1299
Osman I founds the Ottoman Beylik
In a Bithynian frontier pasture, a Turkish chieftain named Osman asserted independence from his Seljuk overlords and began raiding Byzantine territory. His followers called themselves Osmanli. Seven centuries later their descendants would lose Istanbul from the palace he could not yet imagine. The small beylik he carved from the Byzantine borderlands would grow into one of the longest-lived empires in history.
Duns Scotus lectures in Oxford
The Scottish Franciscan philosopher John Duns Scotus began his Oxford lectures on Peter Lombard's Sentences, developing a subtle metaphysics of individuation and divine will that would earn him the nickname the Subtle Doctor and a permanent place alongside Aquinas in Catholic theology. His concept of haecceity, the thisness that makes each individual unique, anticipated modern debates about personal identity and the nature of particulars.
Ghazan invades Syria and defeats the Mamluks
The Ilkhan of Persia crossed the Euphrates with a Mongol army and routed the Mamluks at Wadi al-Khazandar near Homs. He entered Damascus in triumph but soon withdrew to Persia. The Mamluks recovered the city, and Mongol Syria would prove a dream and nothing more. The brief occupation showed that Mongol power could still strike deep into the Islamic heartland but could no longer hold what it took.
Ghazan promotes Rashid al-Din
The Ilkhan Ghazan elevated his Jewish-born physician and polymath Rashid al-Din to vizier. From that office Rashid would direct the empire's finances and commission the monumental Jami al-Tawarikh, the world's first attempt at a truly universal history in Persian. His suburb of Rab-e Rashidi outside Tabriz became a scholarly colony where scribes copied his universal history into Arabic, Persian, Chinese, and Mongolian editions.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1299?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1299. The most significant is Osman I founds the Ottoman Beylik: In a Bithynian frontier pasture, a Turkish chieftain named Osman asserted independence from his Seljuk overlords and began raiding Byzantine territory.
What era was 1299 part of?
1299 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1299?
The curated events from 1299 span Middle East and Europe.