1259 CE

While conducting a siege against the Song dynasty city known as Fishing Town in the province of Chongqing, China, the Mongol Great Khan, Möngke Khan, dies in the nearby hills. Persian, Chinese, and Mongol records have different accounts of how he died, including succumbing to an arrow wound received by a Chinese archer in the siege, dysentery, and even a cholera epidemic. His death sparks a succession crisis in the Mongol Empire, while his brothers Ariq Böke and Kublai soon convene their own kurultai to elect themselves as the next Khan of Khans, opening the path to a four–year-long Toluid Civil War from 1260 to 1264. In the end, Ariq Böke surrenders to Kublai. Epirote–Nicaean conflict, Battle of Pelagonia: The Empire of Nicaea defeats the Principality of Achaea, ensuring the eventual reconquest of Constantinople in 1261. Kings Louis IX of France and Henry III of England agree to the Treaty of Paris, in which Henry renounces his claims to French-controlled territory on continental Europe (including Normandy), in exchange for Louis withdrawing his support for English rebels.

In the 1250s, the 13th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • December 4 – Kings Louis IX of France and Henry III of England agree to the Treaty of Paris, in which Henry renounces his claims to French-controlled territory on continental Europe (including Normandy), in exchange for Louis withdrawing his support for English rebels.source
  • The Chinese era Kaiqing begins and ends, in the Southern Song dynasty of China (Emperor Lizong).source
  • The German cities of Lübeck, Wismar, and Rostock enter into a pact to defend against pirates of the Baltic Sea, laying the groundwork for the Hanseatic League.source
  • Fromund Le Brun became Lord Chancellor of IrelandIrelandsource

Conflict & Security

  • March – The Japanese Shōka era ends, and the Shōgen era begins (till April 1260).source
  • September – Epirote–Nicaean conflict, Battle of Pelagonia: The Empire of Nicaea defeats the Principality of Achaea, ensuring the eventual reconquest of Constantinople in 1261.source
  • The Goryeo Kingdom in Korea surrenders to invading Mongol forces.source
  • Nogai Khan leads the second Mongol Golden Horde attack against Lithuania, and Poland.source

Economy & Finance

  • Lannathai, a kingdom in the north of Thailand, is founded by King Mangrai.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • While engaged in a war with the Mongols, the Song Chinese official Li Zengbo writes in his Kozhai Zagao, Xugaohou that the city of Qingzhou is manufacturing one to two thousand strong iron-cased gunpowder bomb shells a month, dispatching to Xiangyang and Yingzhou about ten to twenty thousand such bombs at a time.source

Culture & Society

  • The famous frescoes of the Boyana Church in Bulgaria are completed (the church and its murals are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site).source
  • The first record of gallowglass service, when Aedh Ó Conchobair, King of Connacht, received a dowry of 160 Scottish warriors from the daughter of Dubhghall mac Ruaidhri, the King of the Hebrides.Irelandsource

Births

  • February 25 – Infanta Branca of Portugal, daughter of King Afonso III of Portugal and Urraca of Castile (died 1321)source
  • March 25 – Andronikos II Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (died 1332)source
  • Demetre II of Georgia (died 1289)source
  • Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster (died 1326)source
  • Pietro Cavallini, Italian painter (died 1330)source

Deaths

  • January – Matilda II of Boulogne, ruler of Boulogne, queen consort of Portugal (born 1202)source
  • February 7 – Thomas, Count of Flanderssource
  • May 29 – King Christopher I of Denmark (born 1219)source
  • August 11 – While conducting a siege against the Song dynasty city known as Fishing Town in the province of Chongqing, China, the Mongol Great Khan, Möngke Khan, dies in the nearby hills. Persian, Chinese, and Mongol records have different accounts of how he died, including succumbing to an arrow wound received by a Chinese archer in the siege, dysentery, and even a cholera epidemic. His death sparks a succession crisis in the Mongol Empire, while his brothers Ariq Böke and Kublai soon convene their own kurultai to elect themselves as the next Khan of Khans, opening the path to a four–year-long Toluid Civil War from 1260 to 1264. In the end, Ariq Böke surrenders to Kublai.source
  • August 11 – Möngke Khan of the Mongol Empiresource
  • October 7 – Ezzelino III da Romano, Italian rulersource
  • November 18 – Adam Marsh, English scholar and theologiansource
  • date unknown – Matthew Paris, English chroniclersource