1397

Political Events

Parliament demands that England's Richard II submit a financial accounting. His generosity to Michael de Pole, Robert de Vere, and other court favorites has led Thomas, duke of Gloucester, to join with four other magnates in forming the Lords Appellant, whose members try and convict five of the king's closest advisers of treason. Richard has the parliamentary leader condemned for treason; he has three of the five Lords Appellant arrested, coerces Parliament to give them death sentences, and banishes the other two (see 1398).

Margrethe of Denmark completes her conquest of Sweden and has her grandnephew Erik of Pomerania crowned king of a united Scandinavia (see 1389). Her dynastic Union of Kalmar includes Finland and will continue at least nominally until 1523, but Margarethe herself will rule as the "Semiramis of the North" until her death in 1412, and Erik, now 15, will rule from Copenhagen until 1422.

Milanese troops sent by Gian Galeazzo Visconti invade Tuscany (see 1395), but Florence resists the Visconti forces.

Ottoman forces under Bayazid I lay siege to Constantinople, but the marshal of France, Jean Bouciquaut, 31, defends the city. Tatars led by Tamerlane distract Bayazid from the siege (see 1398; Battle of Angora, 1402).

Commerce

Merchant Richard "Dick" Whittington, 39, becomes lord mayor of London, having grown rich by importing silks, damasks, velvets, and other goods.

Architecture, Real Estate

Kyoto's Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku) is completed on the Kitayama estate on the outskirts of town for the retired Ashikaga shōgun Yoshimitsu, who has passed his title on to his son in order that he may live as a monk in the Golden Pavilion.

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