1490
Aldus Manutius Founds His Press
A classically trained humanist set up a printing house in Venice dedicated to producing small, affordable editions of Greek and Latin classics. He invented italic type, the semicolon's modern use, and the portable octavo format. Aldine editions traveled in scholars' saddlebags across Europe, democratizing classical learning. His partnership with punchcutter Francesco Griffo produced the first italic typeface, giving books the elegance of a scholar's handwriting.
Ottoman Jewish Resettlement
Sultan Bayezid II continued welcoming Iberian Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal, settling them in Salonika, Istanbul, and Izmir. A Sephardic community speaking Ladino would flourish within the Ottoman framework for four centuries. Bayezid reportedly marveled that Ferdinand was hailed as wise for impoverishing his kingdom and enriching the Ottoman.
Leonardo da Vinci Draws the Vitruvian Man
In a Milan notebook, Leonardo drew a nude man with arms and legs extended inside a circle and square, illustrating Vitruvius's claim that the human body embodied ideal proportions. The drawing was private, a working diagram. It would become, five centuries later, the most reproduced image of Western humanism. The drawing became an enduring symbol of the Renaissance ideal that the human body was the measure of all things.
Behaim's Erdapfel Globe
The Nuremberg merchant Martin Behaim constructed the oldest surviving terrestrial globe, based on the best available geographical knowledge just before Columbus's voyage. It showed the Atlantic as navigable and placed Japan roughly where the Caribbean actually is, a geographical error that directly encouraged Columbus's plan. Its narrow Atlantic and misplaced Japan illustrate the errors that made Columbus's westward plan seem plausible to his sponsors.
Matthias Corvinus Dies in Vienna
The Hungarian Renaissance king died in Vienna, which he had captured from the Habsburgs five years earlier. He left no legitimate heir. His Black Army disbanded for lack of pay, his library was scattered, and Hungary began a steep decline that would end at Mohacs a generation later. A personal monarchy had evaporated.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1490?
Saeculum lists 5 curated events from 1490. The most significant is Aldus Manutius Founds His Press: A classically trained humanist set up a printing house in Venice dedicated to producing small, affordable editions of Greek and Latin classics.
What era was 1490 part of?
1490 falls within the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500). Plague, papal schism, and the seeds of nation-states.
Which regions saw notable events in 1490?
The curated events from 1490 span Europe and Middle East.