1503

Years: 1500 1501 1502 - 1503 - 1504 1505 1506
Decades: 1470s 1480s 1490s - 1500s - 1510s 1520s 1530s
Centuries: 15th century - 16th century - 17th century

Events

January 20 - Seville in Castile is awarded exclusive right to trade with the New World.
April 21 - Battle of Cerignola. Aragonese forces under Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba defeat the French under the Duc de Nemours, who is killed. Considered to be the first battle in history won by gunpowder small arms.
May 10 - Christopher Columbus discovers the Cayman Islands and he names them Las Tortugas after the numerous sea turtles there.
May 13 - Capture of Naples by the Spanish.
August 8 - King James IV of Scotland marries Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh, Scotland.
September 22 - Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini becomes Pope Pius III succeeding Pope Alexander VI, but dies on October 18.
December 29 - Battle of the Garigliano - Spanish forces under Cordoba defeat a French-Italian mercenary army under the Marquis of Saluzzo. The French forces withdraw to Gaeta.
Giuliano della Rovere becomes Pope Julius II succeeding Pope Pius III.
Leonardo da Vinci starts work on the Mona Lisa.
Perpendicular style chapel added to Westminster Abbey.
Battle of Ruvo - French-Spanish Wars in Italy.
Vasco da Gama established India's first Portuguese fortress at Cochin.
Mariotto Albertinelli paints his masterpiece, the "Visitation of the Virgin".