1497. Expedition of Vasco di Gama to the East Indies round the Cape of Good Hope.
1503. Naples conquered from the French by the great Spanish general, Gonsalvo of Cordova.
1508. League of Cambray, by the Pope, the Emperor, and the King of France, against Venice.
1509. Albuquerque establishes the empire of the Portuguese in the East Indies.
1516. Death of Ferdinand of Spain; he is succeeded by his grandson Charles, afterwards the Emperor Charles V.
1517. Dispute between Luther and Tetzel respecting the sale of indulgences, which is the immediate cause of the Reformation.
1519. Charles V. is elected Emperor of Germany.
1520. Cortez conquers Mexico.
1525. Francis I. of France defeated and taken prisoner by the imperial army at Pavia.
1529. League of Smalcald formed by the Protestant princes of Germany.