1332

Political Events

The Battle of Dupplin Moor seven miles east of Perth August 12 ends in victory for England's Edward III, who has invaded Scotland with Edward de Balliol, 49, son of the late John de Balliol. Landing at Kinghorn in Fifeshire, they have routed the local troops, marched to Dunfermline, and forded the River Eann on the night of August 11. Greatly outnumbered by Scottish forces under the command of Donald, earl of Mar and regent for Scotland's young David II, Edward has most of his men dismount; he has archers posted at either flank, and when the Scots attack they are met with a hail of arrows that forces them to the center, where many die when their comrades step on them in a second charge. Edward de Balliol is crowned at Scone September 24; the boy acknowledges Edward III's sovereignty over Scotland November 3 at Roxburgh, but a Scottish coalition led by the regent Archibald Douglas defeats Edward de Balliol December 16 at Annan, Dumfries, and although he will reign until 1356, Edward will lose Perth in 1339 and never receive widespread recognition (see Halidon Hill, 1333).

Denmark's Kristoffer II abdicates under pressure from Gerhard, count of Holstein, he dies August 2 at age 55, and the count parcels out crown lands, establishes German noblemen in every major Danish fortress, and gives German traders full reign, precipitating an 8-year period of anarchy during which the counts of Holstein will try to rule (see 1340).

Lucerne joins the three Swiss forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden in a Helvetic Confederation (see 1291; Zürich, 1351).

Serbia's Stefan Dusan cements an alliance with the new Bulgarian emperor John Alexander by marrying the emperor's sister Helen (see 1331). The Serbian nobility has become more powerful during Stefan's recent conflict with his father and will stage revolts from time to time, but Serbia's relations with Bulgaria will remain peaceful throughout Stefan's reign (see 1334).

The former Byzantine emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus dies in a monastery at his native Constantinople at age 72 (approximate).

Japan's Hojo family exiles the emperor Godaigo to Oki Island in April (see 1331), but resistance continues in the Yamato region. The loyalist leader Masashige Kusunoki gathers a new force and by some accounts employs deceptive maneuvers to trap a superior Hojo contingent (see 1333).

Food And Drink

Trading in bitter oranges begins at the French Mediterranean town of Nice. No other kind of orange (a word derived from Hindi) is known in Europe, although a sour variety that will later be known as the Seville orange was introduced by the Arabs into the Mediterranean region during the 9th or 10th century (see 1529; 1635).

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