Technology & Infrastructure in the 13th century

49 sourced entries, 1205 CE to 1299 CE, oldest first. Also see Technology & Infrastructure across every century or everything else in the 13th century.

• 1205Enniscorthy Castle, an Anglo-Norman stronghold was built on high ground beside the River SlaneyIrelandsource
• 1206The Arab engineer Ismail al-Jazari describes many mechanical inventions in his book (title translated to English) The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices.source
• 1207The town of New Ross (the town of the new bridge) was granted a Royal Charter.Irelandsource
• 1209London Bridge is completed by a stone-arched structure. On the bridge are houses built; this is for paying the maintenance, though it has to be supplemented by other rents and by tolls.source
• 1212July 10 – The Great Fire: The most severe of several early fires of London burns most of the city to the ground; over 3,000 people die, many of them by drowning in the River Thames. According to a contemporary account: "An awful fire broke out on the Southwark side of London Bridge; while it was raging, a fire broke out at the other end also and so hemmed in the numerous crowds who had assembled to help the distressed. The sufferers, to avoid the flames, threw themselves over the bridge into boats and barges; but many of these sunk, the people crowding into them.".source
• 1213Construction of Kilkenny Castle in Ireland is completed.source
• 1215Using 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
• 1215Manfred III of Saluzzo begins reign as Margrave of SaluzzoItalysource
• 1216Using 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
• 1218September – Cardinal Pelagius arrives with reinforcements at the Crusader camp, and proceeds to challenge the command of John I, claiming that the Church holds greater authority than a secular leader. Meanwhile, the Crusaders spend time clearing out an old canal, so that their ships can surround Damietta. Pelagius also brings news that King Frederick II has promised to follow soon, with a German expeditionary force.source
• 1218October 9 – Al-Kamil conducts a surprise attack on the Crusader camp. Discovering their movements, John I and his retinue counter-attack and annihilates the Egyptian advance guard. On October 26, Al-Kamil attacks by using a bridge across the Nile, after a fierce onslaught the Egyptians are driven back into the river. The Crusaders strengthen their siege lines and receive French and English reinforcements at Damietta.source
• 1218King Jayavarman VII of the Khmer Empire rebuilds the city of Angkor Thom, including the Temple of Bayon.source
• 1219Mina'i ware pottery production in Persia ceases as a result of the Mongol conquests.source
• 1219The windmill is first introduced to China, with the travels of Yelü Chucai to Transoxiana.source
• 1220Spring – King Henry III makes large alterations to the Tower of London including new curtain walls, an improved water-filled ditch, and a water gate, so that he can enter the castle directly from the Thames.source
• 1221July 24 – Pelagius moves the Crusader forces near Ashmun al-Rumman, on the opposite bank from Mansoura. Queen-Regent Alice of Cyprus and leaders of the military orders warn Pelagius of a large Muslim army being formed in Syria. Meanwhile, the Egyptian army under Al-Kamil crosses the Nile near Lake Manzaleh and establishes themselves between the Crusader camp and Damietta. In the Ushmum canal at Sheremsah, Al-Kamil's ships sail down the Nile and block the Crusaders' line of communications to Damietta. In August, Pelagius orders a retreat, but the route is cut off by Egyptians.source
• 1223May 17 – Daniel of Galicia leads a reconnaissance in force east of the Dnieper River, using a bridge of boats. He defeats a Mongol detachment, who abandons their herds and local prisoners. Following these successful sorties, the entire Russian and Polovtsian armies start a 9 day march towards the main Mongol army. Numerous carts move across the steppes, loaded with mail, heavy armour, as well as shields, protected by Russian cavalry. The Mongol forces retreat towards the Kalka River.source
• 1223The current Old Head of Kinsale was constructed.Irelandsource
• 1232Jean II de Nesle ceded his property on where the Hôtel de Soissons would later be built to king Louis IX.Francesource
• 1232The city of Troyes issued its first recorded life annuity.Francesource
• 1237Elbląg is founded by the Teutonic Order under Grand Master Hermann von Balk. He constructs a fortified stronghold on the banks of the Elbląg River (modern Poland).source
• 1237Henry III, Duke of Aquitane, orders the construction of a keep in Saint-ÉmilionFrancesource
