Directory

1279 CE

The Diet of Hungary adopts the so-called Cuman laws to regulate the social status and lifestyle of the nomadic and pagan Cumans living in the Kingdom of Hungary. The Dai-Gohonzon, supreme object of veneration of Nichiren Shōshū Buddhism, is said to be inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin. The first of the Statutes of Mortmain are passed during the reign of King Edward I ("Longshanks"), which prevents land from passing into the possession of the Church.

Conflict & Security

  • March 5 – Battle of Aizkraukle: Lithuanian forces led by Grand Duke Traidenis defeat an army of Teutonic Knights of the Livonian Order at Aizkraukle. During the battle, the order suffers a great defeat, some 70 knights are killed, including Grand Master Ernst von Ratzeburg (or Rassburg). The Semigallians, allies of the Livonian Order, revolt but later submit to Traidenis for protection.source
  • April 17 – Thawun Gyi settles at Taungoo (modern-day Myanmar), and becomes the first ruler of the Toungoo dynasty (until 1317).source
  • July 20 – Siege of Algeciras: Castilian forces led by King Alfonso X ("the Wise") abandon the siege (begun in 1278), after their fleet (some 400 ships) is destroyed by the Marinids led by Sultan Abu Yaqub Yusuf an-Nasr. All prisoners are decapitated except the officers who are taken hostage. For the second time, the entire Castilian fleet is lost and Alfonso is forced to sign a new truce.source
  • Spring – Mamluk forces led by the 19-year-old Sultan Al-Said Barakah and Qalawun ("the Thousander") invade Cilician Armenia; a revolt in Egypt while they are away force Barakah to abdicate. In August, Qalawun takes over the government in Cairo and proclaims himself sultan. He sends Solamish, youngest son of former Sultan Baibars, into exile. Meanwhile, Sunqur al-Ashqar, Mamluk viceroy of Damascus, refuses to accept Qalawun's authority and begins a rebellion in Syria.source
  • Ram Khamhaeng becomes the third king of the Phra Ruang dynasty, ruling the Sukhothai Kingdom (modern-day Thailand).source
  • The Chola dynasty of South India falls under the rule of Rajendra Chola III, due to attacks by the Hoysala Empire and Pandya kingdom.source

Religion & Belief

  • October 12 – The Dai-Gohonzon, supreme object of veneration of Nichiren Shōshū Buddhism, is said to be inscribed by Nichiren Daishonin.source
  • November 15 – The first of the Statutes of Mortmain are passed during the reign of King Edward I ("Longshanks"), which prevents land from passing into the possession of the Church.source
  • November – Alfonso X ("the Wise") grants the cities of Medina-Sidonia and Alcalá de los Gazules to the Order of Saint Mary of Spain. He also donates the town of Morón de la Frontera to the Order of Alcántara.source
  • Abu Bakr al-Razi's (or Rhazes') medical writings are translated into Latin by Faraj ben Salim, some 350 years after al-Razi's death.source
  • The town of Haapsalu in Estonia is founded and later becomes the centre of the Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek.source
  • Abu Ishaq, uncle of the Hafsid caliph Abu Ishaq Ibrahim I, sides with the Almohad rebels of Béjaïa, and takes Tunis.source

Science & Discovery

  • The second of two main surveys of the Hundred Rolls, a census seen as a follow-up to the Domesday Book completed in 1086, is begun; it lasts until 1280.source

Health & Medicine

  • August 5 – The Diet of Hungary adopts the so-called Cuman laws to regulate the social status and lifestyle of the nomadic and pagan Cumans living in the Kingdom of Hungary.source

Crime & Justice

  • A Mongol Yuan embassy, sent by Kublai Khan to Japan, is killed by orders from Hōjō Tokimune, leading to a second invasion.source

Culture & Society

  • The Royal Mint is moved into the Tower of London. Mints outside London are reduced, with only a few local and episcopal mints continuing to operate.source

Births

  • March 3 – Ismail I, Nasrid ruler of Granada (d. 1325)source
  • April 5 – Al-Nuwayri, Egyptian encyclopedist (d. 1333)source
  • Otto I, Polish nobleman (House of Griffin) (d. 1344)source
  • Louis I, Duke of Bourbon ("the Lame"), French nobleman and knight (d. 1341)source
  • Nigel de Brus, Scottish nobleman and knight (d. 1306)source
  • John I, German nobleman (House of Hohenzollern) (d. 1300)source
  • Muktabai (or Mukta), Indian religious leader (d. 1297)source
  • Zahida Abbasiyah, Abbasid poet and writersource
  • Hōjō Hirotoki, Japanese nobleman and regent (d. 1315)source
  • Abu Asida Muhammad II, Hafsid ruler of Tunis (d. 1309)source
  • Antony Bek, English chancellor and bishop (d. 1343)source

Deaths

  • March 16 – Joan of Dammartin, Spanish queen consort (b. 1220)source
  • March 19 – Zhao Bing, Chinese emperor (House of Zhao) (b. 1272)source
  • March 19 – Lu Xiufu (or Junshi), Chinese Grand Chancellor (b. 1236)source
  • March 24 – Rinchen Gyaltsen, Tibetan imperial preceptor (b. 1238)source
  • April 2 – Abel Abelsøn, Danish nobleman and landowner (b. 1252)source
  • May 7 – Alberto da Bergamo, Italian Dominican friar (b. 1214)source
  • July 15 – William Langton (or Rotherfield), English archdeaconsource
  • July 22 – Philip of Spanheim, German archbishop and patriarchsource
  • August 15 – Albert I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg ("the Great"), German nobleman (b. 1236)source
  • September 3 – Étienne Tempier, French bishop and chancellorsource
  • September 11 – Robert Kilwardby, English archbishop (b. 1215)source
  • September 18 – Ulrich II, Count of Württemberg, German nobleman and ruler (b. 1254)source
  • December 7 – Bolesław V the Chaste, Polish nobleman (b. 1226)source
  • December 18 – Richard of Gravesend, English priest and bishopsource