
Year 1421 (
MCDXXI) was a
common year starting on Wednesday
A common year starting on Wednesday is any non-leap year (a year with 365 days) that begins on Wednesday, January 1, and ends on
Wednesday, December 31. Its dominical letter hence is E. The current year, 2025, is a common year starting on Wedne ...
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–March
* January 13
Events Pre-1600
* 27 BC – Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years.
* 532 – The Nika riots break out, during the ra ...
– Al-Muzaffar Ahmad becomes the Mamluk sultan of Egypt and Syria upon the death of his father, Al-Mu'ayyad Shaykh
* January 19
Events Pre-1600
* 379 – Emperor Gratian elevates Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium to '' Augustus'', and gives him authority over all the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire.
* 649 – Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surren ...
– The coronation of John VIII Palaiologos as the Emperor
The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
of Byzantium
Byzantium () or Byzantion () was an ancient Greek city in classical antiquity that became known as Constantinople in late antiquity and Istanbul today. The Greek name ''Byzantion'' and its Latinization ''Byzantium'' continued to be used as a n ...
, the "Eastern Roman Empire", takes place in Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
.
* February 2
Events Pre-1600
* 506 – Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths, promulgates the Breviary of Alaric (''Breviarium Alaricianum'' or ''Lex Romana Visigothorum''), a collection of " Roman law".
* 880 – Battle of Lüneburg Heath: ...
– China's Cheng Zu, third emperor of the Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
, shifts the Ming capital from Nanjing
Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400.
Situated in the Yang ...
to Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
.
* February 23
Events Pre-1600
* 303 – Roman emperor Diocletian orders the destruction of the Christian church in Nicomedia, beginning eight years of Diocletianic Persecution.
* 532 – Byzantine emperor Justinian I lays the foundation stone o ...
– The coronation of Catherine of Valois as Queen consort of England takes place at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
.
*March 3
Events Pre-1600
* 473 – Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
* 724 – Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan.
* 1575 ...
– Zheng He
Zheng He (also romanized Cheng Ho; 1371–1433/1435) was a Chinese eunuch, admiral and diplomat from the early Ming dynasty, who is often regarded as the greatest admiral in History of China, Chinese history. Born into a Muslims, Muslim famil ...
receives an imperial order from China's Emperor Cheng Zu to begin the Ming treasure voyages, carrying imperial letters, silk products and other gifts to various rulers of countries around the Indian Ocean.
* March 12
Events Pre-1600
* 538 – Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city to the victorious Byzantine general, Belisarius.
* 1088 – Election of Urban II as the 159th Pope of th ...
– In his campaign to rid Germany of Jewish people, Albert V, Duke of Austria issues a death sentence against wealthy Jews who had been imprisoned as part of his order of May 23, 1420. On March 12, the burning at the stake of 120 women and 92 women is carried out south of the city walls of Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
.
* March 17
Events Pre-1600
* 45 BC – In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda.
* 180 – Commodus becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire at the age of ...
– 12 Rabi al-Awwal 824 AH: Ibrahim ibn Hasan ibn Ajlan and his brother Barakat ibn Hasan are confirmed by the Mamluk Egyptian Sultan Al-Muzaffar Ahmad as co-Emirs of Mecca.
* March 21
Events Pre-1600
* 537 – Siege of Rome: King Vitiges attempts to assault the northern and eastern city walls, but is repulsed at the Praenestine Gate, known as the '' Vivarium'', by the defenders under the Byzantine generals Bessas ...
– Battle of Baugé: A small French force, led by Gilbert Motier de La Fayette, surprises and defeats a smaller English force under Thomas, Duke of Clarence, a brother of King Henry V of England
Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422), also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England from 1413 until his death in 1422. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes in the Hundred Years' War against ...
, in Normandy
Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.
Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
. Thomas, heir to the throne and Crown Prince as is killed in the attack, along with about 1,000 other of men.
April–June
* April 8
Events Pre-1600
* 217 – Roman emperor Caracalla is assassinated and is succeeded by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus.
* 876 – The Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul saves Baghdad from the Saffarids.
* 1139 – ...
– Maredudd ab Owain Glyndŵr, son of the Welsh rebel Owain Glyndŵr
Owain ap Gruffydd (28 May 135420 September 1415), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr (Glyn Dŵr, , anglicised as Owen Glendower) was a Welsh people, Welsh leader, soldier and military commander in the Wales in the late Middle Ages, late Middle ...
, accepts a pardon from, and swears loyalty to England's King Henry V, formally bringing an end to the Glyndŵr rebellion.
* April 12
Events Pre-1600
* 240 – Shapur I becomes co-emperor of the Sasanian Empire with his father Ardashir I.
* 467 – Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
* 627 – King Edwin of Northumbria is converted to ...
