The 14th Century

The 14th century encompasses the hundred years beginning in 1301 and ending in 1400 according to the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Historians generally regard it as a time of profound change affecting populations, commerce, and governance across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The most significant events of this century included the spread of plague, known as the Black Death, which swept through Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa in the mid-14th century, and the prolonged war between England and France known as the Hundred Years' War. New kingdoms rose to prominence while others declined or fragmented.

Plague and populations

The plague of the 1340s spread through interconnected trading cities, particularly along Mediterranean sea routes. The exact death toll remains uncertain, but many historians estimate that a substantial portion of Europe's population died within a short period. The consequences included labor shortages, rising wages for peasants, and shifts in land tenure systems (feudalism). The plague also affected religion and society: some sought scientific explanations, while others blamed minorities, leading to violence.

Asia and kingdoms

In East Asia, the Mongol-ruled Yuan dynasty governing China ended in 1368 when the Ming dynasty took power. In Central Asia, Timur (Tamerlane) established a large empire in the late century with its capital at Samarkand. In the Middle East, the Ottoman state began as a small power in Anatolia and expanded toward the Balkans.

Africa

In West Africa, the Mali kingdom was powerful, especially during the time of Mansa Musa, who undertook a pilgrimage to Egypt. Timbuktu and other cities became centers of learning and trade in gold and salt. In the Horn of Africa, the Abyssinian kingdom and Islamic states in Zeila and the Ifat/Adal region engaged in ongoing rivalry and warfare. The travels of Ibn Battuta document coastal cities of East Africa and Somali lands of this period, including Mogadishu, which he described as a major trading city.

Learning and culture

In Italy, literary and artistic creation began the transformation known as the Renaissance; Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio wrote in the vernacular, expanding readership. In England, Geoffrey Chaucer produced poetry in English. New universities were founded across Europe, while scholars continued to engage with mathematics and astronomy from Islamic and Asian traditions.