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1455
Bible is printed
The Bible is first printed in 1455. Due to this, many people read the text and discover the wrongdoings of the Catholic Church. -
Period: 1469 to 1492
Lorenzo's Unofficial rule of Florence
Lorenzo the Magnificent fuels the Renaissance as grandson to Cosimo de Medici and unofficial ruler of Florence. By ruling Florence and competing with other city-states, Lorenzo consequentially fuels the Renaissance. -
Period: 1478 to
Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition was created to rid Spain of all of those who weren't catholic. Although it eventually fell out of fashion, its existence shows how close Spain was to the Catholic Church, and it was this need to rid the world of heretics that lead to the creation and defeat of the Spanish Armada. -
Jul 6, 1487
Bartholomew Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope
After rounding the Cape of Good Hope, Africa had been rounded, and the race to India was on. This discovery would drive the Age of Exploration as countries raced to India -
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus lands in America
With the arrival of Columbus on American soil, an entire continent had been found by the Europeans. From Columbus's landing until the Cuban War of Independence, European nations would be heavily influential on the American continents. -
1497
John Cabot explores Newfoundland
In 1497, John Cabot became the first European to navigate the North American Coast since the Vikings during the 11th century. John's exploring would compel the French to conduct their own exploring and eventual colonization of modern-day Canada. -
May 20, 1498
Vasco Da Gama Arrives in India
With the acquisition of very expensive spices from the east in the hands of the Portuguese, Spain was forced to continue to attempt to find an easier way to get to spices cheaply. Spain would fund many expeditions in the direction of Columbus's journey to attempt to scale America, but would incidentally find gold and silver in Peru, and become the wealthiest nation on the planet. -
Period: 1503 to 1519
Mona Lisa Painted
The Mona Lisa is considered by many to be the most famous painting of all time. A major reason for its success would be the perception of the Mona Lisa always looking at you, and this painting is a prime example of the masterpieces created during The Renaissance -
Period: 1508 to 1512
The Sistine Chapel is Painted.
Michaelangelo paints the Sistine Chapel on his back for an entire four years! This massive piece of work exemplifies the height of the Renaissance and the peak of Human art. -
May 17, 1513
Alvarez reaches China
Sometime in May of 1513, Jorge Alvarez, a Portuguese sailor, successfully became the first person to reach China by sea from Europe. This expedition would lay the groundwork for relations between the two landmasses. -
Sep 25, 1513
Balboa Discovers the Pacific
After Vasco Nunez De Balboa became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean, Spain believes that they have found a way to the spice islands. This discovery would pave the way for Magellan's fateful voyage -
Oct 31, 1517
95 Theses
When the 95 Theses is posted by Martin Luther in Wittenburg, the Reformation is to have officially been kick-started. The Reformation would lead to a deep religious divide in Europe that spurred many wars. -
Period: 1519 to 1522
Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe
The Portuguese man who sailed for the Spanish, Ferdinand Magellan, would be the first person to lead an expedition around the globe. This circumnavigation would compel other nations to colonize modern-day Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Magellan himself would be killed after being involved in a revolt in the Philippines. -
May 25, 1521
Diet of Worms
Martin Luther stood by his 95 theses against the most powerful man in Europe, Charles V. He famously said that all of his work was in the Bible. -
Jan 17, 1523
Zwingli stands by his 7 theses against the council of Zurich
Ulrich Zwingli was the inspiration of John Calvin who created Calvinism. Zwingli's work would lead to the rise of Calvinism in Europe. -
Mar 7, 1530
Pope Clement VII issues a papal bull threatening England’s King Henry VIII
Pope Clement VII issues this bull threatening ex-communication after Henry asked to marry Catherine of Aragon. Because of this, Henry would eventually split from the Catholic Church. -
1532
Machiavelli's The Prince is published
Although written in 1513, it was not published until five years after the death of Machiavelli. This book would shape how nobles were to act and behave for the coming centuries. -
1543
Portuguese reach Japan
