1282 CE

War of the Sicilian Vespers: A group of Sicilian conspirators begins an uprising against the rule of King Charles I of Sicily; over the next six weeks, thousands of French are killed. The rebellion forces Charles to abandon the planned crusade against the Byzantines, while still en route to the target city of Constantinople, and allows King Peter III of Aragon ("the Great") to take over rule of the island from Charles (which in turn leads to Peter's excommunication by Pope Martin IV). King Denis of Portugal ("the Poet King") marries the 11-year-old Elizabeth of Aragon, daughter of Peter III, in Trancoso. Elizabeth receives the towns of Óbidos, Abrantes and Porto de Mós as part of her dowry. Denis, known for his poetry, writes several poems and books, with topics of administration and hunting. During his reign, Lisbon becomes one of Europe's centers of art and culture. Castilian forces under Sancho lay siege to Badajoz, but eventually retreat as the combined armies of Alfonso X relieve the city. Shortly after, Alfonso marches to Córdoba and demands the key of the city. This is refused by Diego López V de Haro, speaking on behalf of the magnates. Meanwhile, the Marinids plunder the Guadalquivir valley.

In the 1280s, the 13th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • King Stefan Dragutin breaks his leg while hunting and becomes ill. He abdicates the throne in favor of his younger brother, Stefan Milutin, who becomes ruler of Serbia (until 1321).source

Conflict & Security

  • March – Welsh forces under Prince Dafydd ap Gruffydd, brother of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, attack and take control of Hawarden Castle. The garrison is massacred and Constable Roger de Clifford is taken prisoner. Llywelyn, who has sworn fealty to King Edward I of England ("Longshanks"), joins Dafydd in his revolt against the English. Their actions lead to the final English conquest of Wales, by Edward.source
  • May 1 – Battle of Forlì: A French expeditionary army under Jean d'Eppe launches an assault on Forlì and breaches the outer wall. While they plunder the suburbs, Guido I da Montefeltro sends a small force out the gate on the opposite side of the city. In an ambush, forces of the Guelphs and Ghibellines defeat the main army of d'Eppe, who is forced to retreat to Faenza. He asks the Pope for reinforcements, but this is refused.source
  • June 17 – Battle of Llandeilo Fawr: English forces led by Gilbert de Clare are ambushed and defeated by Welsh troops at Llandeilo. English expansion into southern Wales is halted.source
  • June – The 24-year-old Prince Sancho, heir to the throne of Castile, assembles a coalition of nobles and starts a massive rebellion against his father, King Alfonso X. He dispatches his brothers into the realm to claim strategically important cities and castles. Only the cities of Seville, Murcia and Badajoz remain loyal to Alfonso, who becomes isolated politically and abandoned by most of his family.source
  • August – Castilian forces under Sancho lay siege to Badajoz, but eventually retreat as the combined armies of Alfonso X relieve the city. Shortly after, Alfonso marches to Córdoba and demands the key of the city. This is refused by Diego López V de Haro, speaking on behalf of the magnates. Meanwhile, the Marinids plunder the Guadalquivir valley.source
  • September or October – Battle of Lake Hód: Hungarian forces led by King Ladislaus IV successfully repel and defeat an invading Cuman army. Ladislaus receives the title "the Cuman" for his heroic victory.source
  • November 6 – Battle of Moel-y-don: English forces led by Luke de Tany are ambushed and defeated by Welsh troops, while crossing over a floating bridge to the island of Anglesey.source
  • November – Castilian forces under Alfonso X reconquer Córdoba. Pope Martin IV issues a papal bull, forcing Sancho and his nobles to proclaim their allegiance to Alfonso, ending the rebellion.source
  • December 11 – Battle of Orewin Bridge: English forces (some 6,000 men) under Edward I of England defeat a Welsh army near Cilmeri. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd is killed.source
  • Summer – An Aragonese expeditionary army under King Peter III lands in North Africa at Collo, in proclaimed support of a rebellion of the governor of Constantine, Ibn Wazir. The revolt is suppressed by Abu Ishaq Ibrahim I, ruler of the Hafsid Sultanate. Peter, wary of the situation in Sicily, sails off and fails to take advantage of the state of rebellion in North Africa. Ibrahim stabilizes his power and styles himself emir of the sultanate.source
  • Dutch forces led by Floris V, count of Holland, attack and defeat the West Frisians at the battle of Vronen. He succeeds in retrieving the body of his father, William II, some 26 years dead.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • July – Alfonso X of Castile allies himself with Abu Yusuf Yaqub ibn Abd al-Haqq, ruler of the Marinid Sultanate, who crosses the straits and establishes a camp at Zahara de la Sierra, in southern Spain. Alfonso offers the Castilian royal crown of his father and grandfathers as a pledge of re-payment of a loan. Out of pity, Abu Yusuf gives him 100,000 gold dinars.source
  • August 30 – Peter III of Aragon, traveling with his fleet on a military expedition against Tunis, ends up in the Sicilian town of Trapani, after being asked by the inhabitants of Palermo to help in the fight against Charles I.source

