Bogota is the capital and largest city of Colombia, founded by the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada on the high plateau of the Andes known as the Sabana de Bogota. The site was in the territory of the Muisca, whose settlement of Bacata stood nearby. The city was named Santa Fe de Bogota and became the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada, and then of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. It was a centre of colonial administration, religion and learning, and it later played a part in the independence struggle against Spain, culminating in the Battle of Boyaca nearby in 1819. Bogota subsequently became the capital of Gran Colombia and then of the Republic of Colombia.
Before and after
- from 6 May 1536 to 18 April 1537Siege of Cusco
- 12 July 1536Death of Erasmus
- from 23 July 1537 to 2 October 1540Third Ottoman–Venetian War
- 12 October 1537Birth of Edward VI of England
- 6 August 1538Founding of Bogotá
- from 1539 to 1572Origins of Vilcabamba
- from 18 July 1539 to 6 August 1539Siege of Castelnuovo
- 1540Birth of Francis Drake
- 1540Construction of Westminster Abbey
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- from 15th century to 18th centuryAge of Discovery
- from 15th century to 18th centuryEarly modern period
- from 1525 to 1947Prussia
- from 1526 to 1857Mughal Empire
- from 1616 to 1912Qing dynasty
- from 22 October 1721 to 1 September 1917Russian Empire
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 16th century.