Year 1344 ( MCCCXLIV) was a

leap year starting on Thursday A leap year starting on Thursday is any year with 366 days (i.e. it includes 29 February) that begins on Thursday 1 January, and ends on Friday 31 December. Its dominical letters hence are DC. The most recent year of such kind was 2004, and the n ...

of the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...

Events

January–December

March 26 Events Pre-1600 * 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 624 – First Eid al-Fitr celebration. * 1021 – The death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret ...

– ''

Reconquista The ''Reconquista'' (Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese for ) or the fall of al-Andalus was a series of military and cultural campaigns that European Christian Reconquista#Northern Christian realms, kingdoms waged ag ...

'': The

Siege of Algeciras (1342–44) A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characte ...

, one of the first European military engagements where gunpowder is used, ends with the Muslim city of Algeciras surrendering and being incorporated into the

Kingdom of Castile The Kingdom of Castile (; : ) was a polity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It traces its origins to the 9th-century County of Castile (, ), as an eastern frontier lordship of the Kingdom of León. During the 10th century, the Ca ...

. *

April 17 Events Pre-1600 * 1080 – Harald III of Denmark dies and is succeeded by Canute IV, who would later be the first Dane to be canonized. * 1349 – The rule of the Bavand dynasty in Mazandaran is brought to an end by the murder of H ...

–

Constantine II, King of Armenia Constantine II (), (also Constantine IV; Western Armenian transliteration: ''Gosdantin''; died 17 April 1344), born Guy de Lusignan, was elected the first Latin Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, King of Armenian Cilicia of the Poitiers-Lusignan dyn ...

, is killed in an uprising and succeeded by a distant cousin,

Constantine III Constantine III may refer to: * Constantine III (Western Roman emperor), self-proclaimed western Roman Emperor 407–411 * Heraclius Constantine, Byzantine Emperor in 641 * Constans II, Byzantine emperor 641–668, sometimes referred to under this ...

. *

April 23 Events Pre-1600 * 215 BC – A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene. *599 – Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul attacks rival city-state Palenque in so ...

– The

St. George's Night Uprising Saint George's Night Uprising in 1343–1345 (, ) was an unsuccessful attempt by the indigenous Estonian population in the Duchy of Estonia, the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek, and the insular territories of the State of the Teutonic Order to rid th ...

: The

Livonian Order The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order, formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation. History The order was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after thei ...

hangs Vesse, the rebel

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

Elder of

Saaremaa Saaremaa (; ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring , its population is 31,435 (as of January 2020). The main island of the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago), it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hi ...

Island. *

May 13 Events Pre-1600 * 1344 – A Latin Christian fleet defeats a Turkish fleet in the battle of Pallene during the Smyrniote crusades. *1373 – Julian of Norwich has visions of Jesus while suffering from a life-threatening illness, v ...

–

Battle of Pallene The Battle of Pallene occurred in 1344 between the fleets of a Latin Christian league and Turkish raiders, at the Pallene Peninsula in northern Greece. Battle The battle is known through the chronicle of the Paduan jurist Guglielmo Cortusi, an ...

: A Christian fleet defeats a Turkish fleet at

Pallene, Chalcidice Kassandra () or Kassandra Peninsula () is a peninsula and a municipality in Chalkidiki, Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is in Kassandreia. Municipality The municipality Kassandra was formed at the 2011 local government reform by t ...

. *

October 24 Events Pre-1600 *AD 69 – In the Second Battle of Bedriacum, troops loyal to Vespasian defeat those of Emperor Vitellius. * 1260 – Chartres Cathedral is dedicated in the presence of King Louis IX of France. * 1260 – Afte ...

–

Smyrniote Crusade The Smyrniote crusades (1343–1351) were two Crusades sent by Pope Clement VI against the Beylik of Aydin under Umur Bey which had as their principal target the coastal city of Smyrna in Asia Minor. The crusade was mostly successful in restricti ...

: A Christian fleet succeeds in taking the port city of

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...

from the Aydinid Turks. *

December 6 Events Pre-1600 * 1060 – Béla I is crowned king of Hungary. * 1240 – Mongol invasion of Rus': Kyiv, defended by Voivode Dmytro, falls to the Mongols under Batu Khan. *1492 – After exploring the island of Cuba (which he h ...

