1458
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Contents: political eventscommerce religion education architecture, real estate |
Matthias Corvinus (Mátyás Corvin) wins election to the Hungarian throne at age 18 to succeed the late Ladislas (see 1457). He will rule until 1490 in a reign that will be among the greatest in Hungary's history, but the throne of Bohemia remains in dispute (see 1459).
Bohemia elects her regent, George Podiebrad, now 38, king March 2 (but see 1459).
The 39-year-old archduke Albrecht storms Vienna twice during the year in an effort to topple his brother, the Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich III (see 1462).
Ottoman forces invade Morea; Constantinople annexes the remainder of Serbia.
Aragon's Alfonso V (the Magnanimous) dies suddenly in Ovo Castle at Naples June 27 at age 62 after a 42-year reign in which he has conquered Naples and transferred his court there. He is succeeded in Aragon by his 60-year-old brother Juan (who has been king of Navarre since 1425), and in Naples by his unscrupulous illegitimate son Ferrante, 35, who has a struggle to gain the succession but enlists the support of Francesco Sforza, now 57, and Cosimo de' Medici, now 69, who are alarmed at the presence of the French at Genoa.
Cosimo de' Medici crushes his rivals at Florence in August by providing gold to Francesco Sforza in return for troops that enable him to stage a coup d'état and establish the Cento, a Senate composed of 100 loyal supporters.
Portugal's Afonso V leads an expedition against the Moroccan port of Alcácer Ceguer (later Ksar es-Shrhir) in the company of his uncle Henrique (Henry the Navigator), now 64, who acquits himself well in the fighting. The town's Muslim defenders capitulate, and Afonso leaves the surrender terms to Henrique, who shows extraordinary leniency. Afonso's conquests will make him known as Afonso the African (Afonso o Africano) (see 1471).
Delhi's Mahmud I begins a 53-year reign that will be marked by the conquests of Girnar and Champanir, the further extension of Islam in northern India, and the construction of magnificent mosques and a great palace at Sarkhej.
A treatise by Italian author Benedetto Cortrugli is the first known work on double-entry bookkeeping. He describes how the "perfect merchant" should keep track of his transactions in a rational way so as to achieve a profit, a daring idea at a time when the Catholic Church is denouncing as sinful all activities aimed at turning a profit, and economic historians will characterize Cortrugli's work as advocating the "religion of commerce and profit" (see Pacioli, 1494).
Pope Callistus (or Calixtus) III dies at Rome August 6 at age 79 after a 3-year reign in which he has raised a fleet to liberate many of the Aegean islands from the Ottoman Turks. He is succeeded by the 54-year-old humanist Enea Silvio Cardinal Piccolomini, who will reign until his own death in 1464 as Pius II.
Oxford's Magdalen College is founded by William of Waynflete (originally William Patyn), 63, bishop of Winchester, who 10 years ago established a hall dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen (see Lincoln, 1427; All Souls, 1438). A favorite of the mentally disturbed king Henry VI, Waynflete has been lord chancellor of England since 1456 (he will remain such until 1460) and has succeeded in converting the hall into a college (see Brasenose, 1509).
Work begins across the Arno River from Florence on a great palace for Luca Pitti, a rival of the Medici family.
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