– Hedwig Jagiellon, the 13-year-old daughter of and heiress presumptive to Wladyslaw II, King of Poland, is betrothed in a marriage contract to Prince Frederick, the 7-year-old son of Frederick I, Elector of Brandenburg as part of an alliance between Poland and Brandenburg during the Brandenburg–Pomeranian conflict. The marriage is scheduled to take place after November 19, 1427, when Prince Frederick is to be 14 years old, at which time he will live in Poland and become eligible to serve with Hedwig as ruler of Poland and Lithuania. The marriage will never take place, and the contract is annulled in 1424 when a male heir to the Polish throne, Wladyslaw, is born.
* April 24
Events Pre-1600
* 1479 BC – Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th dynasty).
* 1183 BC – Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy ...
– The Sedlec Abbey, a monastery for the Cistercians
The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
order in Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
, is looted and burned by Hussites led by Jan Žižka
Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha (; 1360 – 11 October 1424) was a Czechs, Czech military leader and Knight who was a contemporary and follower of Jan Hus, and a prominent Radical Hussite who led the Taborites, Taborite faction during the Hu ...
, and several of the monks inside are killed.
* May 26
Events Pre-1600
* 17 – Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe.
* 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire ta ...
– Mehmed I, Sultan
Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
, dies and is succeeded by his son, Murad II.
* June 10 – One year after returning home for his marriage to Catherine of Valois, and in the English defeat in the Battle of Baugé, King Henry V of England sails back to France with new troops to continue fighting in the Hundred Years War.
* June 25 – Prince Charles of Valois, the oldest son of King Charles VI and former Dauphin before being disinehrited by his father, captures the English fortress at Gallardon and has the entire garrison executed for treason, and then retakes Chartres
Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
.
July–September
* July 2 – At Erciş in what is now Turkey, Iskandar ibn Yusuf is crowned as the Sultan
Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
of Qara Qoyunlu, a kingdom encompassing what are now eastern Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, northwestern Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
and northern Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
, northern Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
and all of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
.
* July 15 – A ceasefire is declared in the Great Frisian War as the representatives warring parties agree to a treaty at the city of Greetsiel
Greetsiel is a small seaport, port on the bight of Leybucht in western East Frisia, Germany, that was first documented in letters from the year 1388. Since 1972, Greetsiel has been part of the municipality of Krummhörn, which has its administrati ...
in what is now the German region of Ostfriesland. A boundary is set at the Lauwers River in the Netherlands with the territory to the west (Friesland
Friesland ( ; ; official ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia (), named after the Frisians, is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen (p ...
) going to the Frisian rebel group, the Skieringers. The lands to the east Groningen
Groningen ( , ; ; or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of ...
go the Fetkeapers.
* August 5 – At the Battle of Brüx, Hussite troops led by Jan Želivský
Jan Želivský (1380 in Humpolec – 9 March 1422 in Prague) was a prominent Czech priest during the Hussite Bohemian Reformation, Reformation.
Life
Želivský preached at Church of Saint Mary Major. He was one of a few Utraquism, Utraquist prie ...
, are defeated by the German Saxon baron Frederick of Meissen at what is now the city of Most in what is now the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
.
* August 29 – Sayf al-Din Tatar, becomes the new Mamluk Sultan of Egypt and Syria after leading a coup d'etat overthrowing and imprisoning his brother, Al-Muzaffar Ahmad.
* September 12– In what is now South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
, Taejong of Goryeo, King of Joseon from 1400 to 1418, then King Emeritus since 1418, is crowned as the first Grand King Emeritus of Joseon.
* September 28– A treaty is signed at Vienna between Sigismund, King of Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia and Germany and Albert V, Duke of Austria for Sigismund's daughter Elizabeth of Luxembourg, to marry Albert (on April 19, 1422) and confirming Elizabeth's rights as heiress presumptive to the thrones of Hungary and Bohemia.
October–December
* October 20
Events Pre-1600
*1568 – The Spanish Duke of Alba defeats a Dutch rebel force under William the Silent.
* 1572 – Eighty Years' War: Three thousand Spanish soldiers wade through fifteen miles of water in one night to effect the r ...
–King Henry V summons the English Parliament for the last time in his life, directing the members to assemble at Westminster on December 1.
* November 17– 19 – St. Elizabeth's flood: The coastal area near Dordrecht
Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Western Netherlands, lo ...
in the Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
is flooded, due to the extremely high tide of the North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
; 72 villages are drowned, killing about 10,000 people, and the course of the Meuse
The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of .
History
From 1301, the upper ...
is changed.
* November 30 – Al-Nasir al-Din Muhammad beomes the fourth Mamluk Sultan of Egypt and Syria in less than a year when his father Sayf al-Din Tatar, dies after only three months on the throne.
