1212 CE

The Treaty of Lambeth (also called Treaty of Kingston) is signed by King John of England and several French counts, including Renaud I of Dammartin and Boulogne and Ferdinand of Flanders. The Children's Crusade: The 12-year-old Stephen of Cloyes leads a group across France to Vendôme. Attracting a following of over 30,000 adults and children. On the orders of Philip II, advised by the University of Paris, the people were implored to return home. Philip himself did not appear impressed, especially since his unexpected visitors were led by a mere child, and refused to take them seriously. The 18-year-old Frederick II is crowned King of the Germans at Mainz. Frederick's authority in Germany remains tenuous, and he is recognized only in southern Germany. In the region of northern Germany, the center of Guelph power, his rival Otto IV continues to hold the imperial power despite his excommunication.

In the 1210s, the 13th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • February 25 – The Treaty of Pont-à-Vendin is signed at Pont-à-Vendin between king Philip II of France and Ferdinand, Count of Flanders and Joan, Countess of Flanders. The treaty cedes the two captured towns of Saint-Omer and Aire-sur-la-Lys to France.Francesource
  • May 4 – The Treaty of Lambeth (also called Treaty of Kingston) is signed by King John of England and several French counts, including Renaud I of Dammartin and Boulogne and Ferdinand of Flanders.Francesource

Conflict & Security

  • July 16 – Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa: The Christian forces of King Alfonso VIII of Castile ("the Noble") decisively defeat the Almohad army (some 30,000 men) led by Caliph Muhammad al-Nasir. The victory gives a further impulse to the Reconquista but this leaves the Kingdom of Castile in a difficult financial position, as numerous soldiers have to be paid by the treasury.source
  • Spring – After the fall of Argos the Crusaders complete their conquest of the Morea in southern Greece. The city, along with Nauplia, is given to Othon de la Roche, a Burgundian nobleman, as a fief, along with an income of 400 hyperpyron from Corinth. Meanwhile, the Venetians conquer Crete and evict Henry, Count of Malta ("Enrico Pescatore"), a Genoese adventurer and pirate, active in the Mediterranean.source
  • Autumn – Genghis Khan invades Jin territory and besieges Datong. During the assault, he is wounded by an arrow in his knee and orders a withdrawal for rest and relaxation.source
  • Prince Louis VIII of France captures the town of Aire-sur-la-Lys.Francesource
  • Prince Louis VIII of France captures the town of Saint-Omer.Francesource

Exploration & Expansion

  • The Teutonic Order builds Bran Castle in the Burzenland (modern Romania) as a fortified position at the entrance of a mountain pass through which traders can travel. The Teutonic Knights build another five castles, some of them made of stone. Their rapid expansion in Hungary makes the nobility and clergy, who are previously uninterested in those regions, jealous and suspicious.source
  • Late June – Stephen of Cloyes led his largely juvenile Crusaders from Vendôme to Marseille. They survived by begging for food, while the vast majority seem to have been disheartened by the hardship of this journey and returned to their families. Two French merchants (Hugh the Iron and William of Posqueres) offered to take them by boat to Palestine. They were then taken to Tunisia instead of Palestine, where they were sold into slavery by the merchants.Francesource

Religion & Belief

  • December 9 – The 18-year-old Frederick II is crowned King of the Germans at Mainz. Frederick's authority in Germany remains tenuous, and he is recognized only in southern Germany. In the region of northern Germany, the center of Guelph power, his rival Otto IV continues to hold the imperial power despite his excommunication.source
  • John, King of England, impounds the revenue of all prelates appointed by bishops, who have deserted him at his excommunication. He remains on good terms, however, with churchmen who stood by him, including Abbot Sampson, who this year bequeaths John his jewels.source
  • The Children's Crusade is organized. There are probably two separate movements of young people, both led by shepherd boys, neither of which embark for the Holy Land – but both of which suffer considerable hardship.source
  • The Papal Interdict of 1208 laid on England and Wales by Innocent III remains in force.source
  • Early Spring – Nicholas leads a group from the Rhineland and crosses the alps into Italy. In August, he arrives with some 7,000 children in Genoa. Nicholas travels to the Papal States where he meets Pope Innocent III.source
  • The contemplative Order of Poor Clares is founded by Clare of Assisi (approximate date).source
  • Fontenelle Abbey, a Cistercian nunnery in Maing, Nord, France, is founded as a small oratory by two sisters Agnes and Jeanne, daughters of Hélin, seigneur d'Aulnoy.Francesource
  • Monastic reform orders like the Cistercians continued to expand in Ireland.Irelandsource

Technology & Infrastructure

  • July 10 – The Great Fire: The most severe of several early fires of London burns most of the city to the ground; over 3,000 people die, many of them by drowning in the River Thames. According to a contemporary account: "An awful fire broke out on the Southwark side of London Bridge; while it was raging, a fire broke out at the other end also and so hemmed in the numerous crowds who had assembled to help the distressed. The sufferers, to avoid the flames, threw themselves over the bridge into boats and barges; but many of these sunk, the people crowding into them.".source

Health & Medicine

  • June – The 12-year-old Stephen of Cloyes leads a group across France to Vendôme. Attracting a following of over 30,000 adults and children. After arriving in Marseille the vast majority return home to their families.source
  • June – The Children's Crusade: The 12-year-old Stephen of Cloyes leads a group across France to Vendôme. Attracting a following of over 30,000 adults and children. On the orders of Philip II, advised by the University of Paris, the people were implored to return home. Philip himself did not appear impressed, especially since his unexpected visitors were led by a mere child, and refused to take them seriously.Francesource
  • A storm surge in the north of Holland claims approximately 60,000 lives.source

Crime & Justice

  • Ferdinand, Count of Flanders and Joan, Countess of Flanders are captured by Joan's first cousin prince Louis VIII of France, eldest son of King Philip II of France and Joan's aunt Isabella. Louis' aim is to acquire his dead mother's dowry, a large piece of Flemish territory including Artois, which Joan's father had taken back by force after Isabella's death.Francesource

Culture & Society

  • Kamo no Chōmei, a Japanese poet and essayist, writes the Hōjōki, one of the great works of classical Japanese prose.source
  • Bertran de Gourdon writes two coblas on doing homage to Philip II of FranceFrancesource

Births

  • March 22 – Go-Horikawa, emperor of Japan (died 1234)source
  • May 6 – Constance, margravine of Meissen (died 1243)source
  • July 9 – Muiz ud-Din Bahram, Indian ruler (died 1242)source
  • Zita (or Sitha), Italian maid and saint (died 1272)source
  • Malatesta da Verucchio, Italian nobleman (died 1312)source
  • Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari, Andalusian poet (died 1269)source
  • Maria of Chernigov, Kievan Rus' princess (died 1271)source
  • Yolande of Dreux, French noblewoman (died 1248)source
  • Ibn Sahl of Seville, Almohad poet and writer (died 1251)source
  • Farinata degli Uberti, Italian military leader (died 1264)source

Deaths