oct 10, 1572
St. Pius V, Antonio Ghislieri
Pope -
Oct 4, 1569
Poland-Lithuania Formed
The Union of Lublin replaced the personal union of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with a real union and an elective monarchy. -
Oct 7, 1571
Battle of Lepanto
The battle took place when a fleet of the Holy League defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting taking place off the coast of Corinth (Greece). The vitctory of the Holy League prevented the Ottoman Empire expanding further along the European side of the Mediterranean. -
Aug 24, 1572
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
This day was a massacre of French Huguenots (Protestants) in Paris plotted by Catherine de Médicis and carried out by Roman Catholic nobles and other citizens. It was one event in the series of civil wars between Roman Catholics and Huguenots that beset France in the late 16th century. -
Period: Oct 10, 1572 to
Gregory XIII, Ugo Buoncompagni
Pope -
Period: Oct 10, 1574 to
Henry III
France -
Dec 1, 1577
Sir Francis Drake
In December of 1577 Sir Francis Drake starts his voyage and becomes the first Englishman to travel around the world. -
Period: to
Sixtus V, Felice Peretti
Pope -
Thomas Hobbes
The most important of English absolutists was the philosopher, Thomas Hobbes who published two influential works of political thought De cive (1642, 1647) and Leviathan (1651). -
England Defeats Spanish Armada
he Spanish Armada was a fleet assembled and dispatched by King Phillip II of Spain in attempt to invade England in 1588. His attempt was unsuccessful. Queen Elizabeth I of England held the defeat of the armada as one of her greatest achievements, assisting the decline of the Spanish Empire. In the battle of Gravelines, on August 8, the Spanish were defeated by England and the armada sailed home with remaining ships that were heavily damaged to Spain; 67 of the original 130 ships reached Spain, m -
Henry IV
Henry IV was the first monarch to be produced from the Bourbon division of the Capetian ruling family.Henry was an active Huguenot in the French Wars of Religion and participated in the War of three Henries.He appointed Duke Sully to be his financial advisor. -
Period: to
Henry of Navarre
France -
Period: to
Urban VII, Giambattista Castagna
Pope -
Period: to
Gregory XIV, Niccolò Sfondrato
Pope -
Period: to
Innocent IX, Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti
Pope -
Period: to
Clement VIII, Ippolito Aldobrandini
Pope -
Edict of Nantes
It granted a large measure of religious liberty to his Protestant subjects, the Huguenots. The edict upheld Protestants in freedom of conscience and permitted them to hold public worship in many parts of the kingdom, though not in Paris. It granted them full civil rights and established a special court, the Chambre de l’Édit, composed of both Protestants and Catholics, to deal with disputes arising from the edict. -
Period: to
Philip III
Spain -
Shakespeare Writes Hamlet
Considered by many to be Shakespeare's boldest and most profound play. Questions over the succession of Elizabeth I's throne had created many uncertainties in England that are reflected in this play. Hamlet is a scholar and a melancholic, which, to the Elizabethans, meant someone who was very introspective and world-weary. The play is a revenge tragedy, a type of play that was especially popular with the Elizabethans. -
Period: to
James I
England -
Puritans
Puritans were Scottish Calvinist who moved to England. They wanted to purify the Anglican church of all routes of Christianity. So this basically means that the puritans wanted to removed Anglicanism because they had basically the same religion. -
Period: to
Leo XI, Alessandro de' Medici
Pope -
Period: to
Paul V, Camillo Borghese
Pope -
English Settle in Jamestown
On May 14, 1607, the Virginia Company explorers landed on Jamestown Island to establish the Virginia English colony on the banks of the James River, 60 miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. By one account, they landed there because the deep water channel let their ships ride close to shore; close enough to moor them to the trees. -
Period: to
Louis XIII
France -
Intendant System
The intendant System was created by Cardinal Richelieu during Louis XIII's rule.The overall idea behind the system was that it divided France up into 32 districts each governed by someone who would reports the status of their district to either Richelieu himself or King Louis XIII.This system made governing all of France a much more managable task for the King and his advisors. -
Cardinal Richelieu
Cardinal Richelieu was made head of State in 1616 and was the acting king, although never given that specific name, for Louis XIII when he was just a kid.Cardinal Richelieu was known as the greates French statesmen in the history of France.He is also considered the first Prime minister of the world. -
Thirty Years' War
The spark that set off the Thirty Years War came in 1618, when the Archbishop of Prague ordered a Protestant church destroyed. The Protestants rose up in revolt, but within two years the rebellion was stamped out by the Habsburg general, Count of Tilly. -
Period: to
Gregory XV, Alessandro Ludovisi
Pope -
Period: to
Philip IV
Spain -
Period: to
Urban VIII, Maffeo Barberini
Pope -
Grotius, The Laws of War and Peace
Hugo Grotius was a towering figure in philosophy, political He began composition of De iure belli ac pacis (On the law of war and peace), which was published by a Parisian press in 1625. It quickly made Grotius famous: for example, in a letter to Grotius, Vossius says that Descartes told him that he had recently met the Dutchman. -
Period: to
Charles I
England -
Bishop Bassuet
Bishop Bassuet was one of the three main men to help Louis XIV succeed in his early years.Because Louis XIV assumed the throne at age 8, Bishop Bassuet introduced the idea of the Divine Right Theory to the court of France.Therefore justifying the rule of Louis XIV as King of France at such a young age. -
Peace of Alias
The Peace of Alais was a treaty negotiated by Cardinal Richelieu with Huguenot leaders and signed by King Louis XIII of France. It confirmed the basic principles of the Edict of Nantes, but differed in that it contained additional clauses, stating that the Huguenots no longer had political rights and further demanding they relinquish all cities and fortresses immediately. -
