1278
Battle on the Marchfeld decides central Europe
Rudolf of Habsburg, allied with Hungary, defeated and killed Ottokar II of Bohemia in a clash east of Vienna. The Bohemian king had briefly built a central European empire; his death handed the duchy of Austria to the Habsburgs, who would hold it for six centuries. The battle's outcome determined that the Habsburgs, not the Premyslids, would dominate central Europe for the rest of the medieval era.
Cimabue paints at Assisi
The Florentine master Cimabue frescoed the upper church of San Francesco at Assisi with scenes of the apocalypse and the lives of the apostles. Time and chemical decay would later turn his colors into ghostly negatives, but his grave figures remain monumental and grieving. His pupil Giotto, who would soon paint the lower church, would push painting beyond the Byzantine conventions that Cimabue had begun to challenge.
Bohemian silver mines at Kutna Hora discovered
Prospectors struck rich silver veins in the hills southeast of Prague, sparking a mining rush that would make Kutna Hora the second city of Bohemia and flood central Europe with silver groschen. The mines underwrote the power of Czech kings and financed Gothic churches that rivaled Prague's own. The Prague groschen, minted from Kutna Hora silver, became one of the most trusted currencies in medieval Europe.
Glass mirrors perfected in Venice
Venetian glassmakers on Murano developed techniques for producing flat glass mirrors backed with a tin-mercury amalgam, replacing the polished metal mirrors used since antiquity. The new mirrors were clearer, lighter, and became luxury objects traded across Europe, giving Venice yet another monopoly in the Mediterranean luxury market. The Senate imposed death penalties on any glassmaker who attempted to leave Murano and share the secret abroad.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1278?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1278. The most significant is Battle on the Marchfeld decides central Europe: Rudolf of Habsburg, allied with Hungary, defeated and killed Ottokar II of Bohemia in a clash east of Vienna.
What era was 1278 part of?
1278 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1278?
The curated events from 1278 span Europe.