1204 CE

23 – A large solar storm takes place, and is recorded in Meigetsuki, the diary of the Japanese poet Fujiwara no Sadaie. Sack of Constantinople: Crusaders enter Constantinople by storm and start pillaging the city as part of the Fourth Crusade. Forces of the Republic of Venice seize the antique statues that will become the horses of Saint Mark. Baldwin, Count of Flanders, is crowned emperor of the Latin Empire a week after his election by the members of the Fourth Crusade.

In the 1200s, the 13th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • The district of Cham becomes subject to Bavaria.source
  • Theodore I Laskaris flees to Nicaea after the capture of Constantinople, and establishes the Empire of Nicaea; Byzantine successor states are also established in Epirus and Trebizond.source
  • The Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey decide, after a plebiscite of wealthy land owners, to remain with the English crown, after Normandy is recaptured by Philip II of France.source

Conflict & Security

  • January 27–28 – Byzantine emperor Alexios IV Angelos is overthrown in a revolution.source
  • April 12 – Sack of Constantinople: Crusaders enter Constantinople by storm and start pillaging the city as part of the Fourth Crusade. Forces of the Republic of Venice seize the antique statues that will become the horses of Saint Mark.source
  • Angers and Normandy are captured by Philip II of France.source
  • Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia submits to Philip of Swabia.source

Religion & Belief

  • February 5 – Alexios V Doukas is crowned Byzantine emperor.source
  • May 16 – Baldwin, Count of Flanders, is crowned emperor of the Latin Empire a week after his election by the members of the Fourth Crusade.source
  • Tsar Kaloyan is recognized as king of Bulgaria by Pope Innocent III, after the creation of the Bulgarian Uniate church.source
  • Boniface I, Marquis of Montferrat, a leader of the Fourth Crusade, founds the Kingdom of Thessalonica.source
  • The writings of French theologian Amalric of Bena are condemned by the University of Paris and Pope Innocent III.source
  • The Cistercian convent of Port-Royal-des-Champs is established.source
  • Old St. Mary's Church, Clonmel founded by William de Burgh, Lord of Connacht (probable date).Irelandsource
  • Duiske Abbey founded by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.Irelandsource

Economy & Finance

  • Landshut, Bavaria, is Founded.source

Crime & Justice

Climate & Environment

  • February 21–23 – A large solar storm takes place, and is recorded in Meigetsuki, the diary of the Japanese poet Fujiwara no Sadaie.source

Culture & Society

  • Valdemar II of Denmark is recognized as king in Norway.source
  • Fairs Act enacted by John, King of England provides for the erection of a castle and fortifications at Dublin and the establishment of fairs at Donnybrook (near Dublin), Waterford and Limerick. It will be the oldest statute in force on the Irish statute book as of 2007.Irelandsource

Births

  • April 14 – Henry I, king of Castile (died 1217)source
  • Henry Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia (died 1247)source
  • Maria of Courtenay, Empress regent of Nicaea (died 1228)source

Deaths

  • January 1 – King Haakon III of Norwaysource
  • 15 January – Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly, Cambro-Norman nobleman (born c.1150).Irelandsource
  • January – Isaac II Angelos, Byzantine emperorsource
  • February 8 – Alexios IV Angelos, Byzantine emperorsource
  • April 1 – Eleanor of Aquitaine, Sovereign Duchess Regnant of Aquitaine, queen of France and Englandsource
  • August 11 – King Guttorm of Norwaysource
  • August 14 – Minamoto no Yoriie, Japanese shōgun (born 1182)source
  • September 30 or November 30 – Emeric, King of Hungary (born 1174)source
  • November – Ban Kulin, ruler of Bosnia (born 1163)source
  • December 12 (or December 13) – Maimonides, Spanish rabbi and philosopher (born 1135)source
  • December 22 – Fujiwara no Shunzei, Japanese waka poet (born 1114)source
  • probable – Amalric of Bena, French theologiansource
  • c. October 21 – Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester, English noblemansource
  • date unknown – Suleiman II, Sultan of Rûmsource
  • Muirchertach Tethbhach, Prince of Connacht (killed by his uncles).Irelandsource
  • Donnchadh Conallagh Ua Conchobair, Prince of Connacht.Irelandsource