1289 CE

Battle of Campaldino: Pro-papal Guelph forces of Florence and their allies, Lucca, Pistoia, Prato and Siena under Viscount Aimery IV defeat the Ghibelline army (some 10,000 men) in Tuscany. Florence becomes the dominant power in Central Italy; powerful merchant guilds take on a more political role in the communal government against their rivals of Genoa, Pisa and Venice. Battle of Copenhagen: A Norwegian expeditionary force under King Eric II, supported by Danish outlaws, sets sail to Copenhagen and attacks the city. But they are repelled and forced to withdraw to Zealand. August – Admiral Benedetto Zaccaria, having escaped from Tripoli, starts a naval campaign against Mamluk shipping and raids Tinnis in Egypt. In response, Qalawun closes Alexandria to Genoese merchants.

In the 1280s, the 13th century.

Conflict & Security

  • February 9 – Sultan Qalawun (the Victorious) marches the Mamluk army out of Cairo, leaving his son Al-Ashraf Khalil commanding Cairo's Citadel, supported by Viceroy Baydara al-Mansuri. The army moves via Salihiya, across Sinai and through Jordan to Damascus. He orders the regional governors of Syria to mobilize in Damascus, where many infantry volunteers have assembled.source
  • March – The 19-year-old King Henry II sends his younger brother Almalric, with a company of knights and 4 galleys to Tripoli (modern Lebanon). Meanwhile, many non-combatant citizens flee to Cyprus. The Mamluk army arrives before Tripoli and begins the attack with siege engines, while building buches (wooden defensive structures) outside the city on March 25.source
  • April 26 – Siege of Tripoli: Mamluk forces under Qalawun (the Victorious) capture Tripoli after a month-long siege, thus extinguishing the County of Tripoli. Qalawun orders the city to be razed to the ground, a widespread massacre kills every man found by the Mamluks, while the women and children are taken as slaves.source
  • June 11 – Battle of Campaldino: Pro-papal Guelph forces of Florence and their allies, Lucca, Pistoia, Prato and Siena under Viscount Aimery IV defeat the Ghibelline army (some 10,000 men) in Tuscany. Florence becomes the dominant power in Central Italy; powerful merchant guilds take on a more political role in the communal government against their rivals of Genoa, Pisa and Venice.source
  • July 7 – Battle of Copenhagen: A Norwegian expeditionary force under King Eric II, supported by Danish outlaws, sets sail to Copenhagen and attacks the city. But they are repelled and forced to withdraw to Zealand.source
  • July–August – Admiral Benedetto Zaccaria, having escaped from Tripoli, starts a naval campaign against Mamluk shipping and raids Tinnis in Egypt. In response, Qalawun closes Alexandria to Genoese merchants.source

Economy & Finance

  • In Siena, twenty-three partners, including five members of the Bonsignori family, re-create the Gran Tavola, formerly the most successful European bank, which had ceased its operations after the death of its creator and manager, Orlando Bonsignori, in 1273.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Construction of Conwy Castle in Wales, ordered by Edward I (Longshanks), is completed.source

Culture & Society

  • Summer – King Edward I (Longshanks) proposes a marriage between his infant son, Edward of Caernarfon, and the 6-year-old Margaret (Maid of Norway).source
  • Pope Nicholas IV formally constitutes the University of Montpellier in France by papal bull, combining various existing schools under the mantle of a single university.source

Births

  • May 24 – Afonso Sanches, Portuguese nobleman and knight (died 1329)source
  • October 4 – Louis X (the Quarrelsome), king of France (died 1316)source
  • October 6 – Wenceslaus III, king of Hungary and Croatia (died 1306)source
  • Eleanor of Anjou, queen consort of Sicily (House of Anjou) (died 1341)source
  • Alfonso de la Cerda, Spanish nobleman and archdeacon (died 1327)source
  • Alice Comyn, Scottish noblewoman (House of Brienne) (died 1349)source
  • Joan of Artois, French noblewoman and ruler (suo jure) (died 1350)source
  • Ton'a (or Tonna), Japanese Buddhist poet and writer (died 1372)source
  • William de Shareshull, English lawyer and chief justice (died 1370)source
  • Donnchadh IV, Scottish nobleman, magnate and knight (died 1353)source
  • Frederick the Fair (or the Handsome), king of Germany (died 1330)source

Deaths

  • January 16 – Buqa (or Bugha), Mongol nobleman and chancellorsource
  • February 26 – Przemko of Ścinawa, Polish nobleman and knightsource
  • March 10 – Maud de Lacy (or Matilda), English noblewoman (born 1223)source
  • March 12 – Demetrius II (the Devoted), king of Georgia (born 1259)source
  • March 19 – John of Parma, Italian priest and theologian (born 1209)source
  • April 19 – Conrad of Ascoli, Italian monk and missionary (born 1234)source
  • May 24 – Frederick V, German nobleman (House of Hohenzollern)source
  • May 27 – John III, German nobleman and co-ruler of Mecklenburgsource
  • June 11 – Bonconte da Montefeltro, Italian noblemansource
  • August 24 – Patrick III, Scottish nobleman and regent (born 1213)source
  • Bentivenga da Bentivengi, Italian monk, cleric and cardinal-bishopsource
  • Fakhr al-Din Iraqi (or Araqi), Persian poet, philosopher and writersource
  • Ippen (or Zuien), Japanese Buddhist monk and preacher (born 1234)source
  • Ugolino della Gherardesca, Italian nobleman, politician and admiralsource