Century

14th Century

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Events

14th Century Timeline

Politics 14th Century Europe

Edward of Caernarfon Created First English Prince of Wales

In the years following Edward I's conquest of Wales in the late 13th century, the English crown sought to consolidate control over the region through administrative reforms and symbolic gestures. Edward I had previously executed the last native Welsh prince and integrated Welsh territories into English lordships. On February 7, 1301, during a parliament at Lincoln, the king granted his son Edward of Caernarfon extensive lands in Wales along with the earldom of Chester. He then formally invested the sixteen-year-old as Prince of Wales, a new title for the English heir apparent. This act aimed to provide the prince with independent revenue and authority while signaling English dominance. The immediate result established a lasting precedent for granting the title to...

Culture 14th Century Europe

Dante Alighieri Exiled from Florence

In the early 14th century, Florence was riven by factional strife between the White and Black Guelfs, rival groups within the dominant political party that vied for control amid broader tensions with the Holy Roman Empire and the papacy. Dante Alighieri, a prominent poet and statesman who had served as one of the city's six priors, aligned with the Whites and participated in decisions that included banishing Black leaders. On January 27, 1302, his political enemies among the Blacks seized power and sentenced him to exile on charges of corruption and opposition, barring his return under penalty of death. Dante fled the city and spent the remainder of his life wandering between Italian courts and cities, dependent on patrons for...

Military 14th Century Europe

William Wallace Captured Near Glasgow

In the early 14th century, Scotland faced intense pressure from English King Edward I, who sought to dominate the region after the death of the Scottish heir. William Wallace had emerged as a leading figure in the resistance, notably after victories like the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. By 1305, most Scottish nobles had submitted to Edward, but Wallace continued guerrilla operations as a symbol of defiance. On August 5, he was betrayed and seized at Robroyston near Glasgow by forces loyal to Edward, led by Scottish knight John de Menteith. Wallace was transported to London for trial on charges of treason. He maintained he had never sworn allegiance to the English king.

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Law 14th Century Europe

William Wallace Executed for Treason in London

In the early 14th century, Scotland resisted English domination under King Edward I, who sought to consolidate control after the death of the Scottish king. William Wallace emerged as a key leader in the First War of Scottish Independence, achieving victory at Stirling Bridge in 1297 before defeat at Falkirk. Captured in 1305 near Glasgow following betrayal by a Scottish noble, Wallace faced trial in London on charges of treason and atrocities against English civilians. On August 23, he was convicted, stripped, dragged through the streets, hanged until near death, disemboweled, beheaded, and quartered, with body parts displayed across England and Scotland. The execution aimed to deter further resistance but instead cemented Wallace as a martyr for Scottish freedom.

Politics 14th Century Europe

Robert the Bruce Crowned King of Scots at Scone

In early 1306, Robert the Bruce had murdered rival John Comyn amid the power vacuum left by the death of Scottish claimants and English dominance under Edward I. Seeking to rally resistance to English rule, Bruce arranged a hasty enthronement at the traditional site of Scone Abbey on the Feast of the Annunciation. Bishop William Wishart performed the ceremony with limited regalia, as the Stone of Destiny had been seized by the English. A small group of supporters including bishops and earls witnessed the event, after which Bruce was proclaimed king. The coronation immediately drew English retaliation, forcing Bruce into hiding and guerrilla warfare that would culminate years later in Scottish independence gains.

Military 14th Century Europe

English Forces Defeat Robert the Bruce at Methven

In the early 14th century, Scotland was embroiled in the First War of Scottish Independence against English domination. Robert the Bruce had recently been crowned king at Scone following the assassination of rival John Comyn, aiming to rally Scottish forces for sovereignty. On June 19, 1306, Bruce's army, encamped near Methven west of Perth, faced a surprise attack by English troops led by Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, who exploited the lack of proper sentries. The Scottish forces were routed in a nighttime ambush, suffering heavy losses while English casualties remained light. Bruce himself narrowly escaped capture and fled into hiding in the Highlands with a small band of supporters. This defeat temporarily crushed the immediate momentum of the...

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Law 14th Century Europe

Philip IV Orders Mass Arrest of Knights Templar

In the early fourteenth century, the Knights Templar had grown into a powerful military and financial order across Europe, holding vast lands and serving as bankers for kings and crusaders. French King Philip IV, facing heavy debts and seeking to consolidate royal authority, accused the order of heresy, idolatry, and other crimes. On the morning of October 13, 1307, royal agents simultaneously arrested hundreds of Templars throughout France, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, with many subjected to torture that produced confessions. The action dismantled the order's structure in France and set precedents for similar seizures elsewhere. Pope Clement V, under pressure from Philip, eventually disbanded the Templars in 1312. The coordinated arrests weakened independent military orders and strengthened secular...

