1399
Henry Bolingbroke deposes Richard II
Returning from exile to claim his ducal inheritance, Henry of Lancaster found the kingdom slipping from Richard II's grip. Within two months Richard had surrendered, abdicated in the Tower, and watched parliament confirm Henry as king. The Lancastrian usurpation set the stage for a century of dynastic war that would culminate in the Wars of the Roses.
Timur returns to Samarkand after Indian campaign
The Tamerlane rode back from Delhi with eighty captured elephants and convoys of skilled Indian artisans, including stonemasons who would labor on the Bibi-Khanym mosque, the largest in the Islamic world. His Indian loot funded the most ambitious building program in Central Asian history. Samarkand glittered while northern India starved.
Timur Attacks Delhi Sultanate
The Timurid conquest of Delhi left the city in smoking ruins and the Tughluq sultanate in theoretical existence only. The political vacuum opened space for Afghan and Rajput powers across north India through the early fifteenth century.
Chaucer writes 'Complaint to His Purse'
An aging Geoffrey Chaucer addressed a witty begging poem to his empty purse and, by extension, to the new king Henry IV who had inherited his pension obligations from Richard II. Henry confirmed the annuity. The greatest Middle English poet would die within a year, the Canterbury Tales unfinished but immortal.
Want 1399 in context? Print the whole 14th century as a one-sheet timeline chart.
Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1399?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1399. The most significant is Henry Bolingbroke deposes Richard II: Returning from exile to claim his ducal inheritance, Henry of Lancaster found the kingdom slipping from Richard II's grip.
What era was 1399 part of?
1399 falls within the Late Middle Ages (1301-1500). Plague, papal schism, and the seeds of nation-states.
Which regions saw notable events in 1399?
The curated events from 1399 span Europe, Central Asia and South Asia.