Year 1511 (MDXI) Overview
The year 1511 (MDXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–March
January 19 – The Siege of Mirandola by the Papal States, aided by the Duchy of Urbino and Spanish and Venetian troops, concludes with the capture of Mirandola after 18 days of combat. The Pope himself leads the troops and strives to prevent his forces from pillaging the city or harming its citizens.
February 12 – King Henry VIII of England inaugurates the two-day Westminster Tournament to celebrate the birth of his son, Prince Henry. Tragically, the infant prince passes away on February 22, just nine days after the tournament.
February 14 – The League of Cambrai, founded in 1508, disbanded as Spain and the Holy Roman Empire withdraw, forming an alliance against France.
February 22 – In present-day Myanmar, King Shwenankyawshin Narapati II of Ava dedicates his “exquisite golden palace”.
February 27 – On “Fat Thursday”, a Christian celebration preceding Lent, citizens of Friuli revolt against their Venetian occupiers, attacking the city of Udine, leading to multiple murders and plundering. The rebellion is quelled by special troops on March 1.
March 11 – In Puerto Rico, Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León leads an assault against the local Taino warriors, commanded by Chief Urayoán.
March 26 – A devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes Slovenia and Italy, leading to over 10,000 fatalities and causing extreme damage across a wide territory.
April–June
April 9 – St John’s College, Cambridge, founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort, receives its charter.
The Şahkulu Rebellion erupts in Anatolia.
May 16 – Five Roman Catholic cardinals, including Federico di Sanseverino, petition Pope Julius II to convene a council in Pisa for church reform, scheduled for September 1.
May 23 – French forces seize the Italian city of Bologna following a two-day battle.
June 21 – In Spain, Queen Joanna of Castile establishes the Consulate of the Sea for the port of Bilbao.
July–September
July 2 – The Şahkulu rebellion is suppressed in southeastern Turkey by the Ottoman Grand Vizier, Hadım Ali Pasha, and Prince Şehzade Ahmed.
July 11 – Pope Julius II summons clerics for the Fifth Council of the Lateran scheduled for April 19.
July 25 – Afonso de Albuquerque of Portugal initiates an assault on the critical city of Malacca, capturing it by August 15.
July 29 – The flagship Mary Rose of Henry VIII is launched from Portsmouth.
August 14 – In Rome, the first half of Michelangelo’s ceiling painting in the Sistine Chapel is unveiled to a select group.
August 15 – Portugal captures Malacca, granting it control over the crucial Strait of Malacca and initiating decades of conflict against the Sultanate.
September 13 – In Japan, Tokudaiji Saneatsu resigns from his role as Chancellor of the Realm.
October–December
October 1 – During the War of the League of Cambrai, Pope Julius II announces a Holy League against French dominance in Italy.
October 12 – The great ship Michael, commissioned by James IV of Scotland, is launched at Newhaven.
November 17 – The Treaty of Westminster is signed, forming an alliance between Henry VIII of England and Ferdinand II of Aragon against France.
November 20 – The vessel Frol de la Mar, carrying treasure from Malacca, sinks en route to Goa.
November 23 – In India, Mahmud Shah Begada, Sultan of Gujarat, passes away after a 50-year reign.
December 21 – Dominican friar Antonio de Montesinos condemns the maltreatment of the Taino people in an impassioned sermon in Santo Domingo.
Date Unknown
- Diego Velázquez and Hernán Cortés conquer Cuba, with Velázquez appointed as Governor.
- Duarte Barbosa arrives in India for a second time, serving as a clerk.
- Afonso de Albuquerque sends Duarte Fernandes on a diplomatic mission to Burma and Siam.
- Ferdinand II of Aragon notes, “one black can do the work of four Indians.”
- Juan de Agramonte may have traveled to Newfoundland.
- The indigenous Taíno people rise against the Spanish in Puerto Rico.
- The first black slaves arrive in Colombia.
- The Spanish conquest of Yucatán commences.
- Erasmus releases his acclaimed work, The Praise of Folly (Laus stultitiae).
Births
January 1 – Henry, Duke of Cornwall, eldest son of Henry VIII of England.
April 2 – Ashikaga Yoshiharu, Japanese shōgun (d. 1550).
April 5 – John III, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken, German noble (d. 1574).
June 4 – Honorat II of Savoy, French Navy admiral (d. 1580).
June 6 – Jakob Schegk, German physician (d. 1587).
June 18 – Bartolomeo Ammannati, Florentine architect and sculptor (d. 1592).
July 9 – Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway (d. 1571).
July 30 – Giorgio Vasari, Italian painter and architect (d. 1574).
August 24 – Jean Bauhin, French physician (d. 1582).
September 28 – Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, Japanese daimyo (d. 1535).
September 29 – Michael Servetus, Spanish theologian (d. 1553).
October 22 – Erasmus Reinhold, German astronomer and mathematician (d. 1553).
November 8 – Paul Eber, German Lutheran theologian (d. 1569).
November 15 – Johannes Secundus, Dutch poet (d. 1536).
December 5 – Maldev Rathore, ruler of Marwar (d. 1562).
Date Unknown
- Amato Lusitano, Portuguese Jewish physician (d. 1568).
- Birgitte Gøye, Danish county administrator and educator (d. 1574).
- Kimotsuki Kanetsugu, Japanese samurai (d. 1566).
- Luís de Velasco, Spanish viceroy of New Spain (d. 1564).
- Nicola Vicentino, Italian music theorist (d. 1576).
- Nicholas Bobadilla, early Spanish Jesuit (d. 1590).
- Pierre Viret, Swiss reformed theologian (d. 1571).
- Gaspar Cervantes de Gaeta, Spanish cardinal (d. 1575).
Deaths
January 9 – Demetrios Chalkokondyles, Greek classical scholar (b. 1424).
January 20 – Oliviero Carafa, Italian Catholic cardinal (b. 1430).
February 22 – Henry, Duke of Cornwall, eldest son of Henry VIII of England.
April 1 – Francis of Denmark, Danish prince (b. 1497).
April 2 – Bernard VII, Lord of Lippe, German nobleman (b. 1428).
June 3 – Ahmad ibn Abi Jum’ah, North African Islamic scholar (d. 1485).
June 13 – Hedwig, Abbess of Quedlinburg (b. 1445).
July 2 – Şahkulu, leader of the Şahkulu Rebellion.
July 6 – Adolf III of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein, German noble (b. 1443).
July 12 – Albert I, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels (b. 1468).
August 2 – Andrew Barton, Scottish naval leader (b. c. 1466).
September 6 – Ashikaga Yoshizumi, Japanese shogun (b. 1481).
William IV, Duke of Jülich-Berg (b. 1455).
October 18 – Philippe de Commines, Fleming in the courts of Burgundy and France (b. 1447).
November 23 – Mahmud Begada, Sultan of Gujarat (b. 1458).
November 23 – Anne of York, daughter of King Edward IV of England (b. 1475).
Date Unknown
- Diego de Nicuesa, Spanish conquistador.
- Johannes Tinctoris, Flemish composer (b. c. 1435).
- Estefania Carròs i de Mur, Spanish educator (b. 1455).
- Matthias Ringmann, German cartographer (b. 1482).
- Yusuf Adil Shah, founding leader of the Adil Shahi Dynasty.
- probable – Antoine de Févin, French composer (b. c. 1470).
References
Source material for the above events can be found in various historical texts and archives.