Year by year · 15th century

1498

1498 in world history: 7 events, 2 births, 6 deaths and 1 state founded. 905 recorded states existed that year.

Events

  1. 20 May

    Vasco da Gama reaches Calicut in India

    Da Gama's fleet arrived on India's Malabar coast after sailing around Africa. The sea route he opened allowed Portugal to bypass the overland spice trade and build an Asian empire.

    Portuguese EmpireVasco da GamaCalicut

  2. 23 May

    Girolamo Savonarola is executed in Florence

    The Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola, who had dominated Florence's restored republic after the Medici's expulsion in 1494, was hanged and burned in the Piazza della Signoria. Pope Alexander VI had excommunicated him in 1497, and he had lost popular support.

    Girolamo SavonarolaFlorence

  3. 30 May

    Columbus sails on his third voyage

    Columbus left Sanlúcar de Barrameda with six ships. He reached Trinidad and the Paria peninsula of Venezuela, his first sight of the South American mainland.

ProfileState828 states with a known seat in 1498Open the atlas at 1498 →

In the profiles

Wars and longer events

Born in 1498 2

Died in 1498 6

States founded 1

All years → The 15th century →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1498. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1498
MLA
“1498.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1498. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “1498.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1498.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1498’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1498 (Accessed: ).