Renaissance and Reformation

  • Dec 8, 1310

    Dante writes the Divine Comedy

  • Dec 8, 1390

    Chaucer writies The Canterbury Tales

  • Dec 8, 1415

    Donatello creates his statue of St. George

  • Dec 8, 1434

    Jan van Eyck paints the Arnolfini portrait

  • Dec 8, 1447

    Last Visconti ruler of Milan dies

  • Dec 8, 1494

    Charles VIII of France invades Naples

  • Dec 8, 1505

    Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa

  • Dec 8, 1509

    Erasmus writes his satire The Praise of Folly

  • Dec 8, 1513

    Machiavelli writes The Prince

  • Dec 8, 1517

    Martin Luther presents the Ninety-five Theses

  • Dec 8, 1521

    The Church excommunicates Luther

  • Dec 8, 1527

    Invading armies sack Rome

  • Dec 8, 1528

    Castiglione writes The Book of the Courtier

  • Dec 8, 1531

    War between the Protestant and Catholic states in Switzerland

  • Dec 8, 1534

    The Act of Supremacy is passed in England

  • Dec 8, 1540

    The Society of Jesus becomes a religious order

  • Dec 8, 1545

    The Council of Trent is Formed

  • Dec 8, 1553

    Mary Tudor, "Bloody Mary", becomes Queen of England

  • Dec 8, 1555

    The Peace of Augsburg divides Germany