1216 CE

Leo I, King of Armenia ("the Magnificent"), with support of the Knights Hospitaller, reconquers the Principality of Antioch. Armenian troops enter Antioch while Prince Bohemond IV of Antioch ("the One-Eyed") is absent. The Knights Templar, supporting Bohemond, abandon the citadel, and Raymond-Roupen is installed as Prince of Antioch by the Latin Patriarch, Peter II. First Barons' War: Prince Louis of France, son of King Philip II, invades England in support of the barons, landing in Thanet. He enters London without opposition, and is proclaimed, but not crowned, King of England at Old St Paul's Cathedral. Pope Innocent III travels to Perugia to try to settle the long feud between Genoa and Pisa, that both states might contribute to the transport of the Fifth Crusade. There, after a short illness, Innocent dies on July 16. Two days after his death the aged Cardinal Cencio Savelli (later Honorius III) is elected as the 177th pope of the Catholic Church.

In the 1210s, the 13th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • 12 November – Great Charter of Ireland ("Magna Carta Hiberniae") issued in the name of King Henry III of England.Irelandsource

Conflict & Security

  • April 22 – Battle of Lipitsa: The Kievan princes Mstislav Mstislavich and Konstantin of Rostov defeat Konstantin's younger brothers Yuri II and Yaroslav II for the rule of the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal (modern Russia).source
  • May 18 – King John of England assembles a naval force to defend against a French invasion. Bad storms disperse the fleet, and John spends the summer reorganizing defenses across the country. He sees several of his military household desert to the barons, including his half-brother, William Longespée, who is the commander of John's army in the south.source
  • May 21 – Prince Louis of France, son of King Philip II ("Augustus"), invades England in support of the barons, landing in Thanet. He enters London without opposition, and is proclaimed, but not crowned, King of England at Old St Paul's Cathedral. In June, Louis captures Rochester Castle and Winchester, and soon controls over half of the English kingdom.source
  • May 21 – First Barons' War: Prince Louis of France, son of King Philip II, invades England in support of the barons, landing in Thanet. He enters London without opposition, and is proclaimed, but not crowned, King of England at Old St Paul's Cathedral.Francesource
  • June – The rebel English barons besiege Windsor Castle and Dover Castle; the latter is strategically important as the 'gateway to England', controlling the shortest route to France. Meanwhile, King John uses Corfe Castle in the southwest as his base of operations while he plans his campaign against the barons and the French invading army under Louis.source
  • July 24 – Albigensian Crusade: French forces under Raymond VII, count of Toulouse, besiege Castle Beaucaire in May. After three months, the occupants are running low on supplies and surrender to Raymond.source
  • July 24 – Albigensian Crusade: The occupants of Castle Beaucaire running low on supplies and surrender to French forces under Raymond VII, count of Toulouse, after being besieged for three months.Francesource
  • November 12 – Prince Louis of France besieges Hertford Castle, held by Sir Walter de Godarville.Francesource
  • December 6 – Prince Louis of France takes Hertford Castle. He allows the defending knights to leave with their horses and weapons.Francesource
  • Spring – First Barons' War: The English army, led by John, King of England ("Lackland"), sacks the town of Berwick-on-Tweed and raids southern Scotland. John pushes up towards Edinburgh over a ten-day period. On his return, he puts down a revolt in East Anglia. On March 24, he arrives at Hertford to deal with the challenge of a coming French invasion.source
  • Late December – Prince Louis of France besieges and takes Berkhamsted Castle. He allows the defending royal garrison to withdraw honourably with their horses and weapons.Francesource
  • Prince Louis of France captures WinchesterFrancesource
  • Early May – Albigensian Crusade: French forces under Raymond VII, count of Toulouse, besiege Castle Beaucaire.Francesource
  • Prince Louis of France captures Rochester CastleFrancesource