Religion & Belief

  • September 4 – Peter III of Aragon is proclaimed "King of Sicily". Charles is forced to flee across the Strait of Messina, and be content with the Kingdom of Naples (ruling a part of the Italian Peninsula with the Pope).source
  • John Peckham, archbishop of Canterbury, orders all the synagogues of London to close, and forbids Jewish doctors from practicing on non-Jews.source
  • Construction of Albi Cathedral in Languedoc begins.source

Economy & Finance

  • The form for the Trial of the Pyx in England, during which it is confirmed that newly minted coins conform to required standards, is established.source
  • First evidence of the existence of consolidated public debt in Bruges, confirming the expansion of use of annuities, to fund government expenditure to the Low Countries.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • The technology of watermarks is introduced by paper manufacturers of Bologna, Italy.source

Climate & Environment

  • The most recent phreatic eruption of Larderello, observed, at Boracifero crater lake in southern Tuscany.source

Culture & Society

  • June 26 – King Denis of Portugal ("the Poet King") marries the 11-year-old Elizabeth of Aragon, daughter of Peter III, in Trancoso. Elizabeth receives the towns of Óbidos, Abrantes and Porto de Mós as part of her dowry. Denis, known for his poetry, writes several poems and books, with topics of administration and hunting. During his reign, Lisbon becomes one of Europe's centers of art and culture.source
  • Peter III of Aragon obtains the support of Nasrid Granada preparing for the incoming Aragonese Crusade, led by Philip "the Fair" of France.source
  • Daniel of Moscow, youngest son of Alexander Nevsky, is mentioned during this year as an independent Prince of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. This Duchy will be a vassal state of the Golden Horde until 1471, later evolving into the Tsardom of Russia.source
  • Hertford College is founded, at the University of Oxford.source
  • Ralph Mac Giolla Mocholmág, (Ralph FitzDermot), Baron of Rathdown is knighted by Edward IIrelandsource

Births

  • February 2 – Maud Chaworth, English noblewoman (died 1322)source
  • April 1 – Louis IV ("the Bavarian"), Holy Roman Emperor (died 1347)source
  • April 15 – Frederick IV ("the Fighter"), German nobleman (died 1329)source
  • May 5 – Juan Manuel, Spanish nobleman and prince (died 1348)source
  • June 19 – Gwenllian ferch Llywelyn, princess of Wales (died 1337)source
  • August 7 – Elizabeth of Rhuddlan, English princess (died 1316)source
  • Nicholas Kőszegi, Hungarian prelate and bishop (died 1336)source
  • Alexios II ("Megas Komnenos"), emperor of Trebizond (died 1330)source
  • Blanche of France, French princess (House of Capet) (died 1305)source
  • Özbeg Khan, Mongol ruler of the Golden Horde (died 1341)source
  • Rudolf I, king of Bohemia (House of Habsburg) (died 1307)source
  • Eric Magnusson, Swedish prince and heir apparent (died 1318)source
  • Spinetta Malaspina ("the Great"), Italian nobleman (died 1352)source
  • Oshin, king of Cilician Armenia (House of Lampron) (died 1320)source

Deaths

  • March 2 – Agnes of Bohemia, Bohemian princess (born 1211)source
  • March 22 – Benvenutus Scotivoli, Italian priest and bishopsource
  • March 30 – War of the Sicilian Vespers: A group of Sicilian conspirators begins an uprising against the rule of King Charles I of Sicily; over the next six weeks, thousands of French are killed. The rebellion forces Charles to abandon the planned crusade against the Byzantines, while still en route to the target city of Constantinople, and allows King Peter III of Aragon ("the Great") to take over rule of the island from Charles (which in turn leads to Peter's excommunication by Pope Martin IV).source
  • April 4 – Abaqa Khan, Mongol ruler of the Ilkhanate (born 1234)source
  • April 10 – Ahmad Fanakati, Persian minister and politiciansource
  • April 26 – Möngke Temür, Mongol ruler of Shiraz (born 1256)source
  • April 29 – Guillaume de Bray, French prelate and cardinalsource
  • June 19 – Eleanor de Montfort, princess of Wales (born 1252)source
  • August 25 – Thomas de Cantilupe, English bishop (born 1218)source
  • October 13 – Nichiren, Japanese Buddhist priest (born 1222)source
  • October 27 – Roger Mortimer, English nobleman (born 1231)source
  • October 30 – Ibn Khallikan, Barmakid historian (born 1211)source
  • December 11 – Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, prince of Wales (born 1223)source
  • December 11 – Michael VIII Palaiologos, Byzantine emperorsource
  • Hugo of Taghmon Bishop of MeathIrelandsource