15th Century - Definition and Overview

(14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries)

As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500.

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.
• The Sultanate of Malacca is established.
• 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.
• 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.
• Brazil is discovered by Pedro Alvares 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
• Niccolo Machiavelli writes The Prince.
• The Spanish Inquisition is established.
• 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 a regional power. Through its trade and empire, Malays are converted to Islam.
• The Wolof establish the Jolof Empire.

Significant people

• 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 VII, English King founds the Tudor dynasty
• Zheng He, Chinese eunuch admiral and explorer

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• Printing technology refined by Johann Gutenberg.
• Commonwealth formed

Decades and years