1496

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political events

The comte d'Angoulême dies suddenly January 1 at age 41 after twice having impregnated his young wife (and cousin), Louise, now 19, and his concurrent longtime mistress Jeanne de Polignac. Louise's daughter Marguerite will play a significant role in French politics, and her infant son François, born in September 1494, will become king.

Scottish forces sent by James IV invade Cornwall to press the claims of Perkin Warbeck, but they are poorly organized and support from Northumberland fails to materialize (see 1495). The 24-year-old earl of Suffolk Edmund de la Pole leads a company that defeats the Scots June 22 (see 1497; Cornish rebellion, 1497).

The new king of Naples dies September 7 at age 27. The last of the Anjou line in Italy, Ferrandino is succeeded by his uncle Frederigo, 44, who will reign until 1504 as king of Naples and Sicily (but see 1501).

Spanish forces complete their conquest of the Canary Islands from Portugal and from the indigenous fair-skinned Guanche, who have fought off invaders for a century (see 1479). Tenerife, largest of the seven volcanic islands, falls to the Spanish, who will rapidly assimilate the Guanche.

Poland's Statute of Piotkow restricts burghers from buying land, deprives peasants of freedom to move about, and gives the Polish gentry (szlachta) extensive privileges in what will be called the Magna Carta of Poland.

Scotland's James IV invades Northumberland to press the claims of Perkin Warbeck (see 1495; 1497).

exploration, colonization

Christopher Columbus embarks with two ships from La Isabela on Hispaniola March 10 and sights the Portuguese coast June 8, having completed his second voyage to the New World (see 1494; 1498).

England's Henry VII refuses to recognize Spanish and Portuguese claims under the papal bull of 1493. He grants a patent to John Cabot, 46, to search for new lands and rule any that he may find. Born Giovanni Caboto, Cabot is a Venetian merchant who has settled in England with his sons (see 1497).

commerce

The Intercursus magnus grants mutual privileges to English and Flemish merchants and provides for fixed duties in a commercial treaty between England and the Lowlands.

Augsburg merchant Jakob Fugger II persuades the prince bishop of Brixen to join his family's 2-year-old public company as a silent partner and thereby doubles the company's capitalization (see 1495). His intention is to establish a monopoly in copper refining and sales throughout Europe.

religion

Portugal's Manuel I orders the expulsion of all Jews and has many of them massacred. He takes the action to please Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, whose daughter Isabella he will soon marry (see 1492).

education

Jesus College is founded at the University of Cambridge on the site of an early 11th century Benedictine nunnery (see Queens', 1448; Christ's, 1505).

art

Painting: Procession of the True Cross in St. Mark'sSquare by Gentile Bellini; The Blood of the Redeemer by Venetian painter Vittore Carpaccio, 31; The Crucifixion by Perugino for Florence's Church of S. Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi.

agriculture

The Spaniards who take Tenerife find bananas growing under intense cultivation (see 1482; 1516).

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