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January 20 - Christian II becomes King of Denmark and Norway.

March 9 - Pope Leo X succeeds Pope Julius II as the 215th pope.

March 27 - Juan Ponce de Leon becomes the first European definitely known to sight what is now the territory of the United States (specifically Florida) mistaking it for another island.

April 2 - Juan Ponce de Leon and his expedition become the first Europeans known to visit Florida, landing somewhere on the east coast.

June 6 - Italian Wars: Battle of Novara - Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis de la Tremoille, forcing the French to abandon Milan. Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored.

August 16 - Battle of the Spurs (or Battle of Guinegate). English troops under Henry VIII defeat a French army under Marshal La Palice.

August 22 - Capture of Thérouanne by Henry VIII of England.

September 9 - Battle of Flodden Field, King James IV of Scotland defeated and killed by an English army under Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey. James's son the Duke of Rothesay becomes James V, King of Scots.

September 25 - Vasco Núñez de Balboa, "silent upon a peak in Darién", first sees what would become known as the Pacific Ocean.

October 7 - Battle of La Motta - Spanish troops under Ramon de Cardona defeat the Venetians.

December - Louis XII makes peace with the Pope and Spain.

Unknown - Magellan is the first person recorded to set foot on the Micronesian Islands. He lands on Guam located in the Mariana Islands and meets the Chamorros there.

Unknown - Niccolo Machiavelli writes The Prince.

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October 30 - Jacques Amyot, French writer (died 1593)

December 23 - Thomas Smith, English scholar and diplomat (died 1577)

Abe Motozane, Japanese general (died 1587)

Michael Baius, Belgian theologian (died 1589)

George Cassander, Flemish theologian (died 1566)

Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg, queen of Gustav I of Sweden (died 1535)

John Knox, Scottish religious reformer (died 1572)

Elizabeth Seymour, sister-in-law of Henry VIII of England (died 1563)

Thomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Kildare (died 1537)

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February 20 - King John of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (born 1455)

February 21 - Pope Julius II (born 1443)

March 10 - John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, English general (born 1443)

September 9 - King James IV of Scotland Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll, Alexander Stewart (Archbishop of St Andrews), killed at the Battle of Flodden Field (b. 1473)

Robert Fabyan, English chronicler

George Manners, 12th Baron de Ros, English nobleman

Piero Soderini, Florentine statesman (born 1450)

Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk, Duke of Suffolk (born 1471)