What Happened in July?

Marsilius of Padua completes his political treatise "Defensor Pacis" (Defender of Peace). The book contained radical anti-papal views. Advocating for popular sovereignty, asserting that the source of all political power and law is the people, and argued for the separation of church and state, severely limiting the power of the papacy and clergy in secular matters. Expand +

According to Czech legend, the Construction of the Charles Bridge in Prague, begins under the rule of Emperor Charles IV as he laid the first stone himself on July 9, 1357 at 5:31am Expand +

Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch), Italian poet and scholar, dies in Arquà near Padua, Italy, He was a key figure in early Renaissance humanism. His highly influential poetry helped shaped European literature and the foundation of the Italian Renaissance.

Richard II of England begins his reign as king at the age of 10, following the death of his grandfather, Edward III. Richard was crowned in the Westminster Abbey.

King Charles VI of France is first diagnosed with a mental illness that would affect his reign.

The Joseon Dynasty is established in Korea with the crowning of King Taejo as the first king of Joseon.

Henry Bolingbroke lands in England at Ravenspur on the Yorkshire coast and begins his successful campaign to overthrow his cousin King Richard II, eventually becoming King Henry IV of England. Henry Bolingbroke landed at Ravenspur, beginning a rapid and successful campaign that led to the deposition of King Richard II. His return from exile was sparked by Richard's seizure of his inheritance, the vast Lancastrian estates, following the death of his father, John of Gaunt.

The Battle of Shrewsbury takes place after Henry "Hotspur" Percy and his uncle, Thomas Percy, the Earl of Worcester, rebelled against King Henry IV in 1403 (The Percy Rebellion). The rebellion was fueled by the Percy's feeling betrayed for not receiving the promised rewards after helping Henry IV gain the throne. The battle resulted in a decisive royalist victory, with Hotspur being killed, and the rebellion collapsing.

Henry IV of England's forces defeat rebel forces led by Henry "Hotspur" Percy at the Battle of Shrewsbury.

The Chinese admiral Zheng He, sets sail on his first voyage to explore the Indian Ocean. He commanded the largest and most advanced fleet the world had ever seen with 317 ships and nearly 28,000 crew. The voyages were intended to showcase the Ming Dynasty's power and culture and bring foreign treasures back to the Ming court, establish diplomatic relations, and engage in trade. Departing from Nanjing, the fleet sailed to Southeast Asia including Champa (Vietnam), Java, and Malacca, before crossing the Indian Ocean to reach the southwest coast of India, specifically Calicut and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Zheng made a total of seven voyages. He died on the return of the seventh trip in 1433 and was buried at sea.  More

Pope Gregory XII resigned on July 4, 1415, to help end the Western Schism. His resignation was announced at the Council of Constance, a key event in reunifying the Catholic Church.

Jan Hus is executed by burning at the stake after the The Council of Constance finds him guilty of heresy and condemns his teachings. Hus, a Bohemian reformer, promoted ideas like the Bible's ultimate authority and criticized church corruption. His death fueled the Hussite Wars and positioned him as a significant forerunner of the Protestant Reformation.

The Council of Siena convened by Pope Martin V to discuss church reforms and address corruption officially begins on July 21, 1423. It was ordinally to be held in Pavia  but it was moved to Siena because of an outbreak of the plague in Pavia. The Council was dissolved on February 26, 1424.

The Siege of Belgrade begins, with Hungarian forces led by John Hunyadi and Serbian forces defending the city against the Ottomans. successfully repelling Sultan Mehmed II's army. A major Hungarian-Serbian victory that halted the Ottoman advance into Central Europe.

The Siege of Belgrade (Nándorfehérvár) by Sultan Mehmet II begins. Hungarian forces led by John Hunyadi a Hungarian nobleman and warlord of Vlach lineage, defended the city, ultimately compelling the wounded Sultan Mehmet II to lift the siege and retreat. The battle had significant consequences, as it stabilized the southern frontiers of the Kingdom of Hungary for more than half a century and delaying the Ottoman advance in Europe.

King Richard III of England is crowned, following the death of his nephew Edward V.

Bartolomeu Dias sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal with a small fleet on an expedition to find a sea route to India. He succeeded, reaching Africa's southern cape on February 4, 1488 and entering what it is now known as Mossel Bay, becoming the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa. 

Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama departs on his voyage to find a sea route to India. on July 8, 1497. He set sail from Lisbon with four ships and a crew of 170 men, eventually rounding the Cape of Good Hope and reaching Calicut, India, in May 1498. opening a direct maritime route from Europe to the East.

Vasco da Gama, Portuguese explorer and navigator, and the first person to sail directly from Europe to India. sails from Lisbon on his first voyage to India with a fleet of four vessels. The fleet crew three interpreters—two Arabic speakers and one who spoke several Bantu dialects. It also carried padraos, (stone pillars) to set up as marks of discovery. He eventually rounded the Cape of Good Hope on November 22 and three days later da Gama anchored in Mossel Bay and erected a padrão on an island. His trip ultimately opened a sea route from western Europe to Asia by way of the Cape of Good Hope, ushering in a new era in world history.

The Swiss Confederation defeats the forces of the Holy Roman Empire at the Battle of Dornach. More