Religion & Belief

  • February 14 – Leo I, King of Armenia ("the Magnificent"), with support of the Knights Hospitaller, reconquers the Principality of Antioch. Armenian troops enter Antioch while Prince Bohemond IV of Antioch ("the One-Eyed") is absent. The Knights Templar, supporting Bohemond, abandon the citadel, and Raymond-Roupen is installed as Prince of Antioch by the Latin Patriarch, Peter II.source
  • 25 February – Pope Innocent III confirms union of the vacant episcopal see of the Bishop of Glendalough with that of the Archbishop of Dublin (Henry de Loundres).Irelandsource
  • May – Pope Innocent III travels to Perugia to try to settle the long feud between Genoa and Pisa, that both states might contribute to the transport of the Fifth Crusade. There, after a short illness, Innocent dies on July 16. Two days after his death the aged Cardinal Cencio Savelli (later Honorius III) is elected as the 177th pope of the Catholic Church.source
  • November 12 – William Marshal and Cardinal Guala Bicchieri, Italian diplomat and papal legate to England, issue a Charter of Liberties, based on Magna Carta, in the new king's name.source
  • December 22 – Honorius III officially approves the Order of Preachers (the Dominican Order), by the Papal bull Religiosam vitam.source
  • Ballintubber Abbey is founded by King Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair of Connacht, in Ireland.source
  • Following resignation of the Bishop of Mayo (? Patricius) the see is transferred to the Archbishop of Tuam (Felix Ua Ruanada).Irelandsource
  • The deanery of Kells was created by Simon Rochfort, Bishop of MeathIrelandsource
  • The abbots of Jerpoint and Mellifont Abbeys are deposed by the Cistercians' general chapter.Irelandsource
  • Ballintubber Abbey is founded by King Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair of Connacht.Irelandsource

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Using revenue form the royal demesne, King Philip II of France is the first Capetian king to build a French navy actively. In 1215, his fleet could carry a total of 7,000 men.Francesource

Crime & Justice

  • Castle at Killaloe built by Geoffrey de Marisco, Justiciar of Ireland.Irelandsource

Births

  • September 25 – Robert I, French nobleman (died 1250)source
  • Eric XI (the Lisp and Lame), king of Sweden (died 1250)source
  • Liu Bingzhong (or Liu kan), Chinese adviser (died 1274)source
  • Nijō Yoshizane, Japanese nobleman (kugyō) (died 1270)source
  • Eric IV (the Plowpenny), king of Denmark (died 1250)source
  • Bernard Ayglerius (or Aygler), French cardinal (died 1282)source
  • Al-Mahdi Ahmad bin al-Husayn, Arab ruler (died 1258)source
  • Safi al-Din al-Urmawi, Persian musician (died 1294)source
  • Contardo of Este, Italian nobleman and knight (died 1249)source
  • Henry V (the Great), count of Luxembourg (died 1281)source
  • Stephen Longespée, English seneschal (died 1260)source
  • Zahed Gilani, Arab Sufi leader and writer (died 1301)source

Deaths

  • January 18 – Guy II of Dampierre, French noblemansource
  • January 31 – Theodore II, patriarch of Constantinoplesource
  • February 23 – Geoffrey de Mandeville, English noblemansource
  • April 10 – Ten-year-old Johan, son of the former King Sverker the Younger succeeds Erik Knutsson as King of Sweden, when Erik dies of fever at the end of an 8-year reign, at Näs Castle on the island of Visingsö.source
  • April 10 – Eric X (Knutsson), king of Sweden (born 1180)source
  • April 27 – Sukeko, Japanese princess and empresssource
  • June 11 – Henry of Flanders, Latin emperor (born 1178)source
  • July 16 – Innocent III, pope of the Catholic Churchsource
  • September 2 – Peter II (of Ivrea), patriarch of Antiochsource
  • October 8 – Az-Zahir Ghazi, Ayyubid ruler of Alepposource
  • October 8 – Az-Zahir Ghazi, Ayyubid ruler of Aleppo, dies after a 23-year reign. He is succeeded by his 3-year-old son Al-Aziz Muhammad. Because of his young age, Toghril becomes Al-Aziz's regent or guardian (atabeg).source
  • October 19 – Nine-year-old Henry III succeeds his father, King John of England, when the latter dies of dysentery at Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire. William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, becomes regent.source
  • October 19 – John (Lackland), king of England (born 1166)source
  • Kamo no Chōmei, Japanese poet and essayist (born 1155)source
  • Ida of Boulogne, French noblewoman (born 1160)Francesource
  • 18/19 October – death of John, King of England and Lord of Ireland; he is succeeded by his 9-year-old son Henry.Irelandsource
  • After 11 August – Echdonn Mac Gilla Uidir, Archbishop of Armagh, dies in Rome.Irelandsource