On This Day
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Portuguese explorer João Da Nova discovers the uninhabited Saint Helena island in the South Atlantic Ocean

Saint Helena (US: ; US: ) is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km (1,165 miles) west of the mainland of the continent of Africa, with the Southern...

Saint Helena (US: ; US: ) is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km (1,165 miles) west of the mainland of the continent of Africa, with the Southern African nations of Angola and Namibia on its southeastern coast being the closest nations geographically. The island is around 1,950 km (1,210 mi) west of the coast of southwestern Angola, and 4,000 km (2,500 mi) east of the major seaport city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in South America. It is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a British overseas territory.

Saint Helena measures about 16 by 8 km (10 by 5 mi) and had a population of 4,439 in the 2021 census.

Historical Significance

Saint Helena (US: ; US: ) is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km (1,165 miles) west of the mainland of the continent of Africa, with the Southern African nations of Angola and Namibia on its southeastern coast being the closest nations geographically.

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

Battle of Diu: Portuguese Armada defeats a Mamluk Egyptian fleet in a naval battle at the port of Diu, India, establish

Battle of Diu: Portuguese Armada defeats a Mamluk Egyptian fleet in a naval battle at the port of Diu, India, establishing Portuguese trading control in the Indian Ocean

Maximilian I is proclaimed Holy Roman Emperor, the first emperor in centuries not crowned by the Pope

Maximilian I (22 March 1459 – 12 January 1519) was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 until his death in 1519.

Founder of the Safavid dynasty, Ismail I, is crowned Shah of Persia (rules till 1524)

Founder of the Safavid dynasty, Ismail I, is crowned Shah of Persia (rules till 1524)

The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid in the Vatican by Pope Julius II

The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid in the Vatican by Pope Julius II

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 21, 1502?
Saint Helena (US: ; US: ) is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km (1,165 miles) west of the mainland of the continent of Africa, with the Southern African nations of Angola and Namibia on its southeastern coast being the closest nations geographically. The island is around 1,950 km (1,210 mi) west of the coast of southwestern Angola, and 4,000 km (2,500 mi) east of the major seaport city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in South America. It is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a British overseas territory.
Why is Portuguese explorer João Da Nova discovers the uninhabited Saint Helena islan... significant?
Saint Helena (US: ; US: ) is a volcanic and tropical island, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,874 km (1,165 miles) west of the mainland of the continent of Africa, with the Southern African nations of Angola and Namibia on its southeastern coast being the closest nations geographically.

Explore More

May 21 in HistoryYear 1502