15th Century

First Golf Ball Invented (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1400

Thanks to the inventor of this lovely little ball, so many people today can enjoy the great game of golf.

First Piano is Invented (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1400

The first piano was called a spinet.

15th Century

Period: Jan 1, 1401 to Dec 31, 1499

Pope Innocent VII (MB) (P)

Oct 17, 1404

He reigned during the Great Schism of the West and partly due to him that the schism continued as long as it did. Before his election, Innocent agreed to abdicate his position on the conmdition that the antipope Benedict XII would also do the same. After his election, Innocent ignored Benedict and went on his own way.

Pope Gregory XII (MB) (P)

Nov 30, 1406

He also reigned during the Great Schism. Pope Gregory, just like Innocent also agreed to abdicate as long as the antipope Benedict agreed to do the same.

John Wycliff (BO) (H)

Mar 15, 1408

In Britain, John Wyclif's England language bible has been published.

John Hus (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1415

John Hus travels to the Council of Constance to propose his reforms for the Church. When he arrived and tried for heresy, he was burned at the stake.

Pope Martin V (MB) (P)

Nov 11, 1417

His election served as an end to the Great Schism.There had been three Popes but after the Council of Constance there was only one true poipe and that was Martin V.

John Wycliff (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1428

Pope Martin V orders John Wycliff's bones to be burned.

Joan of Arc (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1429

The Hundred Years Wars is still going on and in May, Joan of Arc defeats the English at Orleans. Then in August Joan enters Paris to take Paris back form the English.

Pope Eugene IV (MB) (P)

Mar 3, 1431

He was mainly chosen to treat the cardinals less as servant of the papacy and more as partners when it came to making a decision in the Church.

Joan of Arc (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1431

Some of the Englishmen see Joan of Arc as an agent of the devil and she gets captured and burned at the stake.

Pope Nicholas V (MB) (P)

Mar 6, 1447

He was the first of the Renaissance popes and is known as a Humanist Pope because of the resources he devotedto learning. He founded the Vatican Library.

Russian Orothodox Church (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1448

THe Russian Orothodox Church becomes independent of the Patriarch of Constantinople.

Leon Battista Alberti Creates the First Anemometer (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1450

This Italian architect developed the anemometer to measure wind speed.

Nicholas of Cusa's Spectacle (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1450

Nicholas of Cusa was a Cardinal for the Holy Roman Empire. He is considered one of the great geniuses of the 1400's. He is recognized for spiritual, scientific, and political achievements in European history. He creates the spectacle for nearsighted people.

Hundred Years' War ends (MF) (W)

Apr 16, 1453

This war between England and France lasted 116 years on and off. Advances such as the longbow, and later rifles helped shift the momentum of the war back and forth between France and England.

Gutenberg's Bible (MF) (I)

Mar 12, 1455

Gutenberg creates the first movable type printing press. Gutenberg uses his new printing press to create the first printed version of the Bible.

Pope Callistus III (MB) (P)

Apr 8, 1455

He was one of the nephewsto Pope Alexander VI. He was really elected because he was old and the cardinals saw him as a safe pope.

Pope Pius II (MB) (P)

Aug 18, 1458

He was a supporter of the crusades against the Turks. He called for a new crusade in 1458. This call ended any hopes for new military aid to the Holy Land.

Pope Paul II (MB) (P)

Aug 30, 1464

He promised to end the practice of nepotism during his reigh. Also tried to end other reforms that were desighned to improve the Vatican.

Prussian War ends (MB) (W)

Apr 16, 1466

Beginning in 1454, this war involved Poland and Lithuania and included an attempt to convert pagan Lithuanians to Catholicism.

Swiss-Habsburg War (MB) (W)

Apr 16, 1468

This war is not especially famous, but it included one of the biggest ruling houses in Europe: the Hapsburgs.

Ferdinand of Aragon (BO) (H)

Aug 15, 1469

Ferdinand of Aragon marries Isabella of Castile.

Bohemian-Hungarian War (MF) (W)

Apr 16, 1471

Beginning in 1464, this war involved an excommunication of Bohemia's King by Pope Pius II.

Pope Sixtus IV (MB) (P)

Aug 9, 1471

His first act was to encourage Fance,Spain,Germany,Hungary and Poland to pursue a new crusade against the Turks. The new crusade accomplished very little.

First Muzzle-Loaded Rifles are Created (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1475

This was invented in Italy and Germany as most European countries were trying to gain a miltary edge in case they needed it.

Ferrarese War (BO) (W)

Apr 16, 1483

Duke Ercole II of Este-Ferrara fought an alliance of the Republic of Venice and Pope Sixtus IV.

Pope Innocent VIII (MB) (P)

Aug 29, 1484

His papcy was one of the most wordly and corrupt on record. Bad things started because his election was due to the planning of Cardinal named Giuliano Della Rovere.

Leonardo da Vinci Creates Parachute (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1485

Leonardo da Vinci was a great Italian thinker, and he was one of the first people to make theories on flight.

First Copyright is Granted in Venice (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1486

This was the start of inventors being able to protect their own ingenuity.

Franco-Breton War (MF) (W)

Apr 16, 1488

This war was a dispute over the area of France called the Bretagne. French troops prevailed over Ducal troops.

Martin Behaim invents the first map globe (MF) (I)

Jan 1, 1492

Thanks to Martin, students worldwide can study geography of the world on a 3-demensional object.

Christopher Columbus (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1492

Ferdinand and Isabella are paying for Christopher Columbus voyage to set sail for China heading westward. He ends up finding the Americas.

Pope Alexander VI (MB) (P)

Aug 11, 1492

He had many mistresses and was a capable administrator. His unvle was Pope Calixtus III.

Christopher Columbus (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1493

He returns from the Americas and one year later he sails to the Caribbean.

Whiskey is invented in Scotland (MF) (I)_

Jan 1, 1494

The Scot who invented this would receive praise from many adults around the world.

Neapolitan War (MB) (W)

Apr 16, 1495

This was lasted two years and began in 1494 when King Charles VIII of France began to invade Italy. In the end, France gained Naples, but later were forced to retreat back to France and lose all land they had gained from the war.

Scotland (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1497

In Scotland, children are required by law to attend school.

Danish-Swedish War (BO) (W)

Apr 16, 1497

This was over control of Sweden, which Sweden claimed to be independent while Norway-Denmark still claimed control of Sweden under the Kalmar Union. Norway won this short war.

Toothbrushes (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1498

Toothbrushes first appear in China

Vasco da Gama (BO) (H)

Apr 15, 1498

Vasco da Gama reaches India.

Swabian War (BO) (W)

Apr 16, 1499

This war took place in modern day Switzerland and was a dispute between the Swiss people and Emperor Maximilian I.