1352 CE

War of the Straits – The Battle of the Bosporus is fought in a stormy sea into the night between the Genoese, Venetian, Aragonese, and Byzantine fleets. The Genoese emerge victorious, as the other fleets withdraw. Byzantine civil war of 1352–1357 – Battle of Demotika: Fighting as allies of John VI Kantakouzenos, the Ottoman beylik scores its first victory on European soil, against the Serbs. Corpus Christi College is founded as a College of the University of Cambridge in England, by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In the 1350s, the 14th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • June 4 – Glarus joins the Old Swiss Confederacy.source
  • June 27 – Zug joins the Old Swiss Confederacy.source
  • Süleyman Pasha (son of Orhan) is probably granted control of Çimpe Castle on the Gallipoli peninsula by Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos, the first territory west of the Bosporus held by the Ottoman Empire.source
  • Following the death of his father Basarab, Nicholas Alexander becomes voivode of Wallachia, after being co-ruler for about eight years.source
  • The Bengal Sultanate is formed after the realms of Satgaon, Lakhnauti and Sonargaon are united under Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah.source
  • The town of Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, finalizes its alliance with the city of Bern.source

Conflict & Security

  • February 13 – War of the Straits – The Battle of the Bosporus is fought in a stormy sea into the night between the Genoese, Venetian, Aragonese, and Byzantine fleets. The Genoese emerge victorious, as the other fleets withdraw.source
  • October – Byzantine civil war of 1352–1357 – Battle of Demotika: Fighting as allies of John VI Kantakouzenos, the Ottoman beylik scores its first victory on European soil, against the Serbs.source
  • After years of begging and being a Buddhist monk, the penniless Chinese peasant Zhu Yuanzhang joins the Red Turban Rebellions against the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China; he will later become the first emperor of the Ming dynasty.source

Religion & Belief

  • December 18 – Pope Innocent VI succeeds Pope Clement VI as the 199th pope.source
  • Coming from Hungary, the noble Vlach Dragoş becomes the first voivode of Moldova, being seen as the founder of this principality (some scholars place this moment as early as 1345).source
  • The Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church; the Metropolitan of Halych begins to relocate back to Kyiv, after having moved to Halych in 1299. Thereafter, the Metropolitan will hold the title of Metropolitan of Kiev-Halych and All Rus.source

Science & Discovery

  • Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta reports the existence of the ngoni and balafon musical instruments, at the court of Mansa Musa.source
  • Earliest surviving illustration of someone wearing spectacles, a fresco in the chapter house of the Dominican convent of San Nicolò, Treviso by Tommaso da Modena (anachronistically) depicting Hugh of Saint-Cher.source

Climate & Environment

  • December 26 – The Earldom of Kent of the 5th creation in England becomes extinct.source

Culture & Society

  • September 25 – Emperor Go-Kōgon becomes 4th Emperor of the Northern Court of Japan.source
  • November 7 – Corpus Christi College is founded as a College of the University of Cambridge in England, by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary.source
  • Lionel of Antwerp marries Elizabeth, daughter of William de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster.source
  • Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham becomes a Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter of England.source
  • Marriage of Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster, daughter and heiress of William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster to Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of ClarenceIrelandsource

Births

  • May 5 – Rupert of Germany, Count Palatine of the Rhine (died 1410)source
  • Elizabeth of Slavonia, Latin empress consort of Constantinoplesource
  • John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter (died 1400)source
  • Vytautas the Great, Grand Duke of Lithuania (died 1430)source

Deaths

  • September 15 – Ewostatewos, Ethiopian monk and religious leader (born 1273)source
  • December 6 – Pope Clement VI (born 1291)source
  • Yoshida Kenkō, Japanese monk and author (born 1283)source
  • William de Ros, 3rd Baron de Ros (born 1325)source
  • Elizabeth of Carinthia, Queen of Sicily, regent of Sicily (born 1298)source
  • Vasilii Kalika, Archbishop of Novgorodsource
  • Laurence Minot, English poet (born 1300)source
  • Matthias of Arras, French architect (born 1290)source
  • Hugh de Burgh, Lord Treasurer of IrelandIrelandsource