January–March •
January 2 – The
Battle of Kunovica is fought between the Christian crusaders, led by
John Hunyadi, and the Muslim armies of the Ottoman Empire in what is now
Serbia. After having retreated 10 days earlier following their loss in the
Battle of Zlatitsa, Hunyadi and
King Wladyslaw III of Hungary defeat the Ottoman forces and take several of their commanders as prisoners of war, including Mahmud Bey, son-in-law of the Sultan Murad II. •
February 15 –
Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, the
Grand Duke of Bosnia, signs a treaty with the King Alfonso of Naples, agreeing to become his vassal in exchange for help against the Republic of Venice. •
March 2 – The
League of Lezhë, an alliance of
Albanian principalities, is established in
Lezhë;
George Kastrioti Skanderbeg is proclaimed commander of the
Albanian resistance.
April–June •
April 15 – King Wladyslaw of Hungary appears before the
Országgyűlés, the
Diet of Hungary in
Buda, and pledges to the legislators present that he will lead the attack against the Turkish Muslims in the summer. •
April 18 – In
Sicily, the
University of Catania receives papal recognition from Pope Eugene IV, ten years after its founding on October 19, 1434. •
May 22 – The
Treaty of Tours, signed between
England and
France, secures a truce in the
Hundred Years' War for five years. •
June 15 –
Cosimo de' Medici founds a public library at
San Marco, Florence. •
June 29 –
Battle of Torvioll: Skanderbeg defeats an Ottoman army.
July–September •
July 22 –
Oddantonio da Montefeltro, the
Duke of Urbino, an independent duchy in what is now the
Le Marche region of Italy, is assassinated at
his palace by conspirators, who also murder his counsellors Manfredo dei Pio da Carpi and Tommaso di Guido dell'Agnello. He is succeeded by his half-brother,
Federico da Montefeltro. •
August 6 – A Portuguese fleet of
caravels, led by
Lançarote de Freitas, lands 235 slaves at
Algarve, Portugal. •
August 15 – The
Peace of Szeged is signed between the Turkish
Ottoman Empire and
Hungary. •
August 22 –
Đurađ Branković reclaims
Serbia from Ottoman control after the signing of the peace of Szeged, and Wladyslaw of Hungary offers the throne of
Bulgaria to John Hunyadi. •
September 9 – General
Alvise Loredan, commander of the Venetian and Papal States squadrons in the Crusade of Varna, receives instructions from the
Republic of Venice to open secret negotiations with the Ottoman Sultan and to abstain from offensive actions until further notice. Loredan is soon faced with defending an Ottoman invasion of Europe. •
September 18 – As the Crusade of Varna resumes, the 16,000 Christian soldiers under the command of Wladyslaw and Hunyadi begin crossing over the
Danube river near
Belgrade and complete their crossing into Ottoman Muslim territory in Bulgaria.
October–December •
October 20 – As the Christian crusaders begin their approach to the Black Sea, the former Ottoman Sultan Murad II comes out of retirement at
Bursa to assume command of the Ottoman troops.
Date unknown •
Constantine XI Palaiologos, as ruler of the
Despotate of the Morea, invades the
Duchy of Athens (at this time under Florentine control), and forces it to pay tribute and return
Thebes to the
Byzantine Empire. • Forces of the Sultan of Egypt fail to take
Rhodes from the
Knights of Rhodes. • Portuguese explorers reach the mouth of the rivers
Senegal and
Gambia. • The first European
slave market for the sale of African slaves, the
Mercado de Escravos, opens in
Lagos, Portugal. • A serious fire occurs at
Old St Paul's Cathedral in London. • The
Iguvine Tablets are discovered at
Gubbio, Italy. •
Stephen II of Moldavia takes as co-ruler his step brother
Petru, also brother-in-law to
John Hunyadi. == Births ==