Images

The 15th century CE Royal Lodge of the Chateau d'Amboise, Amboise, France.

A scale model of the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul. The palace was the residence of sultans of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th and 16th centuries CE. (Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul)

A modern statue in Bristol, England of the Italian explorer John Cabot (aka Giovanni Caboto, c. 1450 - c. 1498 CE) who sailed to the east coast of Canada in 1497 and 1498 CE.

The Italian explorer John Cabot (aka Giovanni Caboto, c. 1450 - c. 1498 CE) sailed from England to eastern Canada in 1497 CE. His exact route and points of exploration are unclear and the map is therefore only an approximate guide.

An idealised portrait bust of the Italian explorer John Cabot (aka Giovanni Caboto, c. 1450 - c. 1498 CE) who sailed from England to eastern Canada in 1497 CE. (Venetian Institute of Science , Letters and Art, Venice)

The full-size replica of John Cabot's ship the Mathew (also spelt Matthew) on which he sailed to the eastern coast of Canada in 1497 CE. The ship was a caravel, the maritime workhorse of the Age of Exploration.

A colourised c. 1667 CE portrait of Adam Schall (1591-1666 CE), A Jesuit missionary and scholar who introduced many new scientific ideas into China. (Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles)

A c. 1877 CE photograph of the remains of instruments at Beijing's Observatory. Astronomy evolved in 16th-17th century CE China as a result of the introduction of scientific ideas by Jesuit missionaries such as Ferdinand Verbiest (1623-88...

A portrait of Ferdinand Verbiest (1623-88 CE), a Jesuit scholar and scientist who spread European ideas in China. (National Library, Paris)

The First Court of Magdalene College, part of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1542 CE. The court and chapel were first laid out in the 16th century CE and then added to and altered over subsequent centuries.