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The French dauphin Louis sets out for the Dauphiné, a territory of villages, isolated castles, and wild country stretching for 125 miles along the Rhône, bordered by Savoy and Provence, and extending to the Alps. Now 23, Louis arrives January 13 and will make his home near Grenoble, never to see his father again (see 1448).
Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, dies at Bury St. Edmonds in Suffolk February 23 at age 56, possibly having been assassinated. He took his mistress Eleanor Cobham as his second wife after his marriage to the late Jacoba of Bavaria was annulled in 1428, Eleanor was convicted of practicing witchcraft against Henry VI in 1441 and died in prison, and Gloucester himself was arrested on a charge of treason soon afterward.
Milan establishes an Ambrosian republic following the death August 13 of Filippo Maria Visconti, the last of the male line of Viscontis who have ruled the city since 1277 (see 1443). Francesco Sforza has married Bianca Maria Visconti and is hired as military leader as hostilities continue between Milan and Venice (see Sforza, 1450).
Jacques Coeur makes an agreement with the sultan of Egypt in an effort to annex Genoa; he uses Agnès Sorel as the channel for arranging and concluding agreements between the king and the new pope Nicholas V.
Poland's nobility chooses the grand duke of Lithuania to succeed his older brother, the late Wladyslaw III Warnenczyk, who was killed in battle 3 years ago. Now 20, the new king reunites Lithuania with Poland and will reign until his death in 1492 as Casimir IV, giving Poland access to the Baltic (see 1466).
The grand prince of Muscovy Basil (Vasily) II recovers his throne from his cousin Dmitri Shemyaka (see 1446). Despite his blindness, Basil gains hegemony over the grand principality of Ryazan and will rule effectively until his death in 1462.
The Turkestani shah Rukh dies at Fishawand in Timurid Persia March 12 at age 69 after a 43-year reign of great splendor in which he has been a patron of the arts, helping to develop a library and school of miniature painting at Herat. Fourth son of the great Tamerlane, he is succeeded by his learned son (Tamerlane's grandson) Muhammed Taragai Ulugh-Beg, 53, who will reign until 1449.
Pope Eugenius IV dies at Rome February 23 at age 53 (approximate) after a 16-year reign. He is succeeded by Tommaso Cardinal Parentucelli, 49, who ends the schism that has existed between popes and councils; he will reign until his death in 1455 as Nicholas V and will found the Vatican Library.
Henry Cardinal Beaufort dies at Winchester April 11 at age 72 (approximate) after a career in which he controlled the government of Henry VI until 4 years ago.
Painting: Presentation in the Temple by Stefan Lochner.
Dresses in Europe's royal courts have tight-fitting bodices and sleeves, with reveres turned back at the shoulders. Bosoms are exposed, and girdles placed beneath the breasts support them as if presenting them as temptations. Wide bands of linen are worn over women's hips to hold in their flesh; their skirts are drawn tight over the abdomen while in back they are full and very long, trimmed with fur, usually ermine (the width of the fur trimming is the measure by which a woman's status is judged).
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