1398
Timur sacks Delhi
The Tamerlane crossed the Indus with ninety thousand cavalry, defeated Sultan Mahmud Tughluq at the gates of Delhi, and let his men loot the city for fifteen days. A hundred thousand Hindu prisoners were massacred outside the walls beforehand. Delhi did not recover for a century. The Sultanate's heartland was a corpse.
Hongwu emperor dies in Nanjing
The peasant who had founded the Ming dynasty died at seventy after thirty years of paranoid, capable rule. He left behind purged bureaucrats, a centralized empire, a constricted seacoast, and a designated grandson heir. His fourth son Zhu Di would soon overthrow the boy emperor and become the Yongle emperor.
Great Schism deepens with rival election at Avignon
Benedict XIII of the Avignon obedience refused to resign despite pressure from France to end the schism. French obedience was formally withdrawn by Charles VI, who sent troops to besiege the pope in his own palace. Benedict held out for five years in a standoff that highlighted the schism's absurdity.
Mongol Northern Yuan splinters into factions
With Hongwu dead and the Ming distracted by succession struggles, the Mongol steppe fragmented into Oirat and Eastern Mongol groupings, each pursuing its own alliances and raiding patterns. The old imperial continuity broke. Future Mongol challenges to China would come as federations of tribes under charismatic leaders rather than as a restored Yuan.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1398?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1398. The most significant is Timur sacks Delhi: The Tamerlane crossed the Indus with ninety thousand cavalry, defeated Sultan Mahmud Tughluq at the gates of Delhi, and let his men loot the city for fifteen…
What era was 1398 part of?
1398 falls within the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500). Plague, papal schism, and the seeds of nation-states.
Which regions saw notable events in 1398?
The curated events from 1398 span South Asia, East Asia, Europe and Central Asia.