1497
Cabot Reaches North America
John Cabot, a Genoese sailing from Bristol under English letters patent, landed somewhere on the Newfoundland coast or Cape Breton.
Vasco da Gama Departs Lisbon
Four small ships carrying one hundred seventy men left the Tagus with orders to reach India by sea.
Bonfire of the Vanities
In Florence's Piazza della Signoria, the Dominican friar Savonarola ordered the burning of mirrors, cosmetics, fine dresses, musical instruments…
Cornish Rising
Cornish tax protesters marched on London to protest Henry VII's wartime levies.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1497?
Saeculum lists 4 events from 1497. The most significant is Cabot Reaches North America: John Cabot, a Genoese sailing from Bristol under English letters patent, landed somewhere on the Newfoundland coast or Cape Breton.
What era was 1497 part of?
1497 falls within the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500). Plague, papal schism, and the seeds of nation-states.
Which regions saw notable events in 1497?
The events from 1497 span North America and Europe.