Directory

1449 CE

Constantine XI Palaiologos is crowned Byzantine Emperor at Mistra; he will be the last in a line of rulers that can be traced to the founding of Rome. The Ambrosian Republic of Milan defeats the armies of the Swiss canton of Uri at the Battle of Castione in what is now Switzerland. Battle of Tumu Fortress: The Oirat Mongols defeat the Ming dynasty army, and capture the Emperor Xingzong of China on September 3. The Emperor is officially deposed, while his brother Zhu Qiyu ascends as the Jingtai Emperor the next year.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • January 2 – King Henry VI of England summons the members of parliament, directing them to assemble on February 12 at Westminster.source
  • February 12 –The English Parliament is opened by King Henry VI at Westminster for a five month session.source
  • July 16 – The English Parliament closes and King Henry VI gives royal assent to numerous acts passed during its five-month session. Becoming law are the Importation Act, a 7-year ban on the import of Netherlands merchandise from Holland, Zeeland and Brabant, and the Distress Act, making it a felony "for any Welsh or Lancashire man to take other men, their goods or chattels, under colour of distress, where they have no cause."source
  • August 3 – The Emperor Yingzong designates his younger brother, Zhu Qiyu, to administer the Chinese Empire.source

Conflict & Security

  • March 24 – Hundred Years' War: English forces capture Fougères in Brittany.source
  • May 14 – Second Siege of Sfetigrad (1449): The Albanian garrison surrenders and the Ottomans seize the fortress.source
  • May 20 – Battle of Alfarrobeira: King Afonso V of Portugal defeats the forces of Peter, Duke of Coimbra.source
  • June 4 – Erik of Pomerania, formerly the King of Sweden, Denmark and Norway, hands over possession of the island of Gotland to the Swedish invaders.source
  • July 6 – The Ambrosian Republic of Milan defeats the armies of the Swiss canton of Uri at the Battle of Castione in what is now Switzerland.source
  • July 20 – News arrives at the imperial court of the Emperor Yingzong of China of a Mongol invasion from the north, led by the Khagan Esen Taishi. Yingzong orders the dispatch of 45,000 soldiers from the Beijing garrison, led by four generals, to advance to Datong and Xuanfu to guard the border.source
  • July – Hundred Years' War: The French invade Normandy.source
  • August 1 – After getting word that the Mongols had launched a large-scale invasion at Datong, China's Emperor Yingzong decides to personally lead the Beijing garrison into war, despite the protests of his War Minister Kuang Ye.source
  • August 13 – First Margrave War: Margrave Albrecht takes Lichtenau Fortress from Nuremberg.source
  • September 1 – Battle of Tumu Fortress: The Oirat Mongols defeat the Ming dynasty army, and capture the Emperor Xingzong of China on September 3. The Emperor is officially deposed, while his brother Zhu Qiyu ascends as the Jingtai Emperor the next year.source
  • October 29 – The French recapture Rouen from the English.source
  • October – Bogdan II of Moldavia enters the country with troops from John Hunyadi, and takes the throne after Alexăndrel flees.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • May – An English privateering fleet led by Robert Wennington challenges ships of the Hanseatic League.source
  • June 18 – Mary of Guelders arrives in Scotland at Leith after being escorted from the Duchy of Burgundy to Scotland following her selection by Lord Crichtonsource

Religion & Belief

  • January 6 – Constantine XI Palaiologos is crowned Byzantine Emperor at Mistra; he will be the last in a line of rulers that can be traced to the founding of Rome.source
  • April 7 – The last Antipope, Felix V, abdicates.source
  • April 19 – Pope Nicholas V is elected by the Council of Basel.source
  • April 25 – The Council of Basel dissolves itself.source
  • July 3 – King James II of Scotland marries Mary of Guelders at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh.source
  • November 20 – Karl Knutsson, reigning as King Karl VIII of Sweden, is crowned as King Karl I of Norway in a ceremony at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.source

Culture & Society

  • February – Alexăndrel seizes the throne of Moldavia, with the support of the boyars.source
  • June 8 – The Pas de la Bergère tournament, later the subject of a poem by Louis de Beauvau, finishes after six days at Tarascon on the island of Jarnègues at the estate of the Duke René of Anjou.source
  • October 12 – Prince Alexăndrel is replaced as Prince of Moldavia by Bogdan II.source
  • December 15 – The Ottoman Empire Sultan Mehmed II marries Sittişah Hatun, daughter of Suleiman of Dulkadir, in an elaborate ceremony at Edirne, followed by three months of celebrations.source

Births

  • January 1 – Lorenzo de' Medici, Italian statesman (d. 1492)source
  • January 17 – Osanna of Mantua, Italian Dominican tertiary (d. 1505)source
  • February 7 – Adriana of Nassau-Siegen, consort of Count Philip I of Hanau-Münzenberg (d. 1477)source
  • April 27 – Asakura Ujikage, 8th head of the Asakura clan of Japan (d. 1486)source
  • August 10 – Bona of Savoy, Duchess of Savoy (d. 1503)source
  • September 20 – Philipp I, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg, German noble (d. 1500)source
  • October 21 – George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, brother of Kings Edward IV and Richard III of England (d. 1478)source
  • November 11 – Catherine of Poděbrady, Hungarian Queen (d. 1464)source
  • November 14 – Sidonie of Poděbrady, Bohemian princess, duchess consort of Saxony (d. 1510)source
  • December 6 – Dorotea Gonzaga, Italian noble (d. 1467)source
  • Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus (d. 1513)source
  • Ilham Ghali khan of Kazan Khanate, (d. 1490)source
  • Srimanta Sankardeva, Assamese scholar and religious figure (d. c. 1568)source
  • Domenico Ghirlandaio, Italian artist (d. 1494)source

Deaths

  • January 4 – Cecilia of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (b. c.1405)source
  • January 21 – Giovanni Berardi, Archbishop of Taranto (b. 1380)source
  • February 2 – Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Islamic scholar (b. 1372)source
  • March – Dolce dell'Anguillara, Italian condottiero (b. 1401)source
  • May 20 (at the Battle of Alfarrobeira)source
  • May – Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, Lord of the Islessource
  • June 1 – Polissena Sforza, Lady of Rimini (b. 1428)source
  • August 13 – Louis IV, Elector Palatine (b. 1424)source
  • October 27 – Ulugh Beg, Timurid ruler and astronomer (b. 1394)source
  • October 31 – Elisabeth of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brzeg-Legnica and Cieszyn, German princess (b. 1403)source
  • November 19 – Kunigunde of Sternberg, first spouse of the King George of Podebrady (b. 1425)source
  • December 24 – Walter Bower, Scottish chronicler (b. 1385)source
  • Peter, Duke of Coimbra (b. 1392)source
  • Álvaro Vaz de Almada, 1st Count of Avranchessource