March 4 –
Saladin (the Lion) dies of a fever at
Damascus. The lands of the
Ayyubid Dynasty of
Syria and
Egypt are split among his relatives. During his reign, he briefly unites the Muslim world, and drives the Crusaders out of
Jerusalem to a narrow strip of coast. At the time of his death, Saladin has seventeen sons and one little daughter.
Al-Afdal succeeds his father as ruler (emir) of Damascus, and inherits the headship of the Ayyubid family. His younger brother, the 22-year-old
Al-Aziz, proclaims himself as independent sultan of Egypt.
Al-Zahir receives
Aleppo (with lands in northern Syria), and
Turan-Shah receives
Yemen. The other dominions and fiefs in the
Oultrejordain (also called Lordship of
Montréal) are divided between his sons and the two remaining brothers of Saladin.[1]
May – The Pisan colony at
Tyre plots to seize the city, and hand it over to
Guy of Lusignan – the ruler of
Cyprus. King
Henry I of Jerusalem arrests the ringleaders, and orders that the colony be reduced to only 30 people. The Pisans retaliate, by raiding the coastal villages between Tyre and
Acre.[2]
King
Philip II (Augustus) marries
Ingeborg of Denmark, daughter of King
Valdemar I (the Great). After the marriage, Philip changes his mind, wishes to obtain a separation, and attempts to send her back to
Denmark.[4]