1369

1361 1362 1363 1364 1365 1366 1367 1368 1369 1370

political events

Castile's Pedro the Cruel antagonizes England's Black Prince of Wales Edward Plantagenet, who deserts him. Besieged at La Mancha (Montiel) by his half brother Enrique, Count de Trastámara, Pedro is tempted out March 23 and knifed to death at age 34 by Enrique, who has gained support from the French national hero Bertrand du Guesclin and usurps the Castilian throne. Now 35, he will reign until 1379 as Enrique II Trastámara.

England's popular queen consort Philippa of Hainaut dies at Windsor August 15 at age 55, having helped Edward III keep peace in his realm. Left to the devices of his young mistress Alice Perrers, with whom he began intimacies 3 years ago and to whom he has given jewels and grants of land, Edward renews hostilities with France over the latter's failure to live up to her obligations under the Treaty of Guerande signed in 1365 and the treaties concluded 5 years earlier (see 1370).

Gascons apply to France's Charles V for help against the Black Prince of Wales Edward Plantaganet, whose English administrators have been causing misery in Aquitaine since 1364. Sir John Chandos issues a summons December 31 to all the barons and knights of the province, ordering them to meet at Poitiers; some 300 answer his call, and at midnight they are beneath the walls of St. Salvain with orders to mount their ladders and scale the wall, but they will soon find that a superior French force has taken the field (see 1370).

Mantua's Guido Gonzaga dies after a 9-year reign and is succeeded by his son, who will reign until 1382 as Ludovico II.

The "ugly duchess" Margaret of Tyrol dies at Vienna October 3 at age 51, having been persuaded 6 years ago to cede Tyrol to the Hapsburgs.

Tamerlane (Timur the Lame, or Tamburlaine) makes himself master of Samarkand in Turkestan at age 33. A descendant of Genghis Khan who succeeded his father as chief of a Tatar tribe 9 years ago, the lame but powerfully built leader of the western house of Jagatai distances himself from the Golden Horde and begins to develop his own armed horde into an army that will conquer much of the world (see Persia, 1383).

The armies of China's Ming emperor Hongwu (Hung-wu) drive the Mongols out of Shanxi (Shansi) and Gansu provinces and will drive them out of Sichuan (Szechuan) in 1371 (see 1368).

Korea's state of Koryo submits to China's Ming forces after 13 years of rebellion, but disorder continues in the country (see 1388).

literature

Poet-chronicler Jean Froissart hears at Valenciennes that England's queen consort Philippa has died (see 1368). He has served as her secretary since 1361 and is left without a protector, but Wenceslas, duc de Brabant, takes Froissart under his wing and will support him until 1381.

1361 1362 1363 1364 1365 1366 1367 1368 1369 1370