Directory

1179 CE

Third Council of the Lateran: The Council condemns Waldensians and Cathars as heretics. It further institutes a reformation of clerical life and regulates that in order to prevent future schisms, the pope must receive of the cardinals' votes to be elected. Battle of Kalvskinnet: Norwegian forces led by King Sverre Sigurdsson defeat and kill Earl Erling Skakke, outside Nidaros in Norway. The battle changes the tide of the civil wars. Hildegard of Bingen, German abbess and polymath, dies at Rupertsberg. Having founded two monasteries, she has also written theological, botanical, and medicinal texts.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • King William I (the Lion) establishes two castles at the Beauly Firth and the Cromarty Firth in northern Scotland. On his return, the city of Aberdeen is chartered by Wiliam.source

Conflict & Security

  • June 10 – Battle of Marj Ayyun: A Crusader army (some 10,000 men) led by Baldwin IV is defeated by Muslim forces under Saladin near the Litani River (modern Lebanon). The Knights Templar join the battle, but they are driven back in confusion. Baldwin narrowly escapes being captured in the route. Amongst Saladin's prisoners are Odo de St. Amand, Grand Master of the Templars, and Lord Baldwin of Ibelin.source
  • June 18 – Battle of Kalvskinnet: Norwegian forces led by King Sverre Sigurdsson defeat and kill Earl Erling Skakke, outside Nidaros in Norway. The battle changes the tide of the civil wars.source
  • August 30 – Siege of Jacob's Ford: Muslim forces led by Saladin conquer and destroy the unfinished Castle of Chastellet at Jacob's Ford, killing 80 knights and taking 700 civilians captive.source
  • September 17 – A large offensive, by the Almohad army led by Yusuf I in southern Portugal, aims at the reconquest of the Alentejo. Further north, an Almohad fleet sails to attack Lisbon, but is repelled by the Portuguese, near the Cape Espichel. The Portuguese fleet later manages to enter in the harbour of Ceuta, and destroy a number of Muslim ships. It is the beginning of a four-year naval conflict between the Almohads and Portuguese.source
  • Taira no Kiyomori, Japanese military leader, confines the former Emperor Go-Shirakawa to his quarters after discovering that he has tried to confiscate the estates of Kiyomori's deceased children.source

Religion & Belief

  • March – Third Council of the Lateran: The Council condemns Waldensians and Cathars as heretics. It further institutes a reformation of clerical life and regulates that in order to prevent future schisms, the pope must receive of the cardinals' votes to be elected.source
  • November 1 – The 14-year-old Philip II is crowned at Rheims by Archbishop William of the White Hands. He becomes joint ruler of France, together with his father King Louis VII.source
  • Westminster School is founded by Benedictine monks of Westminster Abbey (by papal command) in England.source
  • Summer – Afonso I (the Conqueror) is recognized as King of Portugal by Pope Alexander III – bringing Portugal the protection of the Catholic Church against the Leonese monarchy.source

Health & Medicine

  • June 24 – Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony, is put under the ban of the empire when he refuses to appear before Emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa) to answer charges of misgovernment.source

Crime & Justice

  • Mieszko III (the Old), duke of Poland, travels to Germany to ask Frederick I to offer help in his restoration of the Polish throne, but Frederick demands a payment of 10,000 silver.source

Disasters & Accidents

  • The Maya city Chichen Itza is sacked and burned by Hunac Ceel, ruler of Mayapan (approximate date).source

Culture & Society

  • The Drigung Kagyu school of Kagyu Buddhism is founded (approximate date).source

Births

  • April 4 – Fariduddin Ganjshakar, Indian preacher (d. 1266)source
  • May 13 – Theobald III, count of Champagne (d. 1201)source
  • May 17 – Ogasawara Nagatsune, Japanese warrior (d. 1247)source
  • Snorri Sturluson, Icelandic historian and poet (d. 1241)source
  • John of Ibelin, the Old Lord of Beirut, constable (d. 1236)source
  • Konoe Iezane, Japanese nobleman and monk (d. 1243)source
  • Shimazu Tadahisa, Japanese warlord (d. 1227)source
  • Donatus of Ripacandida, Italian monk and saint (d. 1198)source
  • William IV of Ponthieu ("Talvas"), Norman nobleman (d. 1221)source
  • Yaqut al-Hamawi, Arab geographer and writer (d. 1229)source
  • Constance of Aragon, Holy Roman Empress (d. 1222)source
  • Serapion of Algiers, English priest and martyr (d. 1240)source

Deaths

  • February 25 – Adelelm, English Lord High Treasurersource
  • April 10 – A Crusader army, led by King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem ("the Leper"), is ambushed by Muslim forces in a narrow valley in the forest of Banyas. Baldwin is only able to extricate his forces owing to the heroism of Humphrey II, lord of Toron, who holds up the Muslims with his bodyguard till Baldwin and his army escape. Humphrey suffers mortal wounds and dies on April 22. He is succeeded by his 13-year-old grandson Humphrey IV.source
  • April 22 – Humphrey II, constable and lord of Toron (b. 1117)source
  • June 18 – Erling Skakke, Norwegian nobleman (b. 1115)source
  • July 14 – Richard de Luci, Norman High Sheriff (b. 1089)source
  • July 27 – Mudzaffar Shah I, ruler of the Kedah Sultanatesource
  • August 9 – Roger of Worcester, English bishop (b. 1118)source
  • September 2 – Taira no Shigemori, Japanese nobleman (b. 1138)source
  • September 17 – Hildegard of Bingen, German abbess (b. 1098)source
  • September 17 – Hildegard of Bingen, German abbess and polymath, dies at Rupertsberg. Having founded two monasteries, she has also written theological, botanical, and medicinal texts.source
  • October 9 – Odo de St. Amand, French Grand Master (b. 1110)source
  • October 18 – Chŏng Chung-bu, Korean military leader (b. 1106)source
  • December 25 – Roger de Bailleul, French monk and abbotsource
  • A synod of thirty-three Armenian bishops in Hromkla discusses the conditions for union with the Byzantine Church and sends a profession of faith to emperor Manuel I Komnenos who dies before receiving it.source