1326

1321 1322 1323 1324 1325 1326 1327 1328 1329 1330

political events

The Treaty of Novgorod signed June 3 ends decades of hostilities between Norwegian and Russian forces in the area known as Finnmark in the extreme northern part of Norway and Russia's Kola Peninsula. It creates a buffer zone between the two countries and will remain in effect for 500 years, with Finns, Norwegians, Russians, and Swedes having taxation rights over the indigenous Sami and freedom to exploit fish and fur resources in the region.

Denmark's magnates and the count of Holstein drive Kristoffer II from his throne and into exile; the young duke of South Jutland assumes power as Valdemar III under the regency of the count, but he will reign only until 1329 before Kristoffer is restored.

Irish nobleman Richard de Burgh, 2nd earl of Ulster, dies at Athassel Monastery, near Cashel, in County Tipperary July 29 at age 67 (approximate), having supported England's late Edward I against the Scots, defended Ulster against the invading forces of Edward de Bruce, but mostly fought native Irishmen or his Anglo-Norman rivals, the Geraldines, to maintain power (see Statute of Kilkenny, 1366).

The French queen of England's Edward II invades her husband's realm, whose people are effectively ruled by Hugh le Despenser, earl of Winchester, and his son Hugh (see 1323). Vowing revenge for the execution of the earl of Lancaster in 1322, Isabelle has the support of her paramour Roger de Mortimer, 39, 1st earl of March, who has been outlawed by Edward at the urging of the earl of Winchester, and Edward's supporters desert him. Deserted by his other earls (John de Warenne, 8th earl of Surrey, is among the last to remain faithful), the king flees London October 2, taking refuge on the Glamorgan estates of Hugh Despenser the Elder, earl of Winchester, whom he sends to defend Bristol. Isabelle's forces capture Hugh the Elder October 26 and hang him at Bristol October 27 at age 64. Edward tries to escape by sea, Isabelle's men capture him November 16, and they imprison him at Kenilworth Castle; they capture the greedy and arrogant Hugh the Younger at the same time and execute him at Hereford November 24 (see Edward, 1327).

The Muscovite plutocrat known as Kalita ("Moneybags") transfers the metropolitan cathedral to Moscow, thereby making that city the Russian capital. He will rule from 1328 to 1353 as Ivan I.

Bosnian forces conquer Hum (Herzogovina) from the young Serbian king Stefan Dusan, who loses his westernmost region, but Stefan gains useful military experience.

Brusa capitulates to Ottoman forces April 6 after a 9-year siege has starved the ancient capital of Bithynia into submission.

The first Ottoman emir Osman I dies at age 67 and is succeeded by his eldest son, 47, who will reign until 1360 as Orkhan I, extending Ottoman sway from Angora in central Anatolia to Thrace in Europe and taking the title "sultan of the Gazis" (warriors of the faith.) (see Bursa, 1327).

commerce

Orkhan I strikes the first Ottoman coins.

The Florentine banking house of Scali fails, and its 200 creditors clamor for the 400,000 gold florins they are owed. The creditors include France's Charles IV.

education

Oxford University's Oriel College is founded (see Merton, 1264; Queen's, 1340).

Cambridge University's Clare College is founded (see 1284; papal decree, 1318). The new college will soon be endowed by Elizabeth de Clare, a granddaughter of Edward I, and will survive as the university's second oldest (see Pembroke, 1347).

architecture, real estate

Moscow's Church of the Assumption is completed; it is the Kremlin's first stone cathedral.

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