Year by year · 15th century

1494

1494 in world history: 7 events, 7 births, 6 deaths, 2 works and 1 state that came to an end. 909 recorded states existed that year.

Events

  1. 3 May

    Columbus sights Jamaica on his second voyage

    Christopher Columbus reached Jamaica, which the Taíno called Xaymaca, and named it Santiago. The island remained under Spanish rule until England captured it in 1655.

    Spanish EmpireChristopher ColumbusJamaicaEngland

  2. 7 June

    Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas

    The two kingdoms divided newly found lands along a meridian 370 leagues west of Cape Verde. The line later gave Portugal its claim to Brazil.

    Spanish EmpireTreaty of TordesillasCape VerdeBrazil

  3. 2 July

    Spain ratifies the Treaty of Tordesillas

    Spain ratified the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed on 7 June, which divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between Portugal and Castile along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands. It later allowed Portugal to claim Brazil.

    Treaty of TordesillasAge of Discovery
ProfileState826 states with a known seat in 1494Open the atlas at 1494 →

In the profiles

Born in 1494 7

Died in 1494 6

Works 2

States that came to an end 1

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1494. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1494
MLA
“1494.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1494. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “1494.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1494.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1494’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1494 (Accessed: ).