1498

1498 is a year in the late 15th century noted for significant expansions in European maritime exploration and its global consequences. During this period, new sea routes and trading networks began to reshape economies and politics across continents, setting the stage for intensified transoceanic contact and later colonization. The year reflects the broader shift from Mediterranean-centered trade to broader Atlantic and Indian Ocean globalization driven by Portugal and Spain.

Two voyages in 1498 had lasting impact. Vasco da Gama, leading a Portuguese expedition, reached Calicut on the Malabar coast in May 1498, successfully sailing from Europe to India by the Cape of Good Hope and paving the way for direct Indian Ocean trade. Christopher Columbus, on his third voyage, reached the mainland of South America during this expedition, sighting the coast of present-day Venezuela and exploring Caribbean islands as part of his broader effort to locate a westward route to Asia.

The events of 1498 contributed to the rapid expansion of European empires and commerce, fueling the Columbian Exchange and reshaping global economies, geography, and cultural encounters. They also intensified competition for overseas territories, influencing subsequent explorations, settlements, and colonization across Africa, the Americas, and Asia.