– Five-year-old Erik Magnusson, the eldest son of King

Magnus IV of Sweden Magnus Eriksson (April or May 1316 – 1 December 1374) was King of Sweden from 1319 to 1364, King of Norway as Magnus VII from 1319 to 1355, and ruler of Scania from 1332 to 1360. By adversaries he has been called ''Magnus Smek'' (). Medi ...

, is appointed heir to the Swedish throne, even though Sweden is an elective monarchy at this time.

Date unknown

* King

Edward III of England Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after t ...

introduces three new gold coins, the

florin The Florentine florin was a gold coin (in Italian ''Fiorino d'oro'') struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard during that time. It had 54 grains () of nominally pure or 'fine' gold with a pu ...

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant cat species in the genus ''Panthera''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of with a ...

, and helm. Unfortunately, the amount of gold in the coins does not match their value of 6 shillings, 3 shillings, and 1 shilling and sixpence, so they have to be withdrawn and mostly melted down, by August of this year. *

Bablake School Bablake School is a secondary school, secondary co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day school located in Coventry, England. It was founded in 1344 by Isabella of France, widow of Edward II of England, Edward II, maki ...

is founded in

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

by the dowager Queen Isabella. * The

Compagnia dei Bardi The Compagnia dei Bardi was a Florentine banking and trading company which was started by the Bardi family, and which became one of the major medieval “super-companies” of the 14th Century. History The Bardi company was one of three major Flo ...

in Florence goes bankrupt, along with the

Peruzzi The Peruzzi family were bankers of Florence, among the leading families of the city in the 14th century, before the rise to prominence of the Medici. Their modest antecedents stretched back to the mid 11th century, according to the family's gen ...

Bank and the Acciaiuoli Bank. * A large public dial clock is installed in the tower of the Palazzo Capitaniato,

Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...

, commissioned by Prince

Ubertino I da Carrara Ubertino I (or II) da Carrara (also ''Uberto'', ''Umberto'' or ''Umbertino''; died 29 March 1345), called Novello and better known as Ubertinello, was the Lord of Padua from 1338 until his death. Tomb of Ubertino da Carrara Youth Ubertinello wa ...

and supervised by

Jacopo Dondi dell'Orologio Jacopo Dondi dall'Orologio (1290–1359), also known as Jacopo de' Dondi, was a doctor, astronomer and clock-maker active in Padua, Italy. He is remembered today as a pioneer in the art of clock design and construction. He was the father of Gio ...

. * A famine occurs in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. * King

Peter IV of Aragon Peter IV (Catalan: ''Pere IV d'Aragó;'' Aragonese; ''Pero IV d'Aragón;'' 5 September 1319 – 6 January 1387), called the Ceremonious (Catalan: ''El Cerimoniós''; Aragonese: ''el Ceremonioso''), was from 1336 until his death the king of ...

defeats and deposes his

cousin A cousin is a relative who is the child of a parent's sibling; this is more specifically referred to as a first cousin. A parent of a first cousin is an aunt or uncle. More generally, in the kinship system used in the English-speaking world, ...

James III of Majorca James III ( – ), known as James the Rash (or the Unfortunate), was King of Majorca from 1324 to 1344. He was the son of Ferdinand of Majorca and Isabella of Sabran. Life James was born in Catania, Sicily. Margaret of Villehardouin, Jame ...

, thereby absorbing the Balearic

Kingdom of Majorca The Kingdom of Majorca (, ; ; ; ) was an insular realm off the east coast of modern day Spain, which included the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The islands were conquered from the Almohad Caliphate by James I of Aragon, ...

into the

Crown of Aragon The Crown of Aragon (, ) ;, ; ; . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona (later Principality of Catalonia) and ended as a consequence of the War of the Sp ...

. *

Newaya Krestos Newaya Krestos (; throne name: Sayf Ar'ed, lit. "sword of terror") was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1344 to 1372, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the eldest son of Amda Seyon I. Reign According to James Bruce, Newaya Krestos was pre ...

succeeds his father

Amda Seyon I Amda Seyon I, also known as Amda Tsiyon I ( , , "Pillar of Zion"), throne name Gebre Mesqel (ገብረ መስቀል , "Servant of the Cross"), was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1314 to 1344 and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He is best known ...

