Canary Islands
The Canary Islands and their Indigenous peoples (Guanches and others), from the first European expeditions in the 14th century to the Castilian conquest completed in 1496.
Category: Peoples, Places
- 1341Niccoloso da Recco leads a Portuguese-backed expedition to the Canary Islands
The Genoese navigator Niccoloso da Recco sails to the Canary Islands in 1341 in an expedition backed by the Portuguese crown. It is the first well-documented European voyage to the archipelago since antiquity.
- November 1344Pope Clement VI grants the Canary Islands to Luis de la Cerda as 'Prince of Fortune'
In November 1344 Clement VI gives the islands, still unconquered, to the Castilian noble Luis de la Cerda with the title Prince of Fortune. A January 1345 bull makes the conquest a crusade, but Luis dies in 1348 without leading one.
- 1402Jean de Béthencourt and Gadifer de la Salle land in Lanzarote
The Norman knights Béthencourt and La Salle reach Lanzarote in 1402, and Henry III of Castile makes Béthencourt lord of the islands. Sources date the conquest of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura between 1402 and 1405.
- January 13, 1435Pope Eugene IV orders the release of enslaved Canary Islanders in Sicut dudum
Eugene IV issues Sicut dudum on 13 January 1435, threatening excommunication for those who keep Canarians enslaved after Christian conversion. It follows Creator omnium and is partly reversed for Portugal in 1436.
- June 24, 1478Juan Rejón lands on Gran Canaria and founds Las Palmas
A Castilian force under Juan Rejón lands at La Isleta on 24 June 1478 and founds the camp that becomes Las Palmas, opening the royal conquest of Gran Canaria against its Indigenous inhabitants.
- September 4, 1479Treaty of Alcáçovas divides Atlantic claims between Castile and Portugal
The treaty of 4 September 1479 ends the Castilian succession war. Castile keeps the Canary Islands, while Portugal gets the Guinea coast and the Atlantic south of the Canaries. It was ratified in 1480.
- 1483Castile completes the conquest of Gran Canaria under Pedro de Vera
After years of resistance, mostly in the island's interior, the last Gran Canaria leaders submit to Pedro de Vera in 1483. Rejón had been removed by this time. It is the first of the major islands taken by the Crown of Castile.
- September 1492 – May 1493Alonso Fernández de Lugo conquers La Palma
Fernández de Lugo lands at Tazacorte in September 1492 and completes the conquest of La Palma in 1493, founding Santa Cruz de La Palma. The campaign dates vary between sources.
- September 6, 1492Columbus leaves La Gomera in the Canary Islands for the open Atlantic
After repairing the Pinta's rudder at Gran Canaria, Columbus stops at La Gomera and sails west on 6 September 1492, the last land before the Atlantic crossing. The Castilian conquest of the Canaries gave him a base.
- c. 1494 – July 1496Castile conquers Tenerife, the last of the Canary Islands
Alonso Fernández de Lugo invades Tenerife in 1494 against the Guanche kingdoms (menceyatos). After defeat at the first Acentejo, he wins at Aguere and the second Acentejo, and the island submits in July 1496.