1493 Naples/Milan

[The Sicilian]

All of the events concerning Naples and Milan:
NAPLES:
1493: Renaissance sculptor Francesco Laurana returns to Naples from France. He is commissioned to build a statue of King Ferrante (Ferdinand I).

A medical school is built in Salerno to attract doctors and scientists from across Europe

1494: Ferrante dies. His son Alfonso II is crowned. He manages to end tensions with Milan. Royal marriages are established between the two nations.

In a departure from his Spanish brethren, the King Alphonso II welcomed Jews (esp. merchants, schoolars and other people concerned with economic) into his Kingdom, as it was in dire need of economic reform.


1495: To refill the treasury and reform his national bureaucracy, the new King encourages wealthy Jewish bureaucrats and government officials to set up shop in Naples. Don Isaac Abavanel, who resides in Naples and is advisor to the King, helps him with this.

The world first drydock (in medieval continental Europe) is built in Naples, with monetary backing from the Abravanel family.

1496: Naples reasterts her claim to the defunct Kingdom of Jerusalem. They send a large contingent of soldiers to Jerusalem to back up the Crusaders.

1496-9: Naval and commercial shipyards on the drydock are opened. Roads are paved and fortress wall are rebuilt. Naples is generaly renewed, in the most literal sence of Renaissance. This is done with the help of Jewish engineers, architects and moneylenders, who fled from the Inquisition.

1498: A large sum of gold from Naples is offered to Spain, in return for the island of Sicily.

1499: Alphonso agrees to open ports and enter a exclusive trade agreement with the Hanseatic league.

Alphonso comissions a fleet of ten carracks and five caravels.

MILAN:
1493: An attempt is made on Duke Gain Galeazzan Sforza. The assassin is killed. He is linked to the Duke's uncle Ludovico Sforza. This kind of familial 'tension' is common in Renaissance Italy. Ludovico stil looses his head.

1497: Milan answers the call to Crusade as well, though they send mostley money rather than soldiers.

[The Sicilian]

1501: Alphonso claims that Pope Alexander VI is interfering with the secular affairs of Naples. He uses this as a pretext for and invasion of the Papal States.

1502: Neapolitan armies arrive outside of Rome and Romagna. The latter falls by the end of the
year, while the former holds.

1503: Alphonso meets Giuffre for peace negotiations.

1504 Autumn: Two boats from Prince Alphonso's delagation are forced to land during a storm. Thay discover a natural harbor (which haad allready been discovered by the Portugese). They establish a small camp until a break in the weather allows for repair.

1505 Summer: A large Sicilian armada (the one paid for by the Hansa) make their way towards the New World.

1505 Fall: The armada reaches a wide channel between the penninsula that Cabot described and a large tropical island, which the lead explorer names 'Messina'.

1506 Spring: The armada reaces an even larger penninsula. They find large stone structures that have been strangely abandoned.

[The Sicilian]

Glen; I put the colonization events in here. If you object to any colonization evens please cut them out of the final timeline.


Naples:

1499: A school for engineering, history, philosophy, law and natural philosophy is established in Messina.

Alphonso agrees to open ports and enter a exclusive trade agreement with the Hanseatic league.

Alphonso commission a fleet of ten carracks and five caravels. They are crewed mostly by Spanish, Portugese and Italians who served in the Iberian navies.

1500: Prince Alphonso of Naples has a boy with his wife Maria Christina. He is named Philip.


1502: King Alphonso sends an Royal delegation headed by his youngest son, also named Alphonso, to the court of King Emanuel. It is for several purposes. Establishing an Italian sphere of influence in Ndongo and ensuring the economic rights guaranteed to Sicily are the top priorities. Alphonso’s wife Maria Christina helps with the missionaries conversion efforts, as she
herself converted. Italian engineers, scientists, scholars and architects are sent to help modernize Ndongo.

1503: Giuffre Borgia agrees to give the title Duke of Romagna to Alphonso's eldest, Ferdinand. In return Giuffre marries one of Alphonso's relatives.

Alphonso II meets with representatives of the Hanseatic League. After negotiations Alphonso agreed to the sale of Malta. In exchange, the Hansa would pay for a Sicilian expedition to the New World and there would be a joint Sicilian-Hansa expedition to round the tip of the southern cones.

1506 Summer-Winter: The New World expedition is forced off course during a hurricane and lands at what would become Altavilla (Veracruz). An expedition is sent inland. They encounter a village of natives. The Sicilians take several natives to be interpreters. The Sicilians learn that the town was part of the ‘Mexica Empire’. The head of the expedition sends out a group of missionaries to convert the Mexica.

1507: Prince Ferdinand of Naples and Prince Piero of Rossano are killed by assassination. It remains undiscovered whom had ordered it. Prince Alphonso, the ambassador to Ndongo, is first in line to the throne. Alphonso inherits his brother’s title as Duke of Romagna

The Sicilian expedition encounters several groups that are hostile to the Mexica.

1508: Having conflicting claims to the largest island in the Carribean, the kings of Spain and Naples sign a treaty to resolve the territorial issue. Naples would receive the Western half (everything from OTL Ciego de Ávila Province west) while Spain would receive the eastern half. They
two countries also agreed to send a joint expedition to the mainland south of the island (central America), which would become a Neapolitan sphere of influence. Naples and Spain agree to have a Spanish sphere of influence centered on Florida, and a Neapolitan sphere of influence centered
on Central America.

1509: Ships from Messina land on the Ferrantean (Mississippi) river delta.

The Neapolitan expedition returns to their base at Messina (Havana). They leave behind several dozen soldiers and priests at Forte Altavilla.

1510: A small trading post and fort are built on some of the highland on the Ferrantean river delta

1511: Prince Alphonso of Naples returns to Italy. He bring with him his family, consisting of his wife, Maria Christina, his sons, Filippo and Ferrante, and his daughters, Leonora, Diana and Giovanna. The Kings brother Frederick takes over his role as ambassador to Ndongo

1512: A Neapolitan colony is established at the harbor where sailors were shipwrecked several years ago (near OTL Capetown). It is named Porte Calabria.

1513: A sister city to Fredericksburg is established on the opposite side of the River (OTL Montevideo). It is named Santo Alphonso and receives immigrants to the Mediterranean.

1517: Alphonso II, King of Naples, Sicily and Jerusalem, dies at the age of 68. He is succeeded by his son Alphonso III, Duke of Romagna. Prince Filippo 'Il Turcu' become heir apparent.

This version is spell checked.