Emperor of Ethiopia The emperor of Ethiopia (, "King of Kings"), also known as the Atse (, "emperor"), was the hereditary monarchy, hereditary ruler of the Ethiopian Empire, from at least the 13th century until the abolition of the monarchy in 1975. The emperor w ...

Births

February 9 Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Zeno (emperor), Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Roman Empire *1003 – Boleslaus III, Duke of Bohemia, Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I ...

– Meinhard III, Count of Tyrol (d.

1363 Year 1363 ( MCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * April 9 – Haakon VI of Norway marries Margaret I of Denmark. * August – The Revolt of Saint Titus, against t ...

) *

September 18 Events Pre-1600 * 96 – Emperor Domitian is assassinated as a result of a plot by his wife Domitia and two Praetorian prefects. Nerva is then proclaimed as his successor. * 324 – Constantine the Great decisively defeats Licinius i ...

– Marie Valois, French princess, daughter of King

John II of France John II (; 26 April 1319 – 8 April 1364), called John the Good (French: ''Jean le Bon''), was King of France from 1350 until his death in 1364. When he came to power, France faced several disasters: the Black Death, which killed between a thir ...

(d.

1404 Year 1404 ( MCDIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events January–March *January 14 – The fourth Parliament of King Henry IV of England opens for a session of two months. *February 10 – Thoma ...

) *

October 10 Events Pre-1600 * 19 – The Roman general Germanicus dies near Antioch. He was convinced that the mysterious illness that ended in his death was a result of poisoning by the Syrian governor Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, whom he had ordered to ...

– Mary Plantagenet, duchess consort of Brittany, daughter of King

(d.

1362 Year 1362 ( MCCCLXII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * January 1 – The Grand Duchy of Lithuania switches New Year to January 1, before any other country does. * January 1 ...

) * ''date unknown'' **

Beatrix of Bavaria Beatrix of Bavaria (also of Brandenburg, of Wittelsbach; died 1359) was Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Erik Magnusson (1339–1359) who co-ruled Sweden with his father King Magnus Eriksson. Biography Beatrix was the daughter of Margrave ...

, queen consort of Sweden (d.

1359 Year 1359 ( MCCCLIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * May 25 – The French States-General repudiates the terms of the Second Treaty of London, signed earlier in the year ...

) **

Azzo X d'Este Azzo X d'Este (1344–1415) was an Italian condottiero, a member of the House of Este. Born into a cadet branch of the family, he contested the seigniory of Ferrara to the young Niccolò III, an illegitimate son of marquess Alberto d'Este who was ...

, Italian condottiero (d.

1415 Year 1415 (MCDXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events January–March * January 24 – France and England agree to extend their truce in the ongoing Burgundian War after the English Bishop of Durh ...

) **

John I, Count of La Marche John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

(d.

1393 Year 1393 ( MCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events * January 28 – Bal des Ardents: Four members of the court of Charles VI of France die in a fire, at a masqu ...

) ** Parameswara, Malay Srivijayan prince (d.

1424 Year 1424 ( MCDXXIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events January–March * January 23 – William Cheyne becomes the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, replacing the late William Hankford. ...

)

Deaths

January 4 Events Pre-1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar fights Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina. * 871 – Battle of Reading (871), Battle of Reading: Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred the Great, Alfred are defeated by a Danish invasi ...

– Robert de Lisle, 1st Baron Lisle, English peer (b.

1288 Year 1288 ( MCCLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * A civil war breaks out on Gotland between the burghers of Visby and the rural farmers of Gotland; while the exact reason ...

) *

January 11 Events Pre-1600 * 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence. * 630 – Conquest of Mecca: Muhammad and his ...

– Thomas Charlton, Bishop of Hereford, Lord High Treasurer of England, Lord Privy Seal, and Lord Chancellor of Ireland *

January 30 Events Pre-1600 * 1018 – Poland and the Holy Roman Empire conclude the Peace of Bautzen. * 1287 – King Wareru founds the Hanthawaddy Kingdom, and proclaims independence from the Pagan Kingdom. 1601–1900 * 1607 – An es ...

–

William Montacute, 1st Earl of Salisbury William Montagu, alias de Montacute, 1st Earl of Salisbury, 3rd Baron Montagu, King of Man (1301 – 30 January 1344) was an English nobleman and loyal servant of King Edward III. He was the first king of an independent Manx Kingdom. The so ...

