January 15–Christopher Columbus and his crew begin their voyage back to Europe on their two remaining ships, the caravelLa Niña (guided by Columbus) and the Pinta (piloted by Martín Alonso Pinzón), departing from the island of Hispanola and what becomes known as the Bay of Rincón in the Dominican Republic. The decision to return to Spain comes two days after the crew's battle with the indigenous residents, the Ciguayos.
February 14– A storm east of the Azores threatens to capsize both of the remaining ships, the Niña and the Pinta, on the expedition of Christopher Columbus as the crew are returning to Europe after being the first to reach the "New World". The two ships are separated and neither crew knows the fate of the other. The crew takes a vow for one of them to make a pilgrimage if they survive the storm. Columbus himself later makes a pilgrimage to the cathedral at Moguer in Andalusia in Spain.
February 15– Columbus begins writing his first account of his voyage to the New World, titled "Letter of Columbus, on the islands of India beyond the Ganges recently discovered", an account later printed and sold throughout Europe. His reference to the Ganges river in India confirms that he thought he had reached Asia.
March 30– In light of his success, Christopher Columbus is granted the title of "Admiral of the Ocean Sea" ("Almirante del mar Océano") and "Viceroy and Governor of the islands which he has discovered in the Indies".
June 8– In the most well-documented surgical procedures in the 15th century, the left leg of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III is amputated. The surgery is performed at the Linz castle under the direction of the surgeon Hans Seyff.
October 24– Spain's Royal Council issues a Provision setting harsh sanctions against Spanish Christians who slander people who have newly converted from Judaism to Christianity, particularly with the term tornadizos.
November 19– Christopher Columbus lands on the coast of the island of Borinquen, which he renames San Juan (modern-day Puerto Rico).
↑Martín Fernández de Navarrete, Colección de los viages y descubrimientos que hicieron por mar los españoles desde fines del siglo XV ("Collection of the voyages and discoveries which were made at sea by Spaniards at the end of the 15th century"), Vol. 2, pp. 22–23
↑Williams, Neville (1999). "1493". The Hutchinson Chronology of World History: 1492-1775 - The Expanding World. Abington, UK: Helicon Books. ISBN978-1-85-986282-7.
↑Prevenier, Walter; Blockmans, Wim (1986). The Burgundian Netherlands. New York: Cambridge University Press.
↑Pangerl, D. C. (2010). ""Item als man dem kayser Fridrichen sin funss abschnitt". Die Beinamputation an Kaiser Friedrich III. am 8. Juni 1493 in Linz ["Item as Kaiser Friedrich's foot was amputated". The leg amputation of Kaiser Friedrich III on 8 June 1493 in Linz]". Sudhoffs Archiv. 94 (2): 195–200. doi:10.25162/sudhoff-2010-0024. PMID21322920.