1498 - Political Events

Political Events

France's Charles VIII dies April 8 at age 27 after accidentally cracking his head on the lintel of a passageway in the castle of Amboise while preparing a new expedition to invade Italy. Having no male heir, he is succeeded by his Valois cousin the duc d'Orléans, 36, who will reign until 1515 as Louis XII. The new king led a revolt against Charles more than a decade ago and was imprisoned from 1488 to 1491. His accession unites the duchy of Orléans with the royal domain, and his lieutenant general in Normandy, Georges d'Amboise, 37, is made cardinal and first minister to the crown. A descendant of the first duke of Milan, Louis lays claim to the duchy (see 1499).

Eberhard II, duke of Württemberg, dies and is succeeded by his Alsatian-born kinsman Ulrich, 11, who will be declared of age in 1503, rule until 1519, and rule again from 1534 until his death in 1550 (see 1514).

Bengal's Husayn Shah Ala ad-din conquers the neighboring states of Kamrup and Assam, which he incorporates into his realm (see 1493; 1516).