* December 1 – The 11th and last Parliament of King Henry V assembles at Westminster and elects Richard Baynard as Speaker of the House of Commons.
* December 21
Events Pre-1600
*AD 69 – The Roman Senate declares Vespasian Roman emperor, emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors.
*1124 – Pope Honorius II is consecrated, having been elected after the controversial dethroning ...
– Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, a ...
: At the Battle of Kutná Hora
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...
, the Bohemian Hussites led by Jan Zizka, and using the best weapons available, force the exit of the crusaders of the Holy Roman Empire. Among the new wespons developed by Zizka's officers are the "war wagon
A war wagon is any of several historical types of early fighting vehicle involving an armed or armored animal-drawn cart or wagon.
China
One of the earliest example of using conjoined wagons in warfare as fortification is described in the Chine ...
", a vehicle with reinforced sides and small openings from which guns can be fired.
* December 26 – In India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, Ahmad Shah I, the Sultan of Gujarat and his troops, camped at Sarangpur, resist a surprise counter-attack by the army of the Malwa Sultanate
The Malwa Sultanate was a late medieval kingdom in the Malwa, Malwa region, covering the present day Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and south-eastern Rajasthan from 1401 to 1562. It was founded by Dilawar Khan, who following Timur's invasion ...
, led by the Sultan Hoshang Shah.
Date unknown
* John III of Dampierre, Marquis of Namur, sells his estates to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy () was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by the Crown lands of France, French crown in 1477, and later by members of the House of Habsburg, including Holy Roman E ...
.
* The first patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...
is issued by the Republic of Florence.
* Portuguese sailors sent by Henry the Navigator
Princy Henry of Portugal, Duke of Viseu ( Portuguese: ''Infante Dom Henrique''; 4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), better known as Prince Henry the Navigator (), was a Portuguese prince and a central figure in the early days of the Portuguese ...
cross Cape Non, going as far as Cape Bojador
Cape Bojador (, Arabic transliteration, trans. ''Rā's Būjādūr''; , ''Bujdur''; Spanish language, Spanish and ; ) is a headland on the west coast of Western Sahara, at 26° 07' 37"N, 14° 29' 57"W (various sources give various locations: this ...
.
* Traditional date – Larabanga Mosque
The Larabanga Mosque () is a mosque built in the Sudano-Sahelian architecture, Sudanese architectural style in the village of Larabanga, Ghana. It is the oldest mosque in the country and one of the oldest in West Africa, and has been referred ...
is founded, in modern-day northern Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
.
Births
*
March 9
Events Pre-1600
*141 BC – Liu Che, Posthumous name, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han dynasty of China.
*1009 – First known mention of Lithuania, in the Annals of Quedlinburg, annals of the mo ...
–
Francesco Sassetti, Italian banker (d.
1490)
*
May 29
Events Pre-1600
* 363 – The Roman emperor Julian defeats the Sasanian army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Sasanian capital, but is unable to take the city.
* 1108 – Battle of Uclés: Almoravid troops unde ...
–
Charles, Prince of Viana (d.
1461)
*
June 3
Events Pre-1600
* 350 – The Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman emperor, entering Rome at the head of a group of gladiators.
* 713 – The Byzantine Empire, Byzantine emperor Philippikos Ba ...
–
Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici
Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici (3 June 1421 – 23 September 1463) was an Italian banker and patron of arts.
Giovanni was the son of Cosimo de' Medici the Elder and Contessina de' Bardi, and brother to Piero the Gouty. Unlike the latter, Giov ...
, Italian noble (d.
1463)
*
July 25 –
Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland, English politician (d.
1461)
*
August 1
Events Pre-1600
* 30 BC – Octavian (later known as Augustus) enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Republic.
*AD 69 – Batavian rebellion: The Batavians in Germania Inferior (Netherlands) revolt u ...
–
Thomas Dutton, English knight (d.
1459)
*
October 10 –
John Paston, English politician (d.
1466)
*
December 6 – King
Henry VI of England
Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and 1470 to 1471, and English claims to the French throne, disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V of England, Henry V, he succeeded ...
(d. 1471)
* ''date unknown'' – Sōgi, Japanese poet and Buddhist priest (d. 1502)
Deaths
* January 10 – Niccolò I Trinci, lord of Foligno (assassinated)
* January 15 – Helvis of Brunswick-Grubenhagen, queen consort of Armenia and Cyprus (born 1353)
* March 22 – Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, second son of Henry IV of England (killed in battle) (born 1388)
* April 21 – John FitzAlan, 13th Earl of Arundel (born 1385)
* May – Balša III, ruler of Zeta
*
May 26
Events Pre-1600
* 17 – Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe.
* 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire ta ...
–
Mehmed I, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1389)
* June 21 – Jean Le Maingre, marshal of France (b. 1366)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1421
1421,