In 1543, Portuguese merchants, having been blown off-course, landed on the Island of Japan, who until then had lived in isolation from the rest of the world. They were the first documented Europeans to see Japan and would provide the first stepping-stone in Japan becoming an international power. -
1556
Charles V Abdicates his Thrones
After the most powerful man on the planet abdicated his two thrones, both of them would go to different heirs. Specifically in Spain, Charles's abdication allowed for Phillip II to become king, and his fateful armada in 1588 would spark the end of Spanish Hegemony. -
Aug 24, 1572
Bartholomew's Day Massacre begins
After gathering in Paris for the marriage of Henry of Navarre and Marguerite De Medici, Huguenot nobles were massacred on the streets after a plot by Catherine De Medici and the Guise family. This massacre would spur war in France and lead the way for Henry of Navarre to ascend to the throne of France and become its first religiously tolerant ruler. -
Spanish Armada sets sail
After setting sail sometime in May of 1588, the doomed Spanish Armada would set sail to pick up troops from the Netherlands. This second armada would eventually be entirely destroyed after hitting a storm. After this loss, Spain would be put into a state of decline as a global superpower -
Period: to
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was the single most successful business to exist, and it profited trillions of dollars by today's standards. A big part of this success was the company's ability to operate as a sovereign state and to invade islands when needed. The company profited almost exclusively on spice, and revolutionized investment, created the modern system of the stock exchange, and allowed for common people to invest in voyages. -
Queen Elizabeth I
After the "Virgin Queen" died without an heir, James VI of Scotland became James I of England. His reign would lead to tension between a Puritan parliament and an Anglican monarch which would lead to Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth. -
Henry Hudson Explores North America
Henry Hudson, sailing on behalf of the Dutch West India Company, explored the North American coast in modern-day New York looking for China. His exploration would lead to the Dutch settlement and subsequent English settlement of the region. -
Period: to
30 Years War
The 30 Years War was the last of the religious wars and devasted the German population, and in some places, 2/3 of the population was lost. The Thirty Years War would revolutionize the ideology behind warfare because as the war went on, it became more of war about who would govern Europe and less of a religious war. From then on, wars in Europe would be fought on political grounds rather than religious ones. -
Battle of White Mountain
The Battle of White Mountain marks the end of the Bohemian revolt and therefore the end of the Bohemian Phase of the 30 Years War. During the battle, the Count of Tilly managed to smash Fredrick V of Palatine with his better-trained and equipped army. -
Battle of Breitenfeld
After the Imperial Catholics under Tilly seemed poised to finish off any remaining Protestant resistance and end the war, Sweden, with French financial aid joined the war against the Imperial Catholics. Led by Gustavus Adolphus, the disciplined and versatile Swedish army managed to outmaneuver Tilly in Saxony at Breitenfeld, thereby changing the tide of the war. -
Period: to
Louis XIV's Reign
Louis XIV was the most absolute in Europe and marked the height of European Absolutism, but consequently, put France into a state of economic decline as he kicked his most wealthy taxpayers because they were Huguenots. The only man keeping France in charge was Jean-Baptist Colbert. After his death, Louis XIV's grandson would take over, but France was in a precarious position and matters got worse after the 7 years war saw them lose millions of Franks and colonies across the globe. -
Peace of Westphalia Signed
The Peace of Westphalia officially ended religious tensions escalating into war, and it drove Europe into a more secularized age where both Protestantism and Catholocism were tolerated. The Peace also highlighted two emerging powers, Sweden and France; it also severely limited the power of the Holy Roman Emperor, and states of the empire could act as nearly completely sovereign nations. -
Oliver Cromwell's Death
After the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, the Commonwealth would soon be dissolved and the English Monarchy would be restored under Charles II who wished to avenge his father's death. Charles's son, James II would be deposed during the Glorious Revolution for being a Catholic.