1490.  Ferdinand and Isabella conquer Granada.  See “CONQUEST OF GRANADA,” viii, 202.

Death of Matthias Corvinus; Ladislaus II, King of Bohemia, is elected king of the Hungarians.

1491.  Charles VIII of France sends back to her father his affianced bride, Margaret; compels Anne of Brittany to break her engagement to Maximilian and marries her himself, thus uniting Brittany and France.

1492.  Imposture of Perkin Warbeck in England.  See “CONSPIRACY, REBELLION, AND EXECUTION OF PERKIN WARBECK,” viii, 250.  Expulsion of Jews from the Spanish dominions; this great exodus, hundreds of thousands in all, of a commercial hard-working race caused enormous injury to the land so depopulated.

Columbus discovers the Bahamas, Cuba, and Haiti.  See “COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA,” viii, 224.

1493.  Death of Emperor Frederick IV; his son, Maximilian succeeds, the first to take the title Emperor of Germany without being crowned at Rome.

Leaving a garrison in Espanola, Columbus returns to Spain.  He starts on his second voyage; discovers Porto Rico.

A papal bull grants to Spain the new world discovered by Columbus, and defines the rights of Spain and Portugal.

1494.  A treaty, that of Tordesillas, partitions the ocean between Spain and Portugal.

Formation of the Christian Commonwealth at Florence.  See “SAVONAROLA’S REFORMS AND DEATH,” viii, 265.

Sir Edward Poynings, Governor of Ireland, induces the parliament of that country to pass the act bearing his name, which gives full power to all the laws of England.

1495.  Conquest of Naples by Charles VIII of France; he retreats to France.  Ferdinand II is restored to the throne of Naples.

Maximilian establishes the Imperial Chamber.

Extinction of the right of private warfare in Germany.

1496.  Encouraged by the success of Columbus, Henry VII of England sends out John Cabot and his son, Sebastian, on a voyage of discovery.

Emanuel of Portugal fits out an expedition under Vasco da Gama to explore the eastern seas.

1497.  “DISCOVERY OF THE MAINLAND OF NORTH AMERICA BY THE CABOTS.”  See viii, 282.

Sten Sture offends the Swedish nobility, is defeated and stripped of his protectorate by John II, who enforces the Union of Kalmar; he is crowned at Stockholm.

Pinzon and Vespucci discover Central America.

1498.  Vasco da Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope and reaches India.  See “THE SEA ROUTE TO INDIA,” viii, 299.

Columbus makes his third voyage across the Western Ocean; he discovers South America; is arrested and returned to Spain in irons.  See “COLUMBUS DISCOVERS SOUTH AMERICA,” viii, 323.

Arrest and execution of Savonarola at Florence.  See “SAVONAROLA’S REFORMS AND DEATH,” viii, 265.

1499.  Conquest of the duchy of Milan by the French.  Unsuccessful war of Maximilian against the Swiss.  See “ESTABLISHMENT OF Swiss INDEPENDENCE,” viii, 336.