1448

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political events

The Union of Kalmar that has united the three Scandinavian kingdoms since 1387 begins to crumble January 5 as Kristofer III (Christopher of Bavaria) dies childless on the eve of his 30th birthday after a 9-year reign in which the Hansa towns have determined national policy. The Danish council at Viborg elects Kristian of Oldenburg king September 28, Kristofer's widow, Dorothea of Hohenzollern, will marry the new king in late October of next year, but the council will retain all real power. The Swedish nobility elects Karl Knutsson Bonde, 38, as their king June 20, he will reign until 1470 as Karl (Charles) VIII of Sweden, but Kristian of Denmark resists Swedish efforts to secure the Norwegian throne (see 1452).

France's Charles VII takes Maine in a renewal of the Hundred Years' War with England. He puts down an insurrection of French noblemen (the Praguerie), who have been supported by his son Louis the dauphin. Exiled to the Dauphiné, Louis continues to intrigue against the king.

The Ottoman sultan Murad II gains a victory over his Albanian governor, Skanderbeg (George Castriota); Hungary's János Hunyadi leads a coalition army of Hungarians and Walachians across the Danube to support Skanderbeg against Murad, but treacherous Hungarian noblemen desert Hunyadi, and Murad defeats him at the (second) Battle of Kosovo that rages from October 17 to 20 (see 1389). The victory strengthens Ottoman power on the Danube but Albania retains her autonomy. The Hungarian governor Ulrich von Cilli, now 42, has consistently opposed Hunyadi and rules the country following his defeat (but see 1456).

The Byzantine emperor John VIII Palaeologus dies at Constantinople October 31 at age 57 after a 23-year reign. He is succeeded by his 44-year-old brother, who will reign until 1453 as Constantine XI Palaeologus, last of the Byzantine emperors.

The Walachian prince Dracula escapes his Ottoman captors and assumes the throne of his father, who was murdered last year. Fearing for his own life, Dracula vacates the throne after a few months and departs for Moldavia and Transylvania (see 1444; 1456).

Siam's king Borommaracha II dies after a 24-year reign and is succeeded by his 17-year-old son Borommatrailokanat, who will reign until 1488 as Trailok (see 1454).

commerce

The Concordat of Vienna establishes the authority of German princes over the German Church (see 1439). The Vatican strikes a cynical bargain with the new German king Friedrich III, triumphs over the conciliar movement for reform by agreeing to divide its profits with the princes and with Friedrich, and agrees to give the princes a share in episcopal tax revenues.

Portuguese merchants establish the first European trading post in Africa, erecting a fort at Arguin on the northwest coast for commerce in gold, gum arabic, and slaves from what later will be Mauritania (see 1442; politics, 1858).

China has hyperinflation: paper money loses 97 percent of its value, and the Chinese will soon abandon the use of paper money (see 1023; 1107).

education

Christ's College is founded at the University of Cambridge (see King's, 1441); initially called God's House, it will be refounded in 1505. Queen's College is founded at Cambridge by Margaret of Anjou; it will be refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville, who will marry Edward VI in 1464 (see Jesus College, 1496).

art

Painting: Adoration of the Shepherds by Italian painter Pietro di Giovanni d'Ambrogio.

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