Key Events of the Renaissance and Age of Exploration

Giotto paints the Lamentation

1305. The Lamentation was a late Medieval painting that had some elements that would be more common in Renaissance paintings, such as depth, foreshortening, and more individualism

Petrarch rediscovers lost letters written by Cicero

1345. Petrarch would go on to become the "father of the Renaissance" due to his advocacy for Classical culture. He would particularly highlight Cicero as the greatest Classical artist.

Jan Hus executed at the Council of Constnce

1415. Jan Hus was a religious dissident who embodied Northern Renaissance Christian humanism through his rejection of Catholic dogma. His execution would spark the Hussite Wars between the Holy Roman Empire and his followers.

Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks

1453. The Ottomans' conquest of Constantinople would lead to the fall of the Byzantine Empire and eventually would result in Europe being unable to use land routes to get to Asia.

Johannes Gutenberg completes the first edition of the Bible printed with movable type

1454/55. The invention of the printing press would lead to faster spreading of ideas, which would be particularly impactful on Northern Renaissance culture.

Marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille

1469. The so-called Catholic monarchs would become New Monarchs, centralizing their rule of their respective Spanish kingdoms, implementing a strict Catholic mandate on Spain, and taking the first step to what would eventually become a united Spain.

Henry VII Tudor crowned king of England

1485. Henry VII was crowned king after winning the War of the Roses. He would be a New Monarch, who centralized his power and gave power to wealthy merchants and middle-class lawyers.

Bartholomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope

1488. Bartholomeu Dias' rounding of the Cape of Good hope would show that it was possible to reach India by sea, causing other people such as Vasco de Gama to be able to reach India.

First voyage of Columbus to the Americas

1492. Columbus's discovery of the Americas would lead to Spain, and later other European powers, colonizing the continents.

Vasco de Gama reaches India

1498. Vasco de Gama returned to Europe with a considerable profit, encouraging others to follow in his steps and take a maritime route to India.

Michelangelo finishes painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

1512. Michelangelo's fresco was the epitome of Renaissance art, incorporating elements of humanism and classical artistry.

Publication of Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince

1513. The Prince was a rejection of Biblical notions of morality, instead advocating for political leaders to do anything necessary to maintain their power.

Hernan Cortez lands at Veracruz

1519. Hernan Cortez would go on to be one of the most successful conquistadors and topple the Aztec Empire.

Founding of the Dutch East India Company

1602. This joint stock company would serve to further the Dutch Republic's interests in East Asia and would be a continuation of the trend of joint-stock companies, such as the British East India Company, being used for colonization.

Jamestown founded as the first permanent English colony

1607. England would continue their colonization efforts in North America and would become the main European colonial power. This would eventually also lead to the founding of the United States of America.