15th century

Events

Renaissance affects philosophy, science and art.
The New Monarchs come to power in France, England, 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.
Jeanne d'Arc in 1429 leads French forces to a victory against England in a battle of the Hundred Years' War.
Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Empire in 1453.
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 Moslem rule, in 1492.
The Anasazi Native American civilization mysteriously disappears
Christopher Columbus reaches Caribbean islands in 1492 and South America in 1498.
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.

Significant people

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

Decades and Years