December – Emperor
Alexios III (Angelos) is threatened by Emperor
Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, who demands 5,000 pounds of gold or the Byzantines will face an invasion, this due to a convoluted system of dynastic claims of Henry gaining control of Alexios' daughter
Irene Doukaina. The amount is negotiated down to 1,600 pounds of gold – with Alexios plundering the imperial tombs within the
Church of the Holy Apostles – as well as levying a heavy and unpopular tax, known as the Alamanikon (or German Tax).[1]
Europe
Spring – Henry VI persuades a diet at
Würzburg. He manages to convince the majority of the German nobles and clergy to recognize his 2-year-old son,
Frederick II, as king of the Romans and heir to the imperial throne. However, Archbishop
Adolf of Cologne thwarts the will of the diet and arouses the resistance of several
Saxon and
Thuringian nobles against Henry, who realizes that he is unable to establish a hereditary monarchy (see
Erbreichsplan) in the
Holy Roman Empire without resistance.[2]
April 23 –
Béla III dies after a 23-year reign in which he has supported the former Byzantine emperor
Isaac II (Angelos) against the invading Bulgarians. Having made the Hungarian court one of the most brilliant in
Europe and made his hereditary monarchy. Béla is succeeded by his 22-year-old son
Emeric as ruler of
Hungary,
Croatia and
Dalmatia (until
1204).
April 25 – King
Alfonso II (the Chaste) dies after a 32-year reign at
Perpignan. He leaves a will that divides his realm (
Aragon loses
Provence) and is succeeded by his 21-year-old son
Peter II (the Catholic).
Battle of Serres: Bulgarian forces under Tsar
Ivan Asen I defeat the Byzantine army near
Serres. During the winter Ivan continues his campaign in
Central Macedonia and captures many Byzantine fortresses.
Ivan Asen I is stabbed to death by
Ivanko, a Bulgarian
boyar (aristocrat), who is accused of having an affair with Ivan's wife's sister. He is succeeded by his brother
Kaloyan as co-ruler of the
Bulgarian Empire.
England
Spring –
William FitzOsbert, a rebel leader, leads an uprising of the poor against the rich in
London. He gathers over 52,000 supporters, stocks of weapons are cached throughout the city by breaking into the houses of the rich. Finally, the riots are suppressed and William is
hanged, drawn and quartered by orders of
Hubert Walter, archbishop of
Canterbury.
Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn, a Korean general, massacres his rivals and restores unity. After a
coup d'état, he takes full power and becomes prime-minister of the Korean state
Goryeo (until
1219).[4]