1460. James II (with the fiery face), king of Scotland, killed by the bursting of a gun, aged 29, after a reign of 24 years.
1492. Columbus embarked in the carack Santa Maria, with two other vessels and 120 persons, from the Isle of Saltes, against Palos, in Andalusia, to find a western continent.
1546. Stephen Dolet, a learned Frenchman, a painter and a bookseller, burnt at Lyons for atheism.
1554. The first letter in Europe known to have been sealed with sealing wax bears this date, and was written at London, addressed to the rheingrave Philip Francis von Daun, from his agent in England, Gerhard Hermann. The wax employed in sealing this letter is of a dark red color, very shining, and the impress bears the initials of the writer.
1554. Battle of Marciano; the troops of Cosmo de Medici, under Medicini, defeated the French under Peter Strozzi, a Florentine nobleman, who was wounded.
1592. The English earl of Cumberland captured a Spanish carack, Madre de Dios (Mother of God), valued at $150,000.
1612. John Bond, a learned English commentator on the Latin classics, died.
1645. Battle of Nordlingen; the allies under Merci, defeated by the French under Turenne, Conde and Grammont. Merci was killed and Grammont taken prisoner.
1672. John Francis Senaudt, a Dutch theological writer, died.
1692. Battle of Steenkerken; the English under William III defeated with great slaughter by the French.