1448 facts for kids

The year 1448 was a time of big changes in Europe and beyond. New kings were chosen, important battles were fought, and famous institutions like colleges and libraries were started. It was a year that shaped the future of several countries.

Big Changes in Europe

In 1448, several kingdoms in Europe saw new leaders take charge. This often happened when a king died without a clear heir, leading to new elections or power struggles.

New Kings and Queens

• On January 5 or January 6, Christopher of Bavaria, who was the King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, sadly passed away. He didn't have any children to take his place. This meant that all three kingdoms suddenly had no king! In Sweden, two brothers, Bengt Jönsson Oxenstierna and Nils Jönsson Oxenstierna, stepped in to help lead the country for a short time.
• Later that year, on June 20, the time when the brothers were leading Sweden ended. A new king was chosen: Charles VIII of Sweden. He was officially recognized as king on June 28 at a special place called Mora Stones.
• In Denmark, a new king also took the throne. On September 28, Christian I of Denmark became king. He was going to marry the former queen, Dorothea of Brandenburg.

Important Battles and Leaders

• A major battle happened on October 17, known as the Battle of Kosovo. Hungarian soldiers, led by John Hunyadi, fought against the Turks. Sadly, the Hungarian forces were defeated. This was partly because two princes, Dan of Wallachia and George Brankovic of Serbia, did not help as expected.
• A famous person named Vlad III became the Prince of Wallachia for about two months in 1448. However, he was soon replaced by another ruler, Vladislav II.

New Places of Learning

• In England, a new college was founded in 1448. Queens' College, Cambridge was started by Margaret of Anjou, who was the Queen of England at the time.
• The Vatican Library, one of the most famous libraries in the world, was also created in 1448. It was founded by Pope Nicholas V, who was the leader of the Catholic Church.

Life in China

• Far away in China, the people had been facing many difficulties since 1434. There had been a long period of dry weather, followed by floods, and even lots of locusts (insects that eat crops). This led to a big shortage of food. But in 1448, these problems finally started to get better. Farming and trade slowly returned to normal, bringing relief to the people.

People Born in 1448

• November 4 – King Alphonso II of Naples (died 1495)
• Date unknown
  • Baeda Maryam of Ethiopia (died 1478)
  • Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine (died 1473)

People Who Died in 1448

• January 6 – Christopher of Bavaria, King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (born 1418)
• September 23 – Adolph I, Duke of Cleves (born 1373)
• October 31 – John VIII Palaeologus, the Byzantine Emperor (born 1390)
• Date unknown – Zhu Quan, a Chinese general and prince (born 1391)

See also

In Spanish: 1448 para niños