1448 CE

The Council of Basel, opposed to the Pope at Rome, moves to Lausanne and holds its first session, presided over by the antipope Felix V. Prince George of Poděbrady, leader of the Hussites in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) captures Prague after leading 9,000 of his troops from Kutná Hora. At the Battle of Caravaggio, the armies of the Ambrosian Republic of Milan, led by Francesco Sforza, defeat those of the Republic of Venice, commanded by Micheletto Attendolo.

In the 1440s, the 15th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

January 15 – Le Mans is not returned to the French by January 15, 1448, as outlined in the Treaty of Tours, resulting in the French army surrounding the city.France source
May 3 – The Treaty of Prenzlau is signed between in Germany by the Margraviate of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Pomerania, both principalities within the Holy Roman Empire. The treaty partitions the disputed territory of the Uckermark, with Brandenburg receiving the southern part and Pomerania the northern part, with rights for Brandenburg to receive the north if Pomerania's ruling house should become extinct.source
June 20 – The Regency period of Sweden ends with the election by Swedish nobles of Karl Knutsson Bonde as King Karl VIII.source
October 4 – Peace between Albania and Venice is established, bringing an end to the Albanian–Venetian War.source
November 1 - On the day that had been scheduled for England to transfer its territory in France at Le Mans, Maine and Anjou back to French control, English diplomats Nicholas Molyneux, Osbert Mundford and Thomas Direhill meet at Le Mans with the French representatives Guilaume Cousinot II and Jean Havart. However, Fulk Eyton and Sir Matthew Gough, who had been empowered by King Henry VI of England to make the transfer, deliberately avoid attending and the English commissioners declare that no transfer will be made until just compensation will be made to Englishmen who are losing their land. Cousinot and Havart renew their demands for transfer to take place as scheduled and nothing is accomplished.source
December 22 – Henry VI cede the lands of Maine and Anjou under threat of military force from Charles VII following refusal to fulfil the terms of the Treaty of Tours.France source
A gathering of the Estates General, a legislative and consultative assembly of the different classes (or estates) of French subjects was called by Charles VII at Bourges.France source

Conflict & Security

March 4 – The Republic of Venice offers a reward to anyone who is successful in assassinating the Albanian rebel leader Skanderbeg, with a pension of 100 gold ducats per month as a reward.source
11 March – Hundred Years' War: England cedes Maine to France.England source
March 16 – The English garrison at Le Mans in France surrenders to the French Army.source
16 March – Hundred Years' War: peace negotiations break down over the issue of English control over Brittany.England source
March 19 – The Battle of Río Verde is fought as the 600-member cavalry of the Crown of Castile, is retreating from an attack led by Juan de Saavedra, against invaders from the Emirate of Granada, led by the Sultan Yusuf V. The 1,500 Granadan cavalry overwhelm the Castilians and massacre all but five of the 600 soldiers, while taking Saavedra as a prisoner of war.source
May 14 – The Siege of Svetigrad is started by the Ottoman Sultan Murad II against an Albanian fortress at Svetigrad, now Kodžadžik in North Macedonia. After two and a half months, the siege is successful in capturing the fortress.source
June 27 – Venice sends Andrea Venier to negotiate with the Ottoman Empire in an attempt to have the Ottomans invade Albania. Afterwards, Venier is sent to meet with Skanderbeg to ask him to cease hostilities.source
July 23 – The League of Lezhë, made up of the armies of various Albanian principalities, defeats the forces of the Venetian Republic and the Ottoman Empire at the battle of Scutari.source
July 29 – The War in Gotland begins in Scandinavia as an army from Sweden, commanded by Generals Magnus Gren and Birger Trolle, invades the island of Gotland, at the time ruled by Denmark. The invasion is repelled by Erik of Pomerania, ruler of the island and the former King of Sweden and Denmark.source
July 31 – The Siege of Svetigrad ends after 10 weeks as the defenders surrender to the Ottomans. The reason for giving up is the lack of a safe water supply, either because it was contaminated from a dead animal in the castle well, or because the Ottomans were able to locate and cut off the castles source of water.source
August 14 – At the Battle of Oranik, Albanian forces led by Skanderbeg defeat the armies of the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire.source
September 3 – Prince George of Poděbrady, leader of the Hussites in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) captures Prague after leading 9,000 of his troops from Kutná Hora.source
September 15 – At the Battle of Caravaggio, the armies of the Ambrosian Republic of Milan, led by Francesco Sforza, defeat those of the Republic of Venice, commanded by Micheletto Attendolo.source
September 16 – General Thomas Kantakouzenos of the Serbian Despotate recaptures Srebrenica and Višegrad from the Kingdom of Bosnia. led by King Stephen Thomas of Bosnia.source
October 20 – After three days of fighting at the Battle of Kosovo, Hungarian forces under John Hunyadi are defeated by the larger Ottoman force commanded by the Sultan Murad IIsource
23 October – Scottish victory over the English at the Battle of Sark.England source
October – Vlad the Impaler becomes reigning Prince of Wallachia for two months, before being deposed in November by Vladislav II of Wallachia.source
November - In Vietnam, a rebellion led by chieftains in Tuyên Quang against King Lê Nhân Tông of the Lê dynasty was defeated.source
December 4 – Swedish troops attack Gotland again and climb the walls of the city's capital, Visby, making a surprise attack. Eric of Pomerania flees to the fortress of Visborg.source
Scottish army, led by Hugh Douglas, Earl of Ormond, was victorious against the English Army in the Battle of Sark.source
Roman II flees to Poland, when an army sent by John Hunyadi, and led by Csupor de Monoszló, comes to put Petru III on the throne of Moldavia. Petru dies suddenly, and Csupor takes on the throne for two months, as Ciubăr Vodă.source
Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset is appointed as commander in occupied France replacing Richard, Duke of York.France source

