1227 CE
The city of Požga in Croatia is first mentioned, in a charter of King Andrew II of Hungary. Genghis Khan dies during the fall of Yinchuan after a 21-year reign. His exact cause of death remains a mystery, and is variously attributed to being killed in action against the Western Xia, illness, falling from his horse, or wounds sustained during hunting. Genghis is succeeded by his third son, Ögedei Khan, who becomes the "Great Khan" of the Mongol Empire. Dōgen Zenji receives Dharma transmission and inka from his master Rujing in China, settling his "life's quest of the great matter", going on to introduce Sōtō Zen Buddhism into his native Japan.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
Conflict & Security
- July 22 – Battle of Bornhöved: Count Adolf IV of Holstein – leading a coalition army from the cities of Lübeck and Hamburg, defeats the Danish-German forces of King Valdemar II, and the Welf nobleman Otto I (the Child). Adolf shakes off Danish supremacy and accepts an overlordship by the Archbishopric of Bremen under Archbishop Gerhard II of Lippe. Adolf expands his power and establishes new frontiers within the Holy Roman Empire.source
- July 28 – Battle of Ane: Forces of the Bishopric of Utrecht are defeated by the rebellious Drenths led by Rudolph van Coevorden near Ane (modern Netherlands). The Drenths lure the Bishop's forces, supported by heavily armoured knights, in an ambush into a swampy area and kill Bishop Otto II of Lippe. After the battle, Otto's successor, Wilbrand van Oldenburg, rouses the Frisian people into supporting the war against the Drenths.source
- November 24 – Prince Leszek I (the White) is assassinated in an ambush on a council of Polish dukes in the city of Gąsawa, an event which later becomes known as the Gąsawa Massacre.source
- Spring – Livonian Crusade: The Livonian Brothers of the Sword and their Crusader allies (some 20,000 men) cross the sea ice from mainland Estonia, and defeat the last Estonian strongholds in the Battle of Muhu and the siege of the Valjala Stronghold in the Saaremaa islands. This marks the end of the Estonian campaign in the Livonian Crusade. The Sword Brothers conquer Danish Estonia, and Tallinn is given town rights under Riga law.source
- Siege of Yinchuan: Mongol forces eliminate the Western Xia (or Xi Xia) and execute Emperor Mo (or Li Xian). Genghis Khan dies during the siege under debated circumstances, but this is kept secret from the army until the siege's end. Yinchuan is pillaged and its entire population is slaughtered or sold into slavery. Genghis orders the imperial family to be executed, effectively ending the Tangut royal lineage.source
- Swedish-Novgorodian War: Grand Prince Yaroslav II of Vladimir leads an attack from the Novgorod Republic on Baltic Finnic peoples in eastern Fennoscandia, called "Yem", whom he devastates.source
Religion & Belief
- January 11 – The city of Požga in Croatia is first mentioned, in a charter of King Andrew II of Hungary.source
- September 29 – Gregory IX excommunicates Frederick II, due to his broken promises and delay of the Sixth Crusade.source
- October 10 – Frederick II recovering at Pozzuoli, receives a letter from Pope Gregory IX, announcing his ex-communication. Frederick is branded a wanton violator of his sacred oath taken many times, at Aachen, Ferentino, Veroli and San Germano. Meanwhile, the Crusader army fortifies Sidon Sea Castle and rebuilds Montfort Castle, northeast of Acre, as a new headquarter castle for the Teutonic Knights, who called it Starkenburg.source
- Dōgen Zenji receives Dharma transmission and inka from his master Rujing in China, settling his "life's quest of the great matter", going on to introduce Sōtō Zen Buddhism into his native Japan.source
Health & Medicine
- August – Emperor Frederick II musters a German expeditionary force in Apulia. The crowded conditions and high heat contribute to discontent and disease among the assembled troops. On September 24, an epidemic of malaria enfeebles the army at Brindisi. Several thousand Crusaders led by Henry IV, duke of Limburg, and French and English mercenaries under the bishops Peter des Roches and William Briwere, arrive at Acre.source
Births
- January 1 – Mujū Dōkyō, Japanese Buddhist monk (d. 1312)source
- June 29 – Hōjō Tokiyori, Japanese regent (shikken) (d. 1263)source
- September 30 – Nicholas IV, pope of the Catholic Church (d. 1292)source
- Hu Zhiyu, Chinese Sanqu poet and writer (d. 1293)source
- Gertrude of Aldenberg, German noblewoman (d. 1297)source
- William II of Holland, anti-king of Germany (d. 1256)source
- Chomden Rigpe Raldri, Tibetan scholar and writer (d. 1305)source
- Aju (or Achu), Mongol military leader and chancellor (d. 1287)source
- Fang Hui (or Xugu), Chinese scholar and politician (d. 1307)source
- Hōjō Nagatoki, Japanese samurai and regent (d. 1264)source
- Elisabeth of Bavaria, queen consort of Germany (d. 1273)source
Deaths
- January 28 – Henry Borwin I, German nobleman and knightsource
- March 18 – Pope Honorius III dies at Rome after a pontificate of nearly 11 years. He is succeeded by Gregory IX as the 178th pope of the Catholic Church.source
- April 28 – Henry V (the Elder), German nobleman (b. 1173)source
- July 23 – Qiu Chuji, Chinese Taoist religious leader (b. 1148)source
- August 18 – Genghis Khan dies during the fall of Yinchuan after a 21-year reign. His exact cause of death remains a mystery, and is variously attributed to being killed in action against the Western Xia, illness, falling from his horse, or wounds sustained during hunting. Genghis is succeeded by his third son, Ögedei Khan, who becomes the "Great Khan" of the Mongol Empire.source
- September 11 – Louis IV (the Saint), landgrave of Thuringia (b. 1200)source
- September 11 – Oliver of Paderborn, German bishop and chroniclersource
- September 29 – Conrad of Urach, German cardinal-bishopsource
- September – A second contingent joined by Frederick II, departs from Brindisi to the Levant. On September 11, during the second day of the voyage, one of Fredericks' companions, Louis IV of Thuringia, dies of an illness (possibly cholera) at Otranto. Frederick also becomes sick and decides to return home, while sending the rest of the Crusader fleet (20 galleys) to Acre. There, they fortify the coastal towns of Caesarea and Jaffa.source
- October 4 – Abdallah al-Adil, Almohad governor and caliphsource
- October 10 – Daniel and companions, Franciscan martyrssource
- November 12 – Al-Mu'azzam Isa, Ayyubid ruler of Damascus, dies after a 11-year reign. He is succeeded by his 21-year-old son, An-Nasir Dawud, who faces opposition from his uncle, Sultan Al-Kamil of Egypt.source
- November 12 – Al-Mu'azzam Isa, Ayyubid ruler (b. 1176)source
- November 24 – Leszek I (the White), High Duke of Polandsource