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1400
The Renaissance beggins
These include the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Ottoman Turks which marks the end of the Byzantine Empire; the discovery of the New World in 1492 ushering in the age of exploration; the Protestant Reformation; the invention of printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440. -
Period: 1400 to 1500
Quattrocento
The Quattrocento is the name given to the Renaissance art developed in Florence in the 15th century, characterised by anthropocentrism, the revival of Antiquity and the support of patrons, without completely breaking with the Gothic tradition. -
1453
The fall of Constantinople
The capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans brings the Byzantine Empire to an end. After centuries of decline, the fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire. The city, renamed Istanbul, became the new capital of powerful Ottoman rule. -
1454
Johannes Gutenberg published the Gutenberg Bible
Arguably one of the key events in the Renaissance, in 1454, Johannes Gutenberg published the Gutenberg Bible, using a new printing press technology that would revolutionize European literacy. -
Oct 12, 1488
The discovery of America
On 12 October 1492, a group of Spaniards led by the Italian Christopher Columbus arrived at an island called Guanahaní after crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Although they thought they were in the Indies (in Asia), they had actually discovered a new continent: America. -
Period: 1500 to
Cinquecento
The Cinquecento is a period in European art, especially Italian art, corresponding to the 16th century. It is characterised intellectually by the transition from medieval theocentrism to the humanist anthropocentrism of the Modern Age; and stylistically by the search for the artistic forms of classical antiquity and the imitation (mimesis) of nature, which has been called the Renaissance. -
1515
Protestantism begins
The Protestant Reformation began 500 years ago in 1517, when Martin Luther posted his well-known 95 theses on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. With that small act, Luther caused a series of events that changed the course of history. -
Period: 1516 to
Time of authoritarian monarchies in Spain
The 16th century in Spain is divided between the reigns of Charles I (1516-1556) and Philip II (1556-1598). During these periods, the Spanish empire grew throughout most of the world. From the literary point of view, the so-called First Renaissance is related to the reign of Charles I. This period saw a proliferation of romances, songbooks and Italian-inspired lyric poetry. The so-called Second Renaissance corresponds to the reign of Philip II. -
Period: 1562 to
Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion were a series of eight conflicts between Protestant and Catholic factions in France that lasted 36 years and ended with the conversion of the Protestant King Henry IV (who reigned from 1589 to 1610) to Catholicism for the sake of peace. -
The Renaissance ends
Scholars believe the demise of the Renaissance was the result of several compounding factors. By the end of the 15th century, numerous wars had plagued the Italian peninsula. Spanish, French and German invaders battling for Italian territories caused disruption and instability in the region. By the early 17th century, the Renaissance movement had died out, giving way to the Age of Enlightenment.