1339
Hundred Years' War opens with raids in Picardy
Edward III crossed from Brabant and burned villages along the Somme, hoping to draw Philip VI into open battle.
Samarkand flourishes under Chagatai revival
The oasis city on the Silk Road, recovering from Mongol internecine wars, regained its role as a crossroads of Persian scholarship and Turkic military power.
Moscow's Kremlin rebuilt in oak by Ivan I
Ivan Kalita, the Money-Bag prince who had purchased the metropolitan's favor and the khan's yarlyk, enclosed the Moscow citadel in new oak walls and filled…
Venice acquires Treviso: mainland empire begins
The Republic of Saint Mark, long a purely maritime state that had disdained territorial ambitions on the Italian mainland, bought the Veneto city of Treviso.
Jacob van Artevelde rules Ghent
The wealthy Ghent brewer emerged as de facto dictator of the Flemish cities, negotiating with Edward III to keep English wool flowing and Flemish looms humming.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1339?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1339. The most significant is Hundred Years' War opens with raids in Picardy: Edward III crossed from Brabant and burned villages along the Somme, hoping to draw Philip VI into open battle.
What era was 1339 part of?
1339 falls within the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500). Plague, papal schism, and the seeds of nation-states.
Which regions saw notable events in 1339?
The events from 1339 span Europe and Central Asia.