1248 CE
King Louis IX of France ("the Saint") leaves Paris together with his wife, Queen Margaret of Provence, and her sister Beatrice of Provence. Two of Louis' brothers, Charles of Anjou and Robert of Artois, are also present. He is followed by his cousins, Hugh IV of Burgundy and Peter Mauclerc, both are veterans of the Barons' Crusade. Louis IX departs from Aigues-Mortes and Marseilles with a French expeditionary force (some 10,000 men) transported by 100 ships. An English detachment (some 5,000 men) under William Longespée the Younger, grandson of King Henry III, and his mistress Ida de Tosny follows close behind with 36 transport ships. Louis IX receives an embassy during his stay in Cyprus from the Mongol general, Eljigidei, who is viceroy in Persia. They bring a letter from Guyuk Khan (who had died by the time his envoys reached Cyprus) with no demands of submission, but talking in terms about Mongol favouritism for Christianity, and a proposal of a joint invasion against the Ayyubid forces in Syria.
In the 1240s, the 13th century.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
- December – Reconquista: Ferdinand III issues an edict to expel the Almohads out of Seville. Many Muslims sail to North Africa and others travel to Granada in Al-Andalus.source
- King's Bench in Dublin is instituted (today contained within the Four Courts).Irelandsource
- Goffraidh is inaugurated as "The O'Donnell", i.e. chief of the O'Donnell clan.Irelandsource
Conflict & Security
- February 18 – Battle of Parma: Imperial forces (some 6,000 men) under Emperor Frederick II are defeated by the Lombard League at Parma. Much of Frederick's treasure is lost, while he is hunting in the Taro Valley.source
- September 17 – Louis IX arrives at Limassol on the island of Cyprus. He gathers his forces and is well received by King Henry I of Cyprus ("the Fat"). The Crusaders are supplemented by nobles from Acre, including Grand Masters Jean de Ronay and Guillaume de Sonnac. Louis prepares a plan of campaign, with Egypt as the prime objective.source
- November 23 – Reconquista: Siege of Seville: Castilian forces under King Ferdinand III of Castile ("the Saint") recapture the city of Seville from the Almohads, after a 16-month siege. Prince Alfonso X of Castile takes the city of Alicante.source
- December – Louis IX decides to spend the winter on Cyprus to make preparations against Egypt. Meanwhile, the nobles persuade him to start negotiations with Sultan As-Salih Ayyub to intervene in the internal Ayyubid affairs. But Louis rejects this offer and orders the Knights Templar to break off their negotiations with As-Salih.source
- December – William of Villehardouin, Latin ruler of the Principality of Achaea, captures Monemvasia – last remaining Byzantine outpost on the Peloponnese.source
- December – Louis IX receives an embassy during his stay in Cyprus from the Mongol general, Eljigidei, who is viceroy in Persia. They bring a letter from Guyuk Khan (who had died by the time his envoys reached Cyprus) with no demands of submission, but talking in terms about Mongol favouritism for Christianity, and a proposal of a joint invasion against the Ayyubid forces in Syria.source
- Jordan de Exeter, Sheriff of Connacht, deals with rebellion in the Clew Bay area (according to the Annals of Connacht).Irelandsource
Exploration & Expansion
- August 25 – Louis IX departs from Aigues-Mortes and Marseilles with a French expeditionary force (some 10,000 men) transported by 100 ships. An English detachment (some 5,000 men) under William Longespée the Younger, grandson of King Henry III, and his mistress Ida de Tosny follows close behind with 36 transport ships.source
Religion & Belief
- April 26 – The Gothic chapel Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel) is completed and consecrated in Paris. Louis IX moves the relics of the True Cross and Holy Lance to the chapel with great ceremony.source
- August 15 – The foundation stone of Cologne Cathedral is laid by Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden, after the older cathedral is burned down on April 30 (construction is completed in 1880).source
- August 25 – The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III, archbishop of Utrecht, after the town has been pillaged by a local robber baron.source
- Pope Innocent IV grants the Croatians of southern Dalmatia permission to use their own language and script in the Roman Rite liturgy (see Glagolitic alphabet).source
- Carrickfergus Abbey is founded by the Franciscan order.Irelandsource
- Viam agnoscere veritatis (1248)Italysource
Economy & Finance
- November 24–25 – In the middle of the night a mass on the north side of Mont Granier suddenly collapses, in one of the largest historical rock slope failures.source
Culture & Society
- August 12 – King Louis IX of France ("the Saint") leaves Paris together with his wife, Queen Margaret of Provence, and her sister Beatrice of Provence. Two of Louis' brothers, Charles of Anjou and Robert of Artois, are also present. He is followed by his cousins, Hugh IV of Burgundy and Peter Mauclerc, both are veterans of the Barons' Crusade.source
- University of Piacenza recognized as a universityItalysource
Births
- July 21 – Bogo de Clare, English cleric and writer (died 1294)source
- December 22 – Ichijō Ietsune, Japanese nobleman (died 1293)source
- Yeshe Rinchen, Tibetan Imperial Preceptor (died 1294)source
- Zaynab bint al-Kamal, Syrian female scholar (died 1339)source
- Approximate date – Blanche of Artois, queen and regent of Navarre (died 1302)source
- Abu Said Faraj, Andalusian advisor and governor (died 1320)source
- Kujō Tadanori, Japanese nobleman and regent (died 1332)source
- Gao Kegong (or Fang Shan), Chinese painter (died 1310)source
- Angela of Foligno, Italian nun, mystic and writer (died 1309)source
- Peter John Olivi, French monk and theologian (died 1298)source
- Hōjō Akitoki, Japanese military leader and poet (died 1301)source
- Otto IV, Count of Burgundy (born 1248)Francesource
- Robert II, Duke of Burgundy (born 1248)Francesource
Deaths
- January 4 – Sancho II ("the Pious"), king of Portugal (born 1209)source
- February 1 – Henry II, Dutch nobleman and knight (born 1207)source
- February 9 – Al-Adil II, Ayyubid ruler of Egypt and Damascussource
- February 18 – Taddeo da Suessa, Italian jurist and diplomatsource
- February 25 – Bolesław I of Masovia, Polish prince (born 1208)source
- March 27 – Maud Marshal, English noblewoman (born 1192)source
- April 9 – Hugh I of Châtillon, French nobleman and knightsource
- April 20 – Güyük Khan (or Kuyuk), Mongol emperor (born 1206)source
- June 19 – Otto III of Merania, French nobleman and knightsource
- August 7 – Giordano Forzatè, Italian religious leader (born 1158)source
- September 13 – Kunigunde, Bohemian queen consort (born 1202)source
- November/December – Richard Siward, English adventurer and knight banneretsource
- Subutai, Mongol general and military strategist (born 1175)source
- Haraldr Óláfsson, Scottish ruler of the Kingdom of the Isles, drowned (born 1223/4)source
- Walter de Burgo buried at Athassel Priory.Irelandsource
- Rory O'Cannon, the last chieftain of the O'Cannon clan is killed.Irelandsource