Gregorian calendar
Topic: Renaissance, Reformation and the Scientific Revolution · NCERT: Class 6, Ch 4 "Timeline and Sources of History"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Changing Cultural Traditions"
Meaning
The Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. It replaced the older Julian calendar, which had slowly drifted out of step with the seasons. The new calendar removed the extra days and changed the rule for leap years so the error would not return. Today it is the civil calendar used across most of the world, including India.
Example
To fix the drift in 1582, ten days were dropped. In Catholic countries, Thursday 4 October 1582 was followed directly by Friday 15 October 1582.
Don't confuse with
- Julian calendar: The Julian calendar is the older Roman calendar, which ran slightly long each year. The Gregorian calendar corrected that error.