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The 1500s: 1500–1509
1500–1509 · worldwide, all places
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Henry VII died in 1509 and his athletic son Henry VIII inherited a full treasury and a stable kingdom. Portuguese ships reached Brazil and the Indian Ocean spice ports, and in Florence Michelangelo unveiled his seventeen-foot David in 1504.
Henry VIII's accession and the David both announced a self-confident new century. Philippa Gregory's The Constant Princess imagines the young Catherine of Aragon arriving in England in 1501, and O Último Cabalista de Lisboa sets a murder mystery among Lisbon's forced converts in 1506. Open the 1500s on the StoryTerra map and explore its stories by place.
8 famous stories set in the 1500s
Live snapshot of the top 8 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-05). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.
Browse 38 books and 1 movie set in the 1500s (1500–1509).
The Constant Princess
Splendid and sumptuous historical novel from the internationally bestselling author, Philippa Gregory, telling of the early life of Katherine of Aragon.We think of Katherine of Aragon as the barren wife of a notorious…
The Agony and the Ecstasy
Celebrating the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo’s David, New American Library releases a special edition of Irving Stone’s classic biographical novel—in which both the artist and the man are brought to life in full. A…
In the Garden of Iden
This is the first novel in what has become one of the most popular series in contemporary SF, now back in print from Tor. In the 24th century, the Company preserves works of art and extinct forms of life (for profit of…
State buoni se potete
Around the year 1500 the Italian priest Don Filippo Neri helps street kids and orphans in his poor little chapel. He is no clergyman by the book but a true believer in terms good and bad and he teaches this to his…
Immortal
The wound inflicted only a few minutes before was nearly healed. A small cut was the only sign that anything had occurred. I watched in disbelief as it finished closing and eventually disappeared. "What are you?" Gods,…
O Último Cabalista de Lisboa
"O Último Cabalista de Lisboa" é um romance cuja acção decorre em 1506 entre os judeus forçados a converter-se ao cristianismo, no reinado de D. Manuel I. Em Abril desse ano, durante as celebrações da Páscoa, cerca de…
In The Name of the Family
`It is better to be feared than loved' - Niccolo Machiavelli In the bear pit of renaissance politics, a young Florentine diplomat finds himself first hand observer on the history's most notorious family - the Borgias.In…
Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale – Martyr, Father of the English Bible
The leading personalities of his century would draw upon all their resources to stop him, from the brilliant Sir Thomas Moore to King Henry VIII; from Charles V, ruler of half of Europe, to the Pope. Both church and…
The 8 stories above are just a sample of the 39 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live 1500–1509 catalogue, use the button above — or browse the whole 16th century. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.
Relevant picks from this decade
Renaissance Rome: 1400–1600 — The rebirth of art, culture, and power in Rome — figures like Michelangelo and Raphael shaping history and storytelling, Borgia popes and Sistine… Explore Renaissance Rome: 1400–1600
Renaissance Venice: 1400–1600 — The jewel of the Renaissance — Venice was a hub for art, politics, and trade, inspiring tales of intrigue, romance, and masked balls in canalside… Explore Renaissance Venice: 1400–1600
Spanish Golden Age: 1500–1700 — A flourishing era of art, literature, and maritime expansion that made Spain a global power — Quixote's windmills, Lope's Madrid stages, Velázquez's… Explore Spanish Golden Age: 1500–1700
Ming China: 1368–1644 — Known for its cultural achievements and exploration, the Ming dynasty influenced East Asia's history and folklore profoundly — treasure fleets,… Explore Ming China: 1368–1644
Colonial Brazil: 1500–1889 — Portuguese colonial influence shaped Brazil's early culture — rich stories of indigenous peoples, settlers, and revolutions, from captaincies to… Explore Colonial Brazil: 1500–1889
Renaissance Italy: 1300–1700 — Birthplace of the Renaissance — Italy blossomed with art, science, and philosophy that transformed Europe's history and culture. Florence, Venice,… Explore Renaissance Italy: 1300–1700
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1490s · 16th century · Time hub · All places · 1510s