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Jan 26, 1371
Zheng He
He was a fleet admiral during the Ming Dynasty. His ships were huge in size and could've easily dominated the Indian Ocean. They did a great deal of exploration during their efforts to establish Chinese superiority. -
Jan 26, 1415
Henry the Navigator
Born in Portugal, he sponsored many expeditions along the West African coast. This led to new settlements and African connections. On this date, his ships reached the Canary Islands. -
Mar 30, 1432
Mehmed II
He was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire when Constantinople was conquered. He also lead conquests in Anatolia. -
Jan 26, 1439
Gutenburg
He was a blacksmith who introduced the printing press to Europe. In 1439 he was the first European to use the printing press. -
May 4, 1469
Machiavelli
He is regarded as the founder of "modern political science". He encouraged what some people saw as "evil" methods of gaining power. -
Feb 19, 1473
Copernicus
He was a Renaissance astronomer. He made a model with the Sun at the center of the universe, instead of Earth. -
Nov 10, 1483
Martin Luther
He initiated the Protestant Reformation in Europe. His 95 Theses began an issue that would cause much conflict for years to come. -
Jun 17, 1487
Shah Ismail
He was the founder of the Safavid Dynasty. -
Jan 26, 1488
Bartololeu Dias
He was the first to voyage around the Cape of Good Hope. He paved the way for Vasco de Gama's voyage to India. -
Oct 3, 1491
Ignatius of Loyola
He founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). He was its General. -
Jan 1, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Columbus sailed to the New World from Europe. He's also known for being extremely uncivilized towards the Native people in the Americas. -
Jan 26, 1492
Sunni Ali
He was the first king of the Songhai Empire. He captured many cities, such as Timbuktu, and suppressed their scholars. He died on this date. -
Jan 1, 1498
Vasco de Gama
He sailed to India from Portugal. He was the first European to get to India via the ocean. -
Jan 26, 1498
Vasco de gama
He was a Portuguese mariner who was the first to reach India by sea. -
Jul 10, 1509
John Calvin
He founded a form of Christian theology called Calvinism, in which God had supreme power of human souls. -
Jan 1, 1513
Vasco de Balboa
Balboa crossed the Isthmus Panama to reach the Pacific Ocean from the New World, being the first to do so. He settled in Panama. -
Jan 26, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan
This Portuguese explorer found a way to get from South America to the Spice Islands. He was the first to circumnavigate the globe. -
Jun 29, 1520
Montezuma
He was the emperor of the Aztecs when they were taken over by the Spanish. He was captured and killed. -
Sep 30, 1520
Suleyman
He was an emperor of the Ottoman Empire who expanded into the Safavid Empire and conducted the Siege of Vienna. -
Jan 26, 1522
Cortes
He overthrew the Aztecs for the Spanish Empire. He became Governor of New Spain on this date. -
Jul 26, 1533
Atahualpa
He was the last emperor of the Inca Empire before the Spanish invaded. He was executed by the Spanish on this date. -
Jun 26, 1541
Pizarro
He overtook the Inca Empire and claimed it for Spain! He killed Atahualpa. He was died on this date. -
Oct 15, 1542
Akbar
He was an emperor of the Mughal Empire. He was extremely tolerant and created a House of Worship, where educated religious discussions took place. -
Jan 31, 1543
Tokugawa Ieyasu
He was the first shogun of the Tokugawa Shoganate in Japan. -
Oct 6, 1552
Matteo Ricci
He was one of the founders of the Jesuit China missions! -
Feb 15, 1564
Galileo
He was essential in solar and other scientific discoveries. He observed sunspots and is called the "father of modern physics". -
Thomas Hobbes
He developed modern political philosophy. He wrote "Leviathan" and contributed to many of today's societal ideas. -
John Locke
He was the "father of liberalism". He was an English physician and Enlightenment thinker. -
Kangxi
He was a Qing Dynasty Emperor who expanded China and, also, defended it. He appointed Jesuits to his court. -
Louis XIV
He was a king of France. On this date he issued the Edict of Nantes, which calmed the Protestant/Catholic struggle after the 30 Years' Wars. He made France a great control of Europe. -
Voltaire
He was a French Enlightenment writer who criticized the Catholic Church. He wrote many works criticizing the leaders of his day. -
Qianlong
He was the grandson of Kangxi. He expanded china further and was able to develop a multi-ethnic China! -
Jean-Jaques Rousseau
He was a political philosopher who contribute to the French Enlightenment. He was also a composer. He was born on this date. -
Adam Smith
Scottish economist who was a large part of the Scottish Enlightenment. He was also a moral philosopher. He was born on this date. -
Catherine the Great
She was a Russian leader who took over after her husband, Peter, died. She made Russia stronger than ever before. She began her reign on this year.