assassinated; the Duke of Alencon arrested.

1474. Ferdinand and Isabella commence their joint reign in Castile.
Caxton publishes his first book, _The Game and Playe of the Chesse_.

1475. Emperor Frederick IV refuses to give Charles, Duke of Burgundy, the
title of king; war ensues; Charles conquers Lorraine.

1476. Switzerland unsuccessfully invaded by the Duke of Burgundy.
Assassination of Sforza, Duke of Milan; his son Gian Galeazzo Maria
succeeds, under the regency of his mother, Bona.

Sten Sture, Protector of Sweden, founds the University of Upsal; he
checks the nobility and priesthood by summoning deputies of the towns and
peasantry to attend the national Diet.

1477. Maximilian, son of Emperor Frederick III, marries Mary of Burgundy.

Italy invaded by the Turks; they advance to within sight of Venice.

Publication of the first book printed in England, Caxton's _Dictes or
Sayengis of the Philosophers_.

Rene of Lorraine and his Swiss mercenaries overwhelm Charles the Bold at
Nancy; he is slain.

Burgundy is seized by Louis XI. See "DEATH OF CHARLES THE BOLD," viii,
155.

Grant of the Great Privilege of Holland and Zealand, by Mary, Duchess of
Burgundy. The _Groot Privilegie_ was a recapitulation and recognition of
ancient rights. Although afterward violated, and indeed abolished, it
became the foundation of the republic.

1478. Condemnation and death of the Duke of Clarence. He is said to have
chosen to die by being drowned in a butt of Malmsey, a wine of which he
had been inordinately fond.

Conspiracy of the Pazzi, a powerful family of Florence, against the
Medici; most of the conspirators massacred by the people; the others
judicially punished.

Sultan Mahomet II, of the Ottoman Empire, completes the subjugation of
Albania.

Novgorod taken by Ivan III, of Russia, who puts an end to its republic.

1479. Battle of Guinegate; Maximilian defeats the French. Ferdinand the
Catholic succeeds to the throne in Aragon; union of Castile and Aragon.

1480. Founding of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Spain, by
Cardinal Mendozas. See "INQUISITION ESTABLISHED IN SPAIN," viii, 166.

1481. Maine and Provence united to France.

Battle of Bielawesch; the Nogay Tartars crush the Golden Horde and secure
the independence of Russia.

1482. Death of Mary of Burgundy; her infant son, Philip, succeeds to the
sovereignty of the Netherlands.

Ferdinand and Isabella begin a war for the conquest of Granada.