Directory

1476 CE

A year defined by William Caxton establishing the first printing press in England, the devastating Swiss victories over Charles the Bold at Grandson and Morat, and Vlad the Impaler's brief return to the Wallachian throne.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Charles the Bold suffered catastrophic defeats at the hands of the Swiss Confederation, fundamentally weakening the Burgundian state.
  • Isabella and Ferdinand continued to consolidate their rule in Castile, gaining support from key nobles and ecclesiastical leaders.
  • The Duchy of Milan under Galeazzo Maria Sforza played a significant role in Italian diplomacy before the duke's assassination in December.

Conflict & Security

  • The Battle of Grandson was fought on March 2, with Swiss forces routing the Burgundian army and capturing Charles the Bold's magnificent camp and treasury.
  • The Battle of Morat on June 22 resulted in another devastating Swiss victory over Charles the Bold, with thousands of Burgundian soldiers killed.
  • Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan, was assassinated on December 26 by a group of conspirators, plunging the duchy into political uncertainty.
  • Vlad III Dracula briefly reclaimed the Wallachian throne with Hungarian support before being killed in battle against Ottoman-backed forces.
  • The War of the Castilian Succession continued, with the Battle of Toro in March providing a contested but strategically important outcome for Isabella and Ferdinand.
  • The Swiss Confederation emerged as a formidable military power following its victories over Burgundy, gaining international recognition.
  • The Onin War in Japan wound down after nearly a decade of destructive civil conflict, though political fragmentation persisted.

Economy & Finance

  • The Swiss capture of Burgundian treasure at Grandson included jewels, tapestries, and gold, representing an enormous windfall.
  • Charles the Bold's military defeats drained Burgundian finances, undermining the economic foundations of his territorial ambitions.
  • The Medici bank faced growing difficulties, with the Rome and Bruges branches experiencing management problems and bad debts.
  • Portuguese trade in West African gold continued to generate substantial revenues for the crown, funding further exploration.

Technology & Infrastructure

  • William Caxton established the first printing press in England at Westminster, beginning the production of printed books in the country.
  • Caxton printed the first book produced in England, the Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres, marking a milestone in English literary history.
  • The Swiss victories at Grandson and Morat demonstrated the effectiveness of pike-armed infantry formations against mounted knights and artillery.

Science & Discovery

  • Regiomontanus died in Rome in July, possibly from plague, cutting short the career of one of the most important astronomers of the fifteenth century.

Climate & Environment

  • Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was approximately 273 parts per million, as later confirmed by ice core analysis.

Culture & Society

  • William Caxton's printing press at Westminster transformed English literary culture, making printed books available in England for the first time.
  • The assassination of Galeazzo Maria Sforza shocked Italian society, highlighting the dangers of tyrannical rule and political conspiracy.
  • Hugo van der Goes completed the Portinari Altarpiece, a masterwork of Flemish painting commissioned for a Florentine church.
  • The defeat of Burgundy at Grandson and Morat diminished the prestige of the Burgundian court, one of Europe's most splendid cultural centers.
  • The estimated world population was approximately 448 million, with growth continuing across most regions of the inhabited world.