Directory

1198 CE

; Prince Leo II of Cilician Armenia crowned as Leo I — king of Armenia. Philip of Swabia, son of the late Emperor Frederick I, is elected "King of Germany" by his supporters at Mühlhausen in Thuringia. Archbishop Adolf of Cologne elects Otto of Brunswick, son of Henry the Lion, as Philip's rival. Otto IV is crowned as King of the Romans in Aachen by supporters of the House of Welf. Philip's coronation does not take place until September 8, at Mainz. Averroes (or Ibn Rushd), Arab polymath and physician, dies. He is the author of more than 100 books, for which he is known in the western world as The Commentator and Father of Rationalism.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • February 18 – Emperor Go-Toba (or Toba the Second) abdicates the throne in favor of his two-year-old son Tsuchimikado, after a 14-year reign.source

Conflict & Security

  • September 27 – Battle of Gisors: Richard I defeats the French forces led by Philip II (Augustus) at Courcelles-lès-Gisors, in Picardy. Richard captures three castles on the border of the Vexin. The French troops, many of them mounted, crowd the bridge leading into Gisors Castle but it collapses beneath them. The French king is among those who plunge into the water in his armor. Many French knights drown, but Philip is pulled to safety.source

Religion & Belief

  • January 6; Prince Leo II of Cilician Armenia crowned as Leo I — king of Armeniasource
  • March 8 – Philip of Swabia, son of the late Emperor Frederick I, is elected "King of Germany" by his supporters at Mühlhausen in Thuringia. Archbishop Adolf of Cologne elects Otto of Brunswick, son of Henry the Lion, as Philip's rival. Otto IV is crowned as King of the Romans in Aachen by supporters of the House of Welf. Philip's coronation does not take place until September 8, at Mainz.source
  • Innocent III excommunicates Philip II for repudiating his marriage to Ingeborg of Denmark (see 1193), to whom he took an almost instant dislike, but public opinion forces Philip to effect a reconciliation with the pope.source

Health & Medicine

  • Emperor Ningzong of Song bans the practice of Neo-Confucianism.source

Culture & Society

  • John of England captures a party of 18 French knights and many men-at-arms, in the ongoing conflict against France. His brother, King Richard I (the Lionheart) introduces a new Great Seal – in an attempt to keep the war against France funded. The government proclaims that charters previously struck with the old seal are no longer valid and must be renewed with a fresh payment. The office of Lord Warden of the Stannaries is also introduced, to tax the produce of tin mines in Cornwall and Devon.source
  • Spring – Amalric I, ruler of Cyprus, marries Princess Isabella I, daughter of the late King Amalric I. A few days later they are crowned as King and Queen of Jerusalem at Acre. On July 1, Amalric signs a truce with Al-Adil I, sultan of Egypt and Syria, securing the Crusader possessions from Acre to as far as Antioch.source

Births

  • May 4 – Kyaswa, ruler of the Pagan Empire (d. 1251)source
  • July 11 – Hōjō Shigetoki, Japanese samurai (d. 1261)source
  • August 24 – Alexander II, king of Scotland (d. 1249)source
  • September 25 – Ai Zong, Chinese emperor (d. 1234)source
  • Ordoño Álvarez, Spanish abbot and cardinal (d. 1285)source
  • Baldwin III, Flemish nobleman and knight (d. 1244)source
  • Siraj al-Din Urmavi, Ayyubid philosopher (d. 1283)source
  • Beatrice of Swabia, Holy Roman Empress (d. 1212)source
  • Koun Ejō, Japanese Sōtō Zen monk and priest (d. 1280)source
  • Sybilla of Lusignan, queen of Lesser Armenia (d. 1230)source
  • Fujiwara no Tameie, Japanese waka poet (d. 1275)source
  • Beatrice of Savoy, countess of Provence (d. 1266)source
  • Ramon Berenguer IV, Spanish nobleman (d. 1245)source
  • Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari, Arab missionary (d. 1292)source

Deaths

  • January 8 – Celestine III, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 1106)source
  • January 8 – Pope Celestine III dies at Rome, after a pontificate of nearly 7 years. He is succeeded by Innocent III, as the 176th pope of the Catholic Church. Shortly after he lays an interdict on Laon, in an attempt to create independent beliefs there. This will be followed by interdicts against France in 1199, and Normandy in 1203.source
  • February 1 – Walram I (of Laurenburg), German noblemansource
  • March 11 – Marie of France, French princess and countess (b. 1145)source
  • April 16 – Frederick I (the Catholic), duke of Austria (b. 1175)source
  • July 7 – George II (Xiphilinos), patriarch of Constantinoplesource
  • July 24 – Berthold of Hanover, German apostle and bishopsource
  • August 13 – Hellicha of Wittelsbach, duchess of Bohemiasource
  • September 10 – Richard FitzNeal, bishop of London (b. 1130)source
  • November 27 – Abraham ben David, French rabbi (b. 1125)source
  • November 29 – Al-Aziz Uthman, sultan of Egypt (b. 1171)source
  • December 2 – Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, High King of Irelandsource
  • December 11 – Averroes (or Ibn Rushd), Arab polymath and physician, dies. He is the author of more than 100 books, for which he is known in the western world as The Commentator and Father of Rationalism.source
  • December 11 – Averroes, Arab judge and physician (b. 1126)source