1491
- This article is about the year 1491. For the book, see 1491 (book).
Years:
1488 1489 1490 - 1491 - 1492 1493 1494Decades:
1460s 1470s 1480s - 1490s - 1500s 1510s 1520sCenturies:
14th century - 15th century - 16th century
Events
- December 6 - King Charles VIII marries Anne de Bretagne, thus incorporating Brittany into the kingdom of France. He forces her to break her marriage with Maximilian I in order to marry him instead.
- A major fire breaks out in Dresden.
Births
- June 28 - King Henry VIII of England (died 1547)
- October 26 - Zhengde Emperor of China (died 1521)
- November 8 - Teofilo Folengo, Italian poet (d. 1544)
- December 24 - Ignatius of Loyola, Spanish founder of the Society of Jesus (died 1556)
- December 31 - Jacques Cartier, French explorer (died 1557)
- George Blaurock, Swiss founder of Anabaptism (died 1529)
- Martin Bucer, German protestant reformer (died 1551)
- Friedrich Myconius, German Lutheran theologian (died 1546)
- Lapu-Lapu, Filipino warrior (died 1542)
- Antonio Pigafetta, Italian explorer
- Azai Sukemasa, Japanese samurai and warlord (died 1546)
Deaths
- October 12 - Fritz Herlen, German artist (born 1449)
- Jean Balue, French cardinal and statesman
- Elizabeth Gousell, English noblewoman (born 1396)
- Richard Woodville, 3rd Earl Rivers
- John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk (born 1442)
Sciences
- Nicolaus Copernicus enters Krakow University.