1440 - Political Events

Political Events

German electors at Frankfurt vote February 2 to make the Hapsburg duke of Styria and Carinthia successor to the late Albrecht II (see 1439; 1442). Albrecht is succeeded as king of Hungary and Bohemia by his posthumous son, who is born February 22, taken out of his crib at the insistence of his mother, Elizabeth, to be crowned at Székesfehévár May 15, and will reign until his death in 1457 under the guardianship of his uncle Friedrich as Ladislas (László) V Posthumus, but the former Bohemian regent Ulrich von Cilli has secured the infant's coronation and is the real power in Bohemia.

Poland's Wladyslaw (Vladislav) III Warnenczyk accepts the Hungarian crown in March and begins a 4-year reign in July as Ladislas (László) VI while the posthumous son of the late Albrecht II remains under the protection of his uncle Friedrich III. Zbigniew Cardinal Oleshnicki is the real power in Poland.

The Battle of Anghiari June 29 gives the Florentine Republic's condottiere Niccolo Piccinino, 65, overlord of Bologna, a victory over the forces of Milan's Filippo Maria Visconti led by Micheletto Attendol and Giampaolo Orsini (the battle follows nearly 24 hours of skirmishing and the only casualty occurs when a soldier falls off his horse) (see Painting, 1503). The success keeps central Italy in Florentine hands; Florence's Cosimo de' Medici backs the claims of Francesco Sforza to the duchy of Milan and supports a coalition of Venetians and Florentines, who defeat Piccinino.

Harfleur falls to English forces under John Beaufort, 37, duke of Somerset, and his brother Edward. A peace mission to France led by Henry Cardinal Beaufort, now 67, has no more success than did his similar mission last year.

The elector of Brandenburg Friedrich I dies at Kadolzburg September 21 at age 48, having declined an offer to accept the Bohemian throne. Friedrich has brought the house of Hohenzollern to greatness.