Culture 14th Century Europe

Duccio's Maestà Altarpiece Unveiled in Siena Cathedral

Duccio di Buoninsegna, the leading Sienese painter of his generation, completed a massive double-sided altarpiece commissioned in 1308 for the high altar of Siena Cathedral after working on it with assistants for three years. The work depicted the Madonna and Child enthroned with saints on the front and scenes from the Passion on the back, representing a pinnacle of early Italian Gothic art with its gold backgrounds and expressive figures. On June 9, 1311, the finished Maestà was carried in a solemn procession through the streets of Siena accompanied by musicians, clergy, and citizens before being installed in the cathedral. Contemporary accounts describe the event as a major civic celebration honoring both the artist and the city's patron saint. The...

Politics 14th Century Europe

Scottish Barons Issue Declaration of Arbroath

Following decades of conflict in the First War of Scottish Independence, King Robert the Bruce faced excommunication from Pope John XXII for continuing resistance against English claims. Scottish nobles and freeholders gathered at Arbroath Abbey to draft a formal letter to the pope asserting Scotland's ancient sovereignty and independence. Dated April 6, 1320, the document rejected English overlordship, detailed historical grievances, and affirmed the right of the Scottish people to choose their king while pledging loyalty to Bruce as long as he defended their liberty. It emphasized that no honest man gives up freedom except with life itself. The letter was sealed by numerous barons and dispatched to Avignon.

Military 14th Century Europe

English Longbows Triumph at Battle of Crécy

During the early phase of the Hundred Years' War, King Edward III of England launched a chevauchée through Normandy. After landing in France and advancing inland, his army of roughly 14,000 faced a much larger French force under King Philip VI near the village of Crécy. On August 26, 1346, the English positioned themselves defensively on a slope. English longbowmen repeatedly repelled charges by French cavalry and Genoese crossbowmen, while dismounted men-at-arms held the line. The French suffered heavy casualties, including many nobles, and retreated in disorder. Edward's victory allowed him to proceed with the siege of Calais.

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Military 14th Century Europe

English Forces Capture Scottish King David II

In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, Scotland allied with France to divert English attention from campaigns in France. King David II of Scotland led an invasion of northern England in October 1346. On October 17, English forces under Henry Percy and Ralph Neville intercepted the Scottish army near Durham at the Battle of Neville's Cross. The Scots suffered a decisive defeat, with many nobles killed or captured. King David II himself was taken prisoner after fierce fighting. He was held in the Tower of London and elsewhere in England for the next eleven years until a ransom was arranged.

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Culture 14th Century Europe

Edward III Establishes Order of the Garter

During the Hundred Years' War, King Edward III of England sought to bolster loyalty among his nobility and project chivalric prestige amid ongoing conflicts with France. Inspired by Arthurian legends and possibly by a courtly incident involving a dropped garter, he created England's premier order of knighthood on April 23, 1348, coinciding with the feast of St. George, the country's patron saint. The order initially comprised the sovereign and twenty-five knights, emphasizing military valor, courtly behavior, and allegiance to the crown. Its motto, 'Honi soit qui mal y pense,' and blue garter insignia became enduring symbols of English honor. The order's chapel at St. George's, Windsor, served as its spiritual center from the outset.

Military 14th Century Europe

Battle of Poitiers Captures French King John II

The Hundred Years' War between England and France had already seen major clashes like Crécy two decades earlier, with English longbow tactics proving decisive against French cavalry. In 1356, Edward the Black Prince led a smaller Anglo-Gascon force into western France seeking supplies and plunder while French King John II assembled a much larger army to intercept him. On September 19 near Poitiers, the English positioned defensively behind a hedge on a slope; French attacks in successive divisions faltered under archery fire, leading to hand-to-hand combat where dismounted French knights suffered heavy losses. King John II was captured along with many nobles after his division was overwhelmed. The immediate result was a catastrophic French defeat that forced negotiations and an...

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Military 14th Century East Asia

Battle of Lake Poyang Ends in Major Chinese Victory

In the closing stages of the Red Turban Rebellion against the Yuan dynasty, rival rebel leaders Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang clashed on Lake Poyang in Jiangxi province, China. The conflict, one of history's largest naval engagements involving hundreds of thousands of participants, had raged since late August with fleets of tower ships and fire attacks. By early October, Zhu's forces gained the upper hand through strategic use of fire ships and artillery. On October 4, Chen Youliang was killed by an arrow during the final confrontation, leading to the collapse of his fleet. Zhu Yuanzhang secured control of the Yangtze River valley, paving the way for his eventual founding of the Ming dynasty.

