1479

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political events

Aragon's Juan II dies at Barcelona January 20 at age 71 and is succeeded by his son Ferdinand (Fernando), who at age 26 assumes the throne as Fernando II of Aragon and—through his 1469 marriage to his cousin Isabella—as Fernando V of Castile and León, uniting the major crowns of Spain to begin a reign that will continue until 1516 (see Columbus, 1486). Ferdinand and Isabella make peace with Portugal at Alcacovas September 4 after nearly 4 years of bitter fighting. Portugal acknowledges Spanish rights to the Canary Islands (see 1425) and is permitted a monopoly in trade and navigation on Africa's West Coast (see Canary Islands, 1496).

The Treaty of Constantinople January 25 ends a 15-year war between Venice and the Ottoman Empire, whose forces have reached the outskirts of Venice. The Venetians retain Dulcigno, Antivan, and Durazzo but are forced to yield Scutari and other points on the Albanian coast, accept the loss of Negroponte (Euboea) and Lemnos, and pay a tribute of 10,000 ducats per year for the privilege of trading in the Black Sea.

Maximilian of Austria gains victory August 7 over France's Louis XI, stopping his incursion into Burgundian lands.

Novgorod is annexed by the grand duke of Muscovy Ivan III, who deports her resisting aristocrats to central Russia (see 1478; Golden Horde, 1480).

Vietnamese forces invade Laos (Lan Xang), interrupting a peaceful period that has existed in that part of southeast Asia since the death of Fa Ngum in 1416 (see 1471; 1497).

communications, media

The Game and Playe of Chesse is published by William Caxton (see 1477) and is the first book to be printed from metal type in England. Caxton has translated a French version by Jehan De Vigny of a Latin treatise by Dominican friar Jacobus de Cassolis.

art

Painting: Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine by Hans Memling.

architecture, real estate

Architect Luciano Laurana dies at Pesaro in the Papal States at age 59 (approximate); he left Urbino for Naples in 1472, became "master of artillery," and has designed Pesaro's Palazzo Ducale.

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