Galileo forced to recant
In September 1632, Galileo was ordered to come to Rome to stand trial. He finally arrived in February 1633 and was brought before inquisitor Vincenzo Maculani to be charged. Throughout his trial Galileo steadfastly maintained that since 1616 he had faithfully kept his promise not to hold any of the condemned opinions, and initially he denied even defending them. This led to his house arrest -
French Declare War on Spain
The Franco-Spanish War began three years before Louis XIV’s birth, was closely tied to the Thirty Years’ War, and would end six years into Louis XIV’s reign. Events before Louis’ birth saw France preemptively attack Spanish positions at Les Avins. -
Bishop Wars
Charles tries to accomplish one of his father’s goals and unite England and Scotland. Scotland stated that they have no problem uniting as long as they didn’t force them to convert to Anglican. Charles wants to convert them, which lead to the Bishops War. -
Cardinal Mazarin
Cardinal Mazarin is considered one of he greatest French statesmen in the history of the country.He is second only to his mentor Cardinal Richelieu.Cardinal Mazarin was an important advisor to King Louis XIV because Mazarin was able to successfully protect Louis from two Frondes. -
English Civil War
The English Civil War started in 1642 when Charles I raised his royal standard in Nottingham. The split between Charles and Parliament was such that neither side was willing to back down over the principles that they held and war was inevitable as a way in which all problems could be solved. The country split into those who supported the king and those who supported Parliament . -
Louis XIV of France begins his reign
During his reign, he transformed the monarchy, ushered in a golden age of art and literature, presided over a dazzling royal court at Versailles, annexed key territories and established his country as the dominant European power. -
Period: to
Louis XIV
France -
Period: to
Innocent X, Giovanni Battista Pamphilj
Pope -
The Fronde
The Fronde was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. -
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the independence of the Dutch Republic. -
Reign of Oliver Cromwell
Civil war broke out between Charles I and parliament in 1642. Although Cromwell lacked military experience, he created and led a superb force of cavalry, the 'Ironsides', and rose from the rank of captain to that of lieutenant-general in three years. He convinced parliament to establish a professional army - the New Model Army - which won the decisive victory over the king's forces at Naseby (1645). -
Period: to
Alexander VII, Fabio Chigi
Pope -
Period: to
Charles II
England -
Creation of Versailles
He settled on the royal hunting lodge at Versailles and over the following decades had it expanded into one of the largest palaces in the world. Beginning in 1661, the architect Louis Le Vau, landscape architect André Le Nôtre, and painter-decorator Charles Lebrun began a detailed renovation and expansion of the château. This was done to fulfill Louis XIV's desire to establish a new centre for the royal court. -
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Jean-Baptiste Colbert was the head Minister of Finance under king Louis XIV.Colbert is commonly refered to as the Father of French Mercantilism while he made France the most wealthiest country in the world during that time.The only thing that he and Louis XIV butted heads about was the building of a powerful navy to expand outside of France, however Louis XIV wanted to conquer all of Europe before he did this. -
Period: to
Charles II
Spain -
War of Devolution
This was the downfall of Louis XIV. His French Army overran the Netherlands and Franche-Cornté only to have to give it back due to the Triple Alliance (England, Sweden, Dutch Republic) in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. -
Period: to
Clement IX, Giulio Rospigliosi
Pope -
Period: to
Clement X, Emilio Altieri
Pope -
The 2nd Anglo Dutch Wars
The Second Anglo-Dutch War was part of a series of four Anglo-Dutch Wars fought between the English and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries for control over the seas and trade routes. -
Mississippi River
In 1673, Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, and Louis Joliet, a fur trader, undertook an expedition to explore the unsettled territory in North America from the Great Lakes region to the Gulf of Mexico for the colonial power of France.Marquette and Joliet entered the Mississippi River and arrived in present-day Arkansas in June 1673. They were considered the first Europeans to come into contact with the Indians of east Arkansas since Hernando de Soto’s expedition in the 1540s. -
Period: to
Innocent XI, Benedetto Odescalchi
Pope -
Peter the Great
Peter the Great is credited with dragging Russia out of the medieval times to such an extent that by his death in 1725, Russia was considered a leading eastern European state. He centralised government, modernised the army, created a navy and increased the subjugation and subjection of the peasants. His domestic policy allowed him to execute an aggressive foreign policy. -
Period: to
James II
England -
War of League of Augsburg
The war of the league of Augsburg was an attempt by Louis' army to capture the old Holy Roman Empire.However, the Consort of Europe along with Spain defeats the army in bloody battle.This is the second major battle that Louis had lost. -
The Glorious Revolution
The 1688 Revolution, often referred to as the ‘Glorious Revolution of 1688’, ended the reign of James II and ushered in the reign of William III and Mary II. The 1688 Revolution came at the end of a reign when James II had made it all too clear that he wanted Roman Catholicism reinstalled as the country’s religion. -
Mary and William Orange
Mary was the daughter of James II, however she was raised Protestant. When James II has James III, she fled to the Netherlands and married William of Orange. Parliament then asked her to come back and take the throne. With the help of parliament Mary and William of Orange took the throne. -
Period: to
William III and Mary II
England -
Period: to
Alexander VIII, Pietro Ottoboni
Pope -
Period: to
Innocent XII, Antonio Pignatelli
Pope -
Period: to
William III
England