Religion & Belief

May 24 – Under an agreement with the Holy Roman Emperor, Friedrich III, the city council of Basel in Switzerland votes to expel all persons attending the Council of Basel, a group of clerics opposed to the Roman Catholic Pope.source
June 9 – The regency of Portugal ends as Dom Pedro, Duke of Coimbra, as King Afonso V, now 16, dismisses his uncle who had served as regent for almost 10 years after the death of King Duarte in 1738. Influenced by Afonso de Braganza, King Afonso begins nullification of all of the decrees made in his name by Dom Pedro.source
June 29 – Karl VIII is crowned as King of Sweden in Uppsala Cathedral the day after being publicly hailed as king at Mora Stones.source
July 25 – The Council of Basel, opposed to the Pope at Rome, moves to Lausanne and holds its first session, presided over by the antipope Felix V.source
September 30 – Leonardo III Tocco becomes the new ruler of Epirus upon the death of his father Carlo II Tocco.source
December 15 – Jonas, a Russian bishop, is installed by the Council of Russian Bishops in Moscow, as Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus. The event marks the independence of the Russian Orthodox Church because the election of Jonas is made without the approval of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as this is without the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople, it signifies the beginning of an effectively independent church structure in the Grand Duchy of Moscow.source
December 20 – Pope Nicholas V appoints Rudolf of Diepholt, Bishop of Utrecht, as cardinal.source
The Vatican Library is founded by Pope Nicholas V.source
The Franciscan friary Muckross Abbey is established in County Kerry.Ireland source

Technology & Infrastructure

April 28 – The militia of francs-archers, the first regular infantry in France, is created by the ordonnance of Montil-lès-Tours during the reign of King Charles VII, directing that in each parish, the person most skilled in the use of archery would be exempt from certain obligations in return for perfecting his skills on a weekly basis and being ready to be summoned for combat.source

Climate & Environment

After a long episode of drought, flood, locust infestation and famine in Ming dynasty China since the year 1434, these natural afflictions finally wane, and agriculture and commerce return to a state of normality.source

Culture & Society

April 15 – Queens' College, Cambridge is founded by Margaret of Anjou.source
July 2 – Catherine Karlsdotter, daughter of Karl Ormsson Gumsehuvud and wife of King Karl VIII of Sweden, is crowned as Queen consort of Sweden.source
October 10 – The Hungarian commander Ciubăr Vodă briefly becomes Prince of Moldavia after the death of Petru III, and governs until Alexăndrel of Moldavia takes the throne in December.source
The Sunday Fairs Act is passed.England source
Earliest known reference to Morris dancing in England.England source
The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers receives its royal charterEngland source
Queen Margaret of Anjou founds Queens' College, Cambridge.England source

Births

February 14 – Nannina de' Medici, Florentine member of the de' Medici family (died 1493)source
March 20 – Marie of Savoy, Countess of Saint-Pol, Luxembourgish noble (died 1475)source
July 7 – Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine (died 1473)France source
July 14 – Philip, Elector Palatine (died 1508)source
September 7 – Henry, Count of Württemberg-Montbéliard (1473–1482) (died 1519)source
October 31 – Władysław II of Płock, Polish noble (died 1462)source
November 4 – King Alphonso II of Naples (died 1495)source
December 12 – John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, English Earl (died 1473)source
Suor Barbara Ragnoni, Italian painter (died 1533)source
Baeda Maryam of Ethiopia (died 1478)source
John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, nobleman (died 1473)England source
Richard Pynson, printer (died 1529)England source
Gaston de Foix, Earl of Kendal and Count of Candale and Benauges (died 1500)France source

Deaths

January 6 – Christopher of Bavaria, King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, dies at his palace, the Kärnan, in Helsingborg (now in Sweden) with no designated heir, leaving all three kingdoms with vacant thrones. Brothers Bengt Jönsson Oxenstierna and Nils Jönsson Oxenstierna are selected to serve as co-regents of Sweden.source
January 6 – Christopher of Bavaria, King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (born 1418)source
February 23 – Petru III becomes Prince of Moldavia for a third time when Prince Roman II dies.source
March 18 – Catherine Quicquat, woman executed for witchcraft.France source
June 18 – Elizabeth de Beauchamp, Baroness Bergavenny, English baroness (born 1415)source
July 7 – Marie de Bourbon, Duchess of Calabria (born 1428)France source
September 1 – After his betrothal to Dorothea of Brandenburg, Queen Dowager and widow of King Christoffer III (who died in January), German Count Christian of Oldenburg, is elected by the Danish nobility to become the new monarch, King Christian I of Denmark.source
September 23 – Adolph I, Duke of Cleves (born 1373)source
October 12 – Zhu Quan, Prince of Ning, Chinese military commander, historian and playwright (born 1378)source
October 31 – John VIII Palaeologus, Byzantine Emperor (born 1390)source
October – Carlo II Tocco, ruler of Epirussource
William Aleyn, pirate (unknown)England source