1505 CE

Appointed as the Viceroy of Portuguese India by King Manuel I of Portugal, Dom Francisco de Almeida departs from Portugal with an armada of 22 ships and 1,500 men, according to one estimate by João de Barros. Travelling to India, a group of Portuguese explorers led by Francisco de Almeida, with 22 ships and 1,500 men, sack the city-state of Kilwa in East Africa, killing the Emir Abraham for failing to pay tribute. Almeida installs Mohammed Ankoni as the new ruler. The Portuguese State of India is founded in what is now the state of Kerala, after the Kingdom of Portugal takes over territory of the Bijapur sultanate at Calicut.

In the 1500s, the 16th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • January 23 – Lunkaran begins his reign as the Rao of the Indian kingdom of Bikaner in what is now the Rajasthan state of India.source
  • January 24 – Under the terms of the Treaty of Tordesillas, Pope Julius II sets the line of demarcation in the New World between Spain's and Portugal's territory as a line of longitude 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands. The ambiguous definition of the measure of a league places the line between 42°30' W to 49°45' W.source
  • March 31 – King Alexander Jagiellon of Poland agrees to support the Act of Nihil novi, prohibiting the king to issue laws without consent of the nobles represented by their parliament, the Sejm. The official title is "Nihil novi nisi commune consensu", Latin for "Nothing new without common consent."source
  • April 27 – In Tbilisi, David X becomes the new ruler of the Kingdom of Kartli in what is now the Republic of Georgia, upon the death of his father Constantine II.source
  • May 30 – Poland's Act of Nihil novi is granted by King Alexander I Jagiellon after being passed by the Sejm, making Poland a Nobles' Democracy rather than an absolute monarchy.source
  • August 15 – The Portuguese State of India is founded in what is now the state of Kerala, after the Kingdom of Portugal takes over territory of the Bijapur sultanate at Calicut.source
  • October 15- The second Treaty of Blois was signed in the aftermath of Second Italian War of 1499-1503. In which king Louis XII renounced his claims to Naples, with the condition it is to be returned to French control if Germaine de Foix had no surviving children.Francesource
  • November 24 – The Treaty of Salamanca is signed by Spain's King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Philip, Duke of Burgundy, agreeing that the two will serve as co-regents for Joanna the Mad, Queen of Castile.source
  • Tristão da Cunha ceases his nominal (never took office) governorship of Portuguese India (commenced 1504)Indiasource
  • Viranarasimha Raya succeeds Narasimha Raya II as king of Vijayanagara Empire (reigns until 1509)Indiasource
  • Francisco de Almeida becomes governor of Portuguese India (and continues until 1509)Indiasource

Conflict & Security

  • July 2 – The Kalmar Bloodbath, a mass execution of participants in the Swedish Uprising against King Hans of Denmark (who also rules Norway and Sweden) takes place in the Swedish city of Kalmar after a judgment of treason is pronounced against the mayor, city officials and other leaders.source
  • August 16 – Almeida's fleet destroys the East African city of Mombassa.source
  • September 13 – In what is now Algeria, the Spanish Army under the command of Ramón de Cardona, captures the city of Mers-el-Kébir, a port of the Zayyanid Kingdom of Tlemcen, ruled by the Sultan Abu Abdallah V.source
  • November 6 (October 27 O.S.) – Vasili III succeeds Ivan III, as Grand Prince of Muscovy, comprising much of modern-day Russia.source
  • Battle of Achnashellach in Scotland: The Clan Cameron emerges victorious over Clan Munro and Clan MacKay.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • March 25 – Appointed as the Viceroy of Portuguese India by King Manuel I of Portugal, Dom Francisco de Almeida departs from Portugal with an armada of 22 ships and 1,500 men, according to one estimate by João de Barros.source
  • April 3 – Italian explorer Sebastiano Caboto is granted a lifetime annuity of £10 per year by England's King Henry VII for services "in and aboute the fyndynge of the new founde landes" in North America.source
  • July 24 – Travelling to India, a group of Portuguese explorers led by Francisco de Almeida, with 22 ships and 1,500 men, sack the city-state of Kilwa in East Africa, killing the Emir Abraham for failing to pay tribute. Almeida installs Mohammed Ankoni as the new ruler.source
  • September 13 – Francisco de Almeida arrives in the Anjediva Islands to begin construction on the first of four fortresses he needed to construct for his appointment as viceroy.source
  • November 15 – Portuguese explorer Lourenço de Almeida and his fleet encounter a storm and are driven to the island of Sri Lanka and travels to Colombo. The King of Kotte, Dharma Parakramabahu IX, allows Almeida to build a trade station and a Roman Catholic chapel.source
  • Portuguese merchants establish factories and fortresses on the east coast of Africa in Kilwa, Sofala, and Malindi.source
  • Bermuda is discovered by Spanish explorer Juan de Bermúdez.source
  • Portuguese explorer Gonçalo Álvares is the first to sight what will later be known as Gough Island in the South Atlantic.source

Religion & Belief

  • January 14 – Pope Julius II issues the papal bull Cum tam divino, decreeing a reform in the Roman Catholic Church to prohibit simony, the buying and selling of church offices ranging from bishops to the pope himself.source
  • July 2 – Martin Luther, aged 22, vows to become a monk in a moment of terror, as a result of a close lightning strike during a thunderstorm, near the village of Stotternheim.source
  • July 17 – Luther enters the monastic life, at an Augustinian cloister in Erfurt called St. Augustine's Monastery.source
  • October 11 – Lucien Grimaldi takes over as the new Lord of Monaco after stabbing his brother Jean II to death.source
  • October 23 – In Portuguese India, the King of Cannanore gives permission to Francisco de Almeida to build the Fortaleza de Santo Ângelo in Kannur.source
  • December 30 – Érard de La Marck is elected prince-bishop of Liège.source
  • Old St. Peter's Basilica is demolished under the orders of Pope Julius II. Construction of the new basilica begins the following year.source
  • The St Catherine's Monastery on the Sinai is captured and sacked by Bedouins. Though the Mamluk sultan attempts to punish the raiders, he is unable to subdue them and preserve order.source

