1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
Spain and Portugal, negotiating in a Castilian town, moved Alexander VI's dividing line 270 leagues further west, inadvertently granting Portugal Brazil…
Charles VIII Invades Italy
The French king crossed the Alps with a well-equipped army, new bronze field cannons, and a flimsy claim to Naples.
Pacioli Publishes Summa de Arithmetica
The Franciscan mathematician, friend of Leonardo, published a vernacular Italian treatise on arithmetic, geometry, and what he called the 'Venetian method'…
Medici Expelled from Florence
Piero de Medici, terrified by Charles VIII's advance, negotiated humiliating terms without consulting the Signoria.
Charles VIII Enters Florence
The French king rode into Florence on his march to Naples.
Savonarola Effectively Rules Florence
With the Medici expelled and Charles VIII departed south, the Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola effectively became Florence's spiritual dictator.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1494?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 1494. The most significant is Treaty of Tordesillas.
What era was 1494 part of?
1494 falls within the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500). Plague, papal schism, and the seeds of nation-states.
Which regions saw notable events in 1494?
The events from 1494 span Europe.