(b.

1301 Year 1301 ( MCCCI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events January– March * January 14 – With the death of King Andrew III ("Andrew the Venetian") after a short illness, possibly from poisoning, the � ...

) *

–

(Gosdantin, Կոստանդին Բ) *

June 29 Events Pre-1600 * 226 – Cao Rui succeeds his father as emperor of Wei. * 1149 – Raymond of Poitiers is defeated and killed at the Battle of Inab by Nur ad-Din Zangi. * 1170 – A major earthquake hits Syria, badly damagi ...

–

Joan of Savoy Joan of Savoy (1310 – 29 June 1344), was Duchess consort of Brittany by marriage to John III, Duke of Brittany. Joan was the claimant to the County of Savoy upon the death of her father in 1329 until 1339. Life Joan was born in 1310, and w ...

, duchess consort of Brittany, throne claimant of Savoy (b.

1310 Year 1310 ( MCCCX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events January – March * January 19 – General Malik Kafur of the Delhi Sultanate begins the siege of Warangal, capital of the Kakatiya kingdom in ...

) *

July 11 Events Pre-1600 * 813 – Byzantine emperor Michael I, under threat by conspiracies, abdicates in favor of his general Leo the Armenian, and becomes a monk (under the name Athanasius). * 911 – Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair ...

–

Ulrich III, Count of Württemberg Ulrich III (1286/129111 July 1344) was County of Württemberg, Count of Württemberg from 1325 until his death in 1344. Life Ulrich was born between 1286 and 1291 to Count Eberhard I, Count of Württemberg, Eberhard I and an uncertain mother, e ...

(b. c.

1286 Year 1286 ( MCCLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * January 6 – The 17-year-old Philip IV (the Fair) is crowned king of France at Reims. He settles the Aragonese confl ...

) *

July 16 Events Pre-1600 * 622 – The Hijrah of Muhammad begins, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar. * 997 – Battle of Spercheios: Bulgarian forces of Tsar Samuel are defeated by a Byzantine army under general Nikephoros Ouran ...

– An-Nasir Ahmad, deposed Bahri Mamluk sultan of Egypt (b.

1316 Year 1316 ( MCCCXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events January – March * January 4 – Sultan Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate dies after a 19-year reign at Delhi. He is succeeded by his 5-y ...

) * ''date unknown'' **

Gersonides Levi ben Gershon (1288 – 20 April 1344), better known by his Graecized name as Gersonides, or by his Latinized name Magister Leo Hebraeus, or in Hebrew by the abbreviation of first letters as ''RaLBaG'', was a medieval French Jewish philosoph ...

, French rabbi and mathematician (b.

) **

Raoul I of Brienne, Count of Eu Raoul I of Brienne (died 19 January 1344, Paris) was the son of John II of Brienne, Count of Eu and Jeanne, Countess of Guînes. He succeeded his father as Count of Eu in 1302, and his mother as Count of Guînes in 1332. In 1329, he was named Cons ...

, Emperor of Ethiopia **

Wajih ad-Din Mas'ud Wajih ad-Din Mas'ud (died 1344) was the leader of the Sarbadars of Sabzewar from 1338-1343 until his death. Under his rule, the Sarbadar state developed its characteristic dual nature as both a secular and radical Shi'i state. Early Reign Mas'ud ...

, leader of the Sarbadars of Sabzewar ** Prince Narinaga, Japanese

Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

(b.

1326 Year 1326 (Roman numerals, MCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. Events January – March * January 21 – The foundation of Oriel College, Oxford, Oriel College (or King's College), the University ...

, d. either

1337 Year 1337 ( MCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * March 16 – Edward, the Black Prince establishes the Duchy of Cornwall, becoming the first English Duke. * May 24 ...

or 1344, the sources are contradictory). * ''probable'' –

Simone Martini Simone Martini ( – July 1344) was an Italian painter born in Siena. He was a major figure in the development of early Italian painting and greatly influenced the development of the International Gothic style. It is thought that Martini was a p ...

, Sienese painter (b.

1284 Year 1284 ( MCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Aragonese Crusade: The first French armies under King Philip III (the Bold) and his 14-year-old son Charles of Valois enter ...

)

References

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