• 1242April – A Russian force led by Alexander Nevsky crosses the frontier between Novgorod and Livonian Crusader territory, to raid into Catholic Estonia. After that, Alexander breaks his army off into contingents to ravage the countryside. He is forced to turn back, when a local Crusader force under Bishop Hermann von Buxhövden defeats Alexander's advance guard at Mooste bridge south of Tartu.source
• 1247Romford (located within Greater London) is chartered as a market town.source
• 1250Villard de Honnecourt draws the first known image of a sawmill.source
• 1250The first usage is made of the English word "cuckold", according to the Oxford English Dictionary.source
• 1250The Rialto Bridge in Venice (in modern-day Italy) is converted from a pontoon bridge to a permanent, raised wooden structure.source
• 1250The Ponts Couverts fortified bridges of Strasbourg (in modern-day France) are completed.source
• 1256Spring – Mongol forces (some 80,000 men), under Hulagu Khan, cross the Oxus River, and begin their campaign to destroy the remaining Muslim states in southwestern Asia – with the first objectives being the Nizari Ismaili strongholds and Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. The roads across Turkestan and Persia are repaired, and bridges built. Carts are requisitioned to bring siege machines from China.source
• 1259While 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
• 1263The Savoy Palace is constructed in London by Peter II, Count of Savoy.source
• 1264April 17–19 – English rebels under Simon de Montfort beset Rochester from two directions in a pincer movement from north and south. The garrison sortie burns the suburbs to deprive the rebels of cover. Initial assaults on the bridge the next morning are repulsed by Roger de Leybourne. In the evening, however, supported by archers shooting across the river, Simon launches an amphibious assault, wind and current carrying his fireship across to set fire to the bridge defenses. The rebels capture the castle's outer bailey and the garrison retires inside the keep on April 19. Meanwhile, rebels under Gilbert de Clare ("the Red Earl") occupy the cathedral. The siege then boggs down, Simon receives reports of a relief force and orders to withdraw on April 26.source
• 1264May – Simon de Montfort marches on London but the drawbridge on London Bridge has been raised by the Lord Mayor. Simon has the support of the Londoners, who manage to lower the bridge allowing him into the city. Henry III is forced to pardon the rebel nobles and reinstates the Provisions of Oxford. With Henry's power diminished, Simon announces that all debts owed to the Jews would be canceled.source
• 1267The "Grand Capital" is constructed in Khanbaliq (modern-day Beijing) by Kublai Khan, having moved the capital of the Mongol Empire there three years prior.source
• 1267Construction of Château de Vixouze was initiated.Francesource
• 1269John I Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, begins the construction of Blair Castle in Scotland.source
• 1271Construction of the Tower of Kamyenyets (or the White Tower) in Belarus begins. Later, it becomes a frontier stronghold on the northern border of Volhynia.source
• 1274Construction of Niederhaslach Church was started.Francesource
• 1275The verge escapement, a simple type of escapement used in clocks, is invented (approximate date).source
• 1280Construction on the northern section of the Grand Canal of China has begun.source
• 1282The technology of watermarks is introduced by paper manufacturers of Bologna, Italy.source
• 1283Ram Khamhaeng, ruler of the Sukhothai Kingdom, creates the Thai alphabet during his reign (approximate date).source
• 1288Work is begun on the construction of Mob Quad in Merton College, Oxford.source
• 1288The oldest-known bronze handgun in the world is dated to this year, a Chinese gun found in Acheng District, that was once used to suppress the rebellion of the Mongol prince Nayan.source
• 1289Construction of Conwy Castle in Wales, ordered by Edward I (Longshanks), is completed.source
• 1291Klenová Castle is constructed in southern Bohemia near the town of Klatovy (modern Czech Republic) as part of a frontier defense system.source
• 1295Construction begins on Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey under the direction of James of Saint George as part of the conquest of Wales by Edward I.source
• 1298Wang Zhen, Chinese inventor and politician, invents a wooden movable type printing (Bi Sheng invented ceramic movable type in the 11th century).source
• 1299The spinning wheel is now in widespread use in England for manufacturing woolen yarn.source