    __notoc__ year 1334 (mcccxxxiv) was a common year starting on saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the julian calendar. == events == === january&ndash;december === * july 18 &ndash; the bishop of florence blesses the first foundational stone laid for the new campanile (bell tower) of the florence cathedral. the tower was designed by the artist giotto di bondone. * december 20 &ndash; pope benedict xii succeeds pope john xxii as the 197th pope. === date unknown === * the first recorded outbreak of the black death occurs in the chinese province of hubei. == births == * january 4 &ndash; amadeus vi of savoy (d. 1383) * january 13 &ndash; king henry ii of castile (d. 1379) * may 25 &ndash; emperor sukÅ (d. 1398) * august 30 &ndash; king pedro of castile (d. 1369) * date unknown ** king james i of cyprus (d. 1398) ** hayam wuruk, javanese ruler (d. 1389) == deaths == * january 17 &ndash; john of brittany, earl of richmond (b. c. 1266) * december 4 &ndash; pope john xxii (b. 1249) * date unknown &ndash; sheikh safi-ad-din ardabili of persia (b. 1251) == references ==  
1334