Directory

1160 CE

Erik IX Jedvardsson of Sweden is murdered, after which his murderer Magnus Henriksen proclaims himself king of Sweden as Magnus II. He is murdered in turn the following year, however. Erik is soon worshipped as a saint. Though never formally canonized by Pope Alexander III, he eventually becomes the patron saint of Sweden. Within weeks of the death of his second wife, Queen Constance of Castile, King Louis VII of France marries Adela of Champagne, daughter of Count Theobald II ("the Great"). Approximate date – Derby School is founded by Walkelin de Derby in Derby (England); it will survive until 1989.

Conflict & Security

  • January 25 – Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, captures Crema, Lombardy after a 6-month siege, as part of his campaign against the independent Italian city-states. Some 20,000 survivors are allowed to leave the city with whatever they could carry before Crema is looted and burnt to the ground. The expense of the siege (over 2,000 silver marks) and Frederick's determination to enforce it over the winter, demonstrates his ability to hold troops in the field and to keep his allies on side.source
  • A large Portuguese offensive begins in the Alentejo region, against the Almoravids. The city of Tomar is founded by Gualdim Pais, Grand Master of the Knights Templar.source
  • Autumn – Raynald of Châtillon, prince of Antioch, makes a plundering raid in the valley of the Euphrates at Marash to seize cattle, horses and camels from the local peasants. On his way back to Antioch, he and his retinue are attacked by Zangid warriors. Raynald is unhorsed, captured and sent to Aleppo where he is put in jail.source
  • In Japan, the Heiji Rebellion began with the siege of the Sanjō Palace.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • The Almohads conquer Mahdia (modern Tunisia) from the Normans after an important naval success near the city, against Christian reinforcements coming from Sicily.source
  • Approximate date – A commercial treaty between the Almohad Caliphate and the Republic of Pisa opens the North African ports to Tuscan merchants.source

Religion & Belief

  • The island of Lundy is granted to the Knights Templar by Henry II of England.source
  • A plot of land at Miholjanec is donated to the Knights Templar, who build a monastery in nearby Zdelia. This is the earliest historical mention of the Templars in Croatia and Hungary.source

Health & Medicine

  • Spital am Semmering (modern Austria) is founded by Margrave Ottokar III. He erects a hospital and completes the colonization of the area around the Traisen and Gölsen rivers.source

Crime & Justice

  • May 18 – Erik IX Jedvardsson of Sweden is murdered, after which his murderer Magnus Henriksen proclaims himself king of Sweden as Magnus II. He is murdered in turn the following year, however. Erik is soon worshipped as a saint. Though never formally canonized by Pope Alexander III, he eventually becomes the patron saint of Sweden.source

Culture & Society

  • November 2 – Betrothal of 5-year-old Henry the Young King of England and 2-year-old Marguerite, daughter of Louis VII of France; she brings Norman Vexin to the English crown as a dowry.source
  • Approximate date – Derby School is founded by Walkelin de Derby in Derby (England); it will survive until 1989.source

Births

  • October 4 – Alys of France, daughter of Louis VII (d. 1220)source
  • December 3 – Conrad of Querfurt, German bishop (d. 1202)source
  • Rudolph I, count palatine of Tübingen (d. 1219)source
  • Eschiva of Ibelin, queen of Cyprus (d. 1196)source
  • David Kimhi, French rabbi and grammarian (d. 1235)source
  • Alice of Courtenay, French noblewoman (d. 1218)source
  • Bertold V, German nobleman (House of Zähringen) (d. 1218)source
  • Dulce of Aragon, queen of Portugal (d. 1198)source
  • Cadenet, French poet and troubadour (approximate date)source
  • Mestwin I, duke of Pomerania (approximate date)source
  • Adolf III, count of Schaumburg and Holstein (d. 1225)source
  • Vladislaus III, duke of Bohemia (approximate date)source
  • Ali ibn al-Athir, Arab historian and biographer (d. 1233)source
  • Ma Yuan, Chinese landscape painter (d. 1225)source

Deaths

  • March 12 – Al-Muqtafi, caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate (b. 1096)source
  • April 3 – William FitzAlan, Breton nobleman (b. 1105)source
  • April 27 – Rudolf I, count of Bregenz and Chur (b. 1081)source
  • May 18 – Ibn al-Qalanisi, Arab politician and chroniclersource
  • May 18 – Erik IX Jedvardsson ("the Holy"), king of Sweden (b. 1120)source
  • May 31 – Mechtildis of Edelstetten, German abbesssource
  • July 23 – Al-Fa'iz bi-Nasr Allah, Fatimid caliph (b. 1149)source
  • October 4 – Constance of Castile, queen of France (b. 1141)source
  • November 13 – Within weeks of the death of his second wife, Queen Constance of Castile, King Louis VII of France marries Adela of Champagne, daughter of Count Theobald II ("the Great").source
  • December 17 – Gilla na Naemh Ua Duinn, Irish poet (b. 1102)source
  • December 22 – Fujiwara no Nariko, Japanese empress (b. 1117)source
  • Peter Lombard, French bishop and theologian (b. 1096)source
  • Raymond du Puy, French knight and Grand Master (b. 1083)source
  • Herman of Carinthia, German astronomer (b. 1100)source