Science & Discovery

  • The Pomander Watch of 1505, the earliest known pocket watch, is made by Peter Henlein in Germany at Nuremberg. After an absence of 480 years, the watch will be rediscovered at a flea market in London; an inscription on the watch, "MDVPHN", will be interpreted in 2014 as meaning a rendition of the year (MDV, 1505 in Roman numerals); the inventor (PH for Peter Henlein) and the place of manufacture (N for Nuremberg).source

Health & Medicine

  • Judah Abravanel becomes personal physician to the viceroy of Naples.source

Crime & Justice

  • Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare invested as Knight of the Garter by Henry VIIIrelandsource

Climate & Environment

  • June 6 – The M8.2–8.8 Lo Mustang earthquake strikes Nepal, causing severe damage in Kathmandu, western Nepal, and some parts of the Indo-Gangetic plain.source

Culture & Society

  • February 7 – During a visit to Windsor Castle as guests of King Henry VII of England, Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy, plays a game of tennis against Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset in the first recorded use of tennis rackets. A year later, a chronicler notes that on the 7th of February, "the kynge of Castelle played w the Rackete and gave the marques xv".source
  • April- Due to king Louis XII's illness, he had his will changed to stipulate the betrothal of his daughter Claude to the heir to the French throne Francis I . The betrothal became official the next year.Francesource
  • May 1 – Christ's College, Cambridge, England, is re-founded, receiving its charter from Lady Margaret Beaufort.source
  • June 19 – Zhu Houzhao, the 13-year-old son of the late Hongzhi Emperor of Ming Dynasty China, is enthroned as the Zhengde Emperor upon his father's death.source
  • June 21 – Piers Butler, future 8th Earl of Ormond appointed seneschal of Tipperary LibertyIrelandsource
  • June 27 – The future King Henry VIII repudiates his engagement to Catherine of Aragon, at his father's command.source
  • 28 June – planned marriage of Henry Tudor and Catherine of Aragon postponed when the dowry fails to arrive from Spain.Englandsource
  • Christ's College, Cambridge is granted a royal charter at the instigation of Lady Margaret Beaufort, the King's mother, refounding it under its present name.Englandsource
  • Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond, leases Irish estates to Piers Butler, his eventual successorIrelandsource

Births

  • January 12 – Louis, Count of Stolberg, German nobleman (died 1574)source
  • January 13 – Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg, Imperial Elector (died 1571)source
  • February 4 – Mikołaj Rej, Polish poet and prose writer, politician and musician of the Renaissance (died 1569)source
  • February 5 – Aegidius Tschudi, Swiss historian (died 1572)source
  • March 16 – Francisco Balbi di Correggio (died 1589)source
  • May 20 – Levinus Lemnius, Dutch writer (died 1568)source
  • September 15 – Mary of Hungary, Dutch ruler (died 1558)source
  • September 23 – Anne de Laval, Viscountess of Thouars, French noblewoman and nominal pretender to the Kingdom of Naples (died 1554)source
  • November 3 – Achilles Gasser, German physician and astrologer (died 1577)source
  • November 23 – Ercole Gonzaga, Spanish Catholic cardinal (died 1563)source
  • December 18 – Philipp von Hutten, German explorer (died 1546)source
  • December 21 – Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton, English politician (died 1550)source
  • December 25 – Christine of Saxony, German noble (died 1549)source
  • Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford, English noblewoman (executed 1542)source
  • Thomas Tallis, composer (died 1585)Englandsource
  • Philip Hoby, politician (died 1558)Englandsource
  • Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton, politician (died 1550)Englandsource
  • Thomas Cusack, (disputed) Lord Chancellor of IrelandIrelandsource

Deaths

  • January 25 – Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, Italian politician (born 1431)source
  • February 4 – Jeanne de Valois, French princess, Roman Catholic nun and saint (born 1464)source
  • February 4 -Joan of France, Catholic saint, Duchess of Berry and briefly Queen of France before her marriage to King Charles VIII was annulled. (b.1464)Francesource
  • February 19 – Matilda of Hesse, German noblewoman (born 1473)source
  • February 20 – Arvid Trolle, Swedish politician (born 1440)source
  • March 5 – Philip of Cleves, Bishop of Nevers, Amiens, Autun (born 1467)source
  • March 29 – Sidonie of Bavaria, eldest daughter of Duke Albrecht IV of Bavaria-Munich (born 1488)source
  • April 23 – Muhammad Jaunpuri, Indian-born religious leader (born 1443)source
  • May 28 – Ascanio Sforza, Italian Roman Catholic cardinal (born 1455)source
  • June 8 – Hongzhi Emperor of China (born 1470)source
  • June 18 – Osanna of Mantua, Italian Dominican tertiary and blessed (born 1449)source
  • July 11 - Hugh Roe O'Donnell, King of TyrconnellIrelandsource
  • July – Jacob Obrecht, Flemish composer (plague) (born 1457)source
  • October 27 – Emperor Ivan III of Russia (born 1440)source
  • Adam of Fulda, German music writer (born c. 1445)source
  • Heinrich Kramer, German churchman and inquisitor (born 1430)source
  • William Boleyn, Lord Mayor of London (born 1451)Englandsource
  • Narasimha Raya II, king of Vijayanagara EmpireIndiasource