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Politics 14th Century East Asia

Zhu Yuanzhang Establishes Ming Dynasty

Following the collapse of Mongol Yuan rule amid widespread rebellions, peasant leader Zhu Yuanzhang emerged victorious after key battles including the massive naval engagement at Lake Poyang. On January 23, 1368, in Nanjing, he proclaimed himself the Hongwu Emperor and founded the Ming dynasty, ending over a century of foreign domination. He immediately ordered campaigns northward that forced the last Yuan emperor to flee. The new regime restored Han Chinese governance and centralized administration under native control. This marked the beginning of a 276-year era of cultural and economic revival in China.

Politics 14th Century Europe

Pope Gregory XI Returns Papacy to Rome

For nearly seven decades, the popes had resided in Avignon, France, under the influence of French monarchs following the move initiated by Pope Clement V in 1309. This period, known as the Avignon Papacy or Babylonian Captivity, distanced the papal court from its traditional seat in Rome and fueled criticism of the Church's independence. Pope Gregory XI, the last French pope and seventh Avignon pontiff, faced mounting pressure from Italian figures including St. Catherine of Siena, who urged his return to restore the Church's spiritual authority and address conflicts in Italy. On January 17, 1377, Gregory made a solemn entrance into Rome after departing Avignon the previous year and traveling via sea to Ostia. He entered the city despite opposition...

Politics 14th Century Europe

Peasants' Revolt Rebels Enter London and Burn Savoy Palace

England faced widespread unrest in 1381 after years of heavy taxation to fund wars with France and the imposition of a new poll tax that burdened the poor. Led by Wat Tyler and other figures, thousands of peasants and townspeople from Kent and Essex marched toward the capital to demand an end to serfdom and tax relief. On June 13, the rebels reached London, where they were joined by local supporters. They attacked prisons, released inmates, and targeted symbols of royal authority, including the lavish Savoy Palace owned by John of Gaunt, which they looted and set ablaze. Government officials and associates were killed in the violence that followed.

Civil Rights 14th Century Europe

Peasants' Revolt Rebels Storm Tower of London

In the wake of the Black Death and amid economic hardship from the Statute of Labourers and repeated poll taxes, unrest erupted in southeast England in May 1381. Led by figures including Wat Tyler, thousands of rebels from Kent and Essex marched on London to protest taxation and serfdom. On June 14, King Richard II met Essex rebels at Mile End and granted temporary concessions including charters abolishing serfdom. Meanwhile, Kentish rebels entered the Tower of London without resistance, seizing and beheading Chancellor Simon Sudbury and Treasurer Robert Hales. The event highlighted deep social tensions in late medieval England and forced the young king into direct negotiations.

Politics 14th Century Europe

Treaty of Windsor Ratified Between England and Portugal

In the late 14th century, Portugal faced threats from Castile during the 1383–1385 succession crisis following the death of King Ferdinand I. John I of Portugal secured victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385 with English military support, including archers. On May 9, 1386, the Treaty of Windsor was ratified at Windsor, England, formalizing a perpetual alliance of mutual defense and friendship between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Kingdom of England under Richard II. The agreement committed both nations to aid each other against common enemies and was sealed by the marriage of John I to Philippa of Lancaster. This pact built upon earlier treaties from 1373 and established one of history's longest-lasting diplomatic relationships.

Politics 14th Century Europe

Kalmar Union Unites Denmark, Sweden, and Norway

In the closing years of the fourteenth century, Queen Margaret I of Denmark had already secured control over Denmark and Norway following the death of her son Olaf. Facing threats from German expansion and internal noble conflicts in Sweden, she maneuvered to place her great-nephew Eric of Pomerania on multiple thrones. After Eric's election as king in each realm during 1396, Margaret convened the councils of state from all three kingdoms at Kalmar in Sweden. On June 17, 1397, Eric was crowned in a joint ceremony in Kalmar Cathedral, and a union treaty was drafted establishing a single monarch over Denmark, Sweden, and Norway while preserving some separate institutions. The agreement aimed to create a stable northern bloc but left...

Politics 14th Century Europe

Richard II Deposed as Henry Bolingbroke Claims Throne

By late September 1399, Henry Bolingbroke had returned from exile and rapidly gained support against his cousin King Richard II of England, whose rule had grown increasingly tyrannical after years of conflict with the nobility. Richard, who had been campaigning in Ireland, surrendered at Flint Castle in August and was brought to London. On September 29, he was persuaded to sign an abdication document in the Tower of London. The following day, September 30, the Archbishop of Canterbury read the formal abdication statement to Parliament at Westminster Hall, where thirty-three articles of deposition were presented and accepted by the lords and commons. Bolingbroke was then proclaimed King Henry IV. Richard was imprisoned and later died in captivity under unclear circumstances.