1400s facts for kids
These are some important events that happened in the years from 1400 to 1410. This period saw many changes in Europe and Asia, with new leaders, conflicts, and important discoveries.
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The Early 1400s: A Decade of Change
What Happened in 1400
The year 1400 was a time of political unrest in England. King Henry IV stopped a rebellion known as the Epiphany Rising. This uprising tried to bring back the former king, Richard II of England. The people involved in the rebellion were put to death.
In Germany, the princes removed Wenceslaus as the Holy Roman Emperor. They then elected Rupert to take his place.
In Wales, Owain Glyndŵr was declared Prince of Wales by his followers. He began attacking English areas in north-east Wales, starting a long conflict.
A unique event happened when Manuel II Palaiologos, the Byzantine Emperor, visited England. He was the first and last Byzantine Emperor to do so. Also, the Medici family started to become very powerful in Florence, Italy.
Notable People of 1400
- Geoffrey Chaucer, a famous English poet, died this year.
- Luca della Robbia, a Florentine sculptor, was born.
- Owen Tudor, a Welsh courtier, was also born.
What Happened in 1401
In 1401, the powerful leader Timur raided the city of Baghdad. This city was part of the Jalayirid Empire.
A civil war also began in the Majapahit Empire, which is in present-day Indonesia. This conflict would last for several years.
Notable People of 1401
- Emperor Shoko of Japan was born.
- Catherine of Valois, who would later become queen of Henry VI of England, was born.
- Tommaso Masaccio, an important Italian painter, was also born.
What Happened in 1402
In 1402, King Jogaila of the Poland–Lithuania union married Anna of Celje. She was the granddaughter of Casimir III of Poland.
After Queen Maria of Sicily died, her husband Martin I of Sicily married Blanche of Navarre.
The University of Würzburg was founded in Germany. This added another important center for learning in Europe. People also saw a very bright object in the sky, which was called the Great Comet of 1402.
What Happened in 1403
The year 1403 saw more events in England. King Henry IV married Joanna of Navarre in February.
A major battle took place in July. Henry 'Hotspur' Percy formed an alliance with the Welsh rebel leader Owain Glyndŵr. King Henry IV defeated Percy's rebel army at the Battle of Shrewsbury. Percy was killed in the battle.
In China, the Ming Emperor Yongle moved the capital city. It moved from Nanjing to Beijing.
The world's first quarantine station was built in Venice. This was to help protect against the terrible disease known as the Black Death.
Stefan Lazarević made Belgrade the capital of the Serbian Despotate.
Notable People of 1403
- King Charles VII of France was born.
- Louis III of Naples was also born.
- Katherine Swynford, the widow of John of Gaunt, died this year.
What Happened in 1404
In 1404, the Welsh rebel leader Owain Glyndŵr made an alliance with the French against the English. This showed how serious the conflict in Wales had become.
Pope Innocent VII became the 204th pope, succeeding Pope Boniface IX.
A terrible natural disaster, the St. Elizabeth's flood, ruined parts of Flanders, Zeeland, and Holland.
Jean de Béthencourt became the first ruler of the Kingdom of the Canary Islands. Also, the University of Turin was founded in Italy.
Notable People of 1404
- Constantine XI, who would be the last Byzantine Emperor, was born.
- Leon Battista Alberti, an Italian painter, poet, and philosopher, was also born.
- Murad II, an Ottoman Sultan, was born.
- Pope Boniface IX died this year.
What Happened in 1405
In 1405, Archbishop Richard le Scrope of York and Thomas Mowbray, the Earl of Norfolk, were put to death in York. This happened on King Henry IV's orders.
Construction began on Bath Abbey in England.
The first written record of whiskey being consumed was made in Ireland. It was distilled by Catholic monks.
An early writer who supported women's rights, Christine de Pizan, wrote her famous book The Book of the City of Ladies.
Notable People of 1405
- King John II of Castile was born.
- George Kastrioti, who would become an Albanian national hero, was born.
- Pope Pius II was also born.
- Timur, a powerful monarch and conqueror, died this year.
What Happened in 1406
The year 1406 saw new kings take the throne. On April 4, James I became King of Scotland. On December 25, John II became King of Castile.
Eric of Pomerania married Philippa, the daughter of Henry IV of England.
Pope Gregory XII became the 205th pope, succeeding Pope Innocent VII.
Construction of the famous Forbidden City began in Beijing, China.
Notable People of 1406
- Ibn Khaldun, a famous Arab historian, died.
- King Robert III of Scotland also died.
- Pope Innocent VII died in November.
What Happened in 1407
In 1407, the fifth Karmapa, an important spiritual leader, finally visited the Ming Dynasty capital in Nanjing.
A major political event in France occurred when the Duke of Orleans was killed. This event restarted the conflict between the Burgundians and his followers.
In Italy, Rudolfo Belenzani led a revolt against Bishop Georg von Liechtenstein in Trento.
Notable People of 1407
- Ashikaga Yoshikazu, a Japanese shogun, was born.
- Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans, who was the brother of Charles VI of France, died this year.
What Happened in 1408
In 1408, the Order of the Dragon was founded under King Sigismund of Hungary. This was a special group of knights.
Henry, the Prince of Wales, managed to retake Aberystwyth from Owain Glyndŵr. This was an important victory for the English in their conflict with the Welsh rebels.
Notable People of 1408
- Jadwiga of Lithuania, a Polish princess, was born.
- Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a Japanese shogun, died.
- John VII Palaiologos, a Byzantine Emperor, also died.
What Happened in 1409
The year 1409 saw the end of a major Welsh rebellion stronghold. The Welsh surrendered Harlech Castle to the English on January 1.
The University of Leipzig opened in Germany in December, adding another important center for education.
Martin I of Aragon became King of Sicily.
Ulugh Beg became the governor of Samarkand, an important city in Central Asia.
The city of Venice bought the port of Zadar from Hungary. This was an important move for Venice's trade and power.
Notable People of 1409
- René of Anjou was born.
- Karl Knutsson, who would become King of Sweden, was also born.
- King Martin I of Sicily died this year.
