1550
Valladolid Debate Begins
Before a panel of Spanish theologians, Bartolome de las Casas and Juan Gines de Sepulveda argued over whether the conquered peoples of the Americas were rational human beings entitled to rights. Las Casas read for five days straight. The debate ended in a draw, but history remembered who spoke for humanity.
Oda Nobunaga Comes of Age
The eccentric teenage heir of a minor Owari warlord inherited his father's domain after a turbulent funeral at which he flung incense at the altar. His vassals despaired. Within twenty years Oda Nobunaga would be the most feared man in Japan and halfway through unifying the archipelago. His unconventional behavior earned the nickname Fool of Owari, a reputation he dramatically reversed through brilliant military campaigns.
Ottoman Suleymaniye Mosque Begun
The imperial architect Mimar Sinan laid the foundations of the Suleymaniye Mosque on a hill overlooking the Golden Horn, commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent. Seven years later the enormous dome, fountains, kitchens, and medreses would crown Istanbul. Sinan called it one of his apprentice works, but the city disagreed. Sinan's dome rivals Hagia Sophia's dimensions while appearing to float on cascading half-domes, establishing the classical Ottoman architectural style.
Vasari Publishes the Lives of the Artists
The Tuscan painter-architect Giorgio Vasari released a compendium of biographies of Italian artists from Cimabue to Michelangelo. He invented the idea of a Renaissance that progressed toward perfection and made the artist a biographical subject worthy of literature. Art history began with his gossip. He invented the concept of rinascita, giving the period its name and its narrative of progressive improvement. Art history began with his gossip.