On This Day

Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, new Governor of the Indies, lands in Hispaniola, replacing Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus (between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the...

Christopher Columbus (between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas. His expeditions were the first known European contact with the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The name Christopher Columbus is the anglicization of the Latin Christophorus Columbus. Growing up on the coast of Liguria, he went to sea at a young age and traveled widely, as far north as the British Isles and as far south as what is now Ghana.

Key People

Christopher Columbus

navigator and explorer

Italian navigator and explorer

Events Before

  1. Michelangelo begins work on his statue of David, a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture

    David is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture in marble created from 1501 to 1504 by Michelangelo.

  2. Heir to the English throne Prince Arthur marries Catherine of Aragon

    Arthur, Prince of Wales (19/20 September 1486 – 2 April 1502) was the eldest son of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and an older brother to the future King Henry VIII.

  3. Cesare Borgia returns in triumph to Rome from Romagna

    Cesare Borgia returns in triumph to Rome from Romagna

  4. Portuguese explorer João da Nova Castell discovers the uninhabited Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean

    Portuguese explorer João da Nova Castell discovers the uninhabited Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean

  5. Portuguese explorer Pedro Cabral arrives back in Lisbon from his voyage to India, having lost six ships, during which he

    Portuguese explorer Pedro Cabral arrives back in Lisbon from his voyage to India, having lost six ships, during which he accidently discovered Brazil

Events After

  1. Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) established by the Crown of Castile in the port of Seville to deal with American a

    Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) established by the Crown of Castile in the port of Seville to deal with American affairs

  2. Disfida di Barletta - Famous challenge between 13 Italian and 13 French knights near Barletta, Southern Italy

    The Challenge of Barletta (Italian: Disfida di Barletta) was a duel fought in the countryside of Trani, near Barletta, Southern Italy, on 13 February 1503, during the Third Italian War, on the plains...

  3. Battle at Cerignalo: Spanish army under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba defeats a French force led by Louis d'Armagnac, Duk

    Battle at Cerignalo: Spanish army under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba defeats a French force led by Louis d'Armagnac, Duke of Nemours

  4. Queen Isabella of Spain bans violence against Indians in the Americas

    Queen Isabella of Spain bans violence against Indians in the Americas

  5. Portuguese hold a mass to celebrate the completion of Fort Manuel their first fort and the first European fort in India,

    Portuguese hold a mass to celebrate the completion of Fort Manuel their first fort and the first European fort in India, at Cochin (Kochi)

More from the 1500s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 15, 1502?
Christopher Columbus (between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas. His expeditions were the first known European contact with the Caribbean and Central and South America. The name Christopher Columbus is the anglicization of the Latin Christophorus Columbus.
Why is Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, new Governor of the Indies, lands in Hispaniola,... historically important?
The name Christopher Columbus is the anglicization of the Latin Christophorus Columbus. Growing up on the coast of Liguria, he went to sea at a young age and traveled widely, as far north as the British Isles and as far south as what is now Ghana.
Who was involved in Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, new Governor of the Indies, lands in Hispaniola,...?
Key figures include Christopher Columbus (navigator and explorer).

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