1426

The year 1426 was a common year that began on a Tuesday according to the Julian calendar. In the Byzantine Empire, it marked the reign of Emperor John VIII Palaiologos. The Ottoman Empire continued to exert influence in the Balkans and Anatolia, though facing internal challenges. In England, the Hundred Years' War with France was ongoing, with periods of both conflict and uneasy truce.

Notable events from 1426 include the Battle of Varna, which would occur the following year, but preparations and skirmishes were underway. In Europe, the Italian Wars were beginning to simmer, foreshadowing future conflicts over control of the peninsula. In East Asia, the Ming Dynasty in China was in a period of consolidation and expansion. In the arts and sciences, the Renaissance was gaining momentum in Italy, with artists and thinkers laying the groundwork for future masterpieces and discoveries. Scholarship and trade continued to connect different regions of the world, though travel and communication were slow by modern standards. The year represented a continuation of existing political, religious, and cultural trends that would shape the subsequent centuries.