History
1490
General
Population: 451 Million*
- Entertainment: Writers include Eger Bohemia Corpus Christi Play, Start of Spanish drama
Music includes beginnings of ballet at Italian courts
- Medicine: Leonardo da Vinci observes capillary action of liquids in small-bore tubes
- Technology: Graphite first used for writing in England
- Deaths: King of Hungary Matthias Corvinus
Africa
- Congo: King Nzinga Nkuwu of Congo becomes Christian - converted by Portuguese
Europe
- General: First orphanages in Italy and Holland
- Holy Roman Empire: Maximilian I of Germany acquires the Tirol
- Hungary: Death of King of Hungary Matthias Corvinus son of Janos Hunyady - Vladislav II of Bohemia elected to succeed him
- Italian States: Aldus Manutius sets up Aldine Press in Venice to make classical works available
Middle East
- Frisia: End of kingdom of Frisia (Friesland) in Near East (North Sea - S. Russia)