1172 CE

May – Béla III returns to Hungary – where he is acclaimed king by the Hungarian nobility, after the death (possibly from poison) of his elder brother Stephen III, on March 4. Doge Vitale II Michiel, accused at a General Assembly at the Ducal Palace, for the destruction of the Venetian fleet, is stabbed to death by an angry mob at Venice. 28 – Compromise of Avranches: Alberto di Morra is sent by Pope Alexander III to the Council of Avranches to investigate the Becket controversy. Henry II is absolved of censures for Becket's murder in view of his penance and swears to go on a crusade. He revokes two controversial clauses of the Constitutions of Clarendon and is reconciled with the papacy.

In the 1170s, the 12th century.

Conflict & Security

  • King Henry II of England and Humbert III, Count of Savoy ("the Blessed") agree to the marriage of their respective heirs, John and Alicia. The alliance never occurs because Henry's elder heir, Henry the Young King, becomes jealous over the castles in the realm which Henry has promised to the couple. He stages a rebellion which will take Henry two years to put down. By that time, Alicia will have died.source
  • Winter – The Nubians are engaged in a series of skirmishes along the frontier in Upper Egypt. A force of Kurdish troops under Turan-Shah, a brother of Saladin, attack the Nubians. He installs a garrison in Qasr Ibrim.source
  • Summer – Emir Nur al-Din begins a two year war against the Danishmendids. He creates a buffer zone between the Syrian realm and Egypt. Meanwhile, he releases Count Raymond of Tripoli for the sum of 80,000 dinars.source
  • A Muslim rebellion is quelled at Prades in Catalonia; this event marks the end of the pacification of the lands recently conquered by Count Ramon Berenguer IV ("the Saint").source

Religion & Belief

  • May 21 – Henry II of England does penance at Avranches Cathedral for the murder of Thomas Becket.source
  • September 27–28 – Compromise of Avranches: Alberto di Morra is sent by Pope Alexander III to the Council of Avranches to investigate the Becket controversy. Henry II is absolved of censures for Becket's murder in view of his penance and swears to go on a crusade. He revokes two controversial clauses of the Constitutions of Clarendon and is reconciled with the papacy.source
  • c. October – The Synod of Cashel in Ireland brings Celtic Christianity more into alignment with the Latin Church (the modern Catholic Church).source
  • According to the annals of the Worcester Priory in England, "nothing memorable" happens in this year.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Supposed construction date of first Hook Lighthouse.Irelandsource

Science & Discovery

Crime & Justice

  • May 28 – Doge Vitale II Michiel, accused at a General Assembly at the Ducal Palace, for the destruction of the Venetian fleet, is stabbed to death by an angry mob at Venice.source

Culture & Society

  • April 17 – Henry II receives homage from the Irish princes who include Domnall Mór Ua Briain, king of Munster. He grants Hugh de Lacy the lordship of Meath (or Mide) for providing the services of 50 knights.source
  • April–May – Béla III returns to Hungary – where he is acclaimed king by the Hungarian nobility, after the death (possibly from poison) of his elder brother Stephen III, on March 4.source
  • Summer – The 14-year-old Richard (later Richard I of England) is formally recognized as duke of Aquitaine. The ceremony takes place at the church of St. Hilary in Poitiers.source
  • Meath is granted to Hugh de Lacy by Henry II of England.Irelandsource

Births

  • July 12 – Matsudono Moroie, Japanese nobleman (died 1238)source
  • Isabella I, queen and regent of Jerusalem (died 1205)source
  • Kamal al-Din Isfahani, Persian poet and writer (died 1237)source
  • Az-Zahir Ghazi, Ayyubid ruler of Aleppo (died 1216)source
  • Al-Qifti, Egyptian historian and biographer (died 1248)source
  • Louis I of Blois, French nobleman (died 1205)source
  • Baldwin I, emperor of the Latin Empire (died 1205)source
  • Isabel de Clare, countess of Pembroke (died 1220)source
  • Conrad II, duke of Swabia and Rothenburg (died 1196)source

Deaths

  • March 4 – Stephen III, king of Hungary (born 1147)source
  • March 7 – Il-Arslan, Khwarezm ruler (shah)source
  • May 28 – Vitale II Michiel, doge of Venicesource
  • October 14 – Ludwig II, German nobleman (born 1128)source
  • December 23 – Ugo Ventimiglia, Italian cardinalsource
  • Robert FitzRanulph, English high sheriffsource
  • William III, French nobleman (born 1093)source
  • Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd, king of Gwyneddsource
  • Henry, Prince of Capua, Sicilian prince (born 1160)source
  • Hugh of Fouilloy, French prior and writersource
  • Douce II, countess of Provence (born 1162)source
  • Robert FitzEdith, English nobleman (born 1093)source
  • Ibn Qalaqis, Fatimid poet and writer (born 1137)source
  • Death of Breifne King, Tiernan O'Rourke.Irelandsource