May 17 –
Frederick II, infant son of the late Emperor
Henry VI, is crowned King of
Sicily. His mother, Queen
Constance I becomes
regent, while she surrounds herself with local advisors. On
November 27, Constance dies in the royal palace at
Palermo. She is succeeded by the new pope,
Innocent III, who becomes Frederick's guardian and mentor.
England
John of England captures a party of 18 French knights and many men-at-arms, in the ongoing conflict against
France.[1] His brother, King
Richard I (the Lionheart) introduces a new Great Seal – in an attempt to keep the war against France funded. The government proclaims that charters previously struck with the old seal are no longer valid and must be renewed with a fresh payment.[2] The office of
Lord Warden of the Stannaries is also introduced, to tax the produce of tin mines in
Cornwall and
Devon.[3]
September 27 –
Battle of Gisors: Richard I defeats the French forces led by
Philip II (Augustus) at
Courcelles-lès-Gisors, in
Picardy. Richard captures three castles on the border of the
Vexin. The French troops, many of them mounted, crowd the bridge leading into Gisors Castle but it collapses beneath them. The French king is among those who plunge into the water in his armor. Many French knights drown, but Philip is pulled to safety.
February 18 – Emperor
Go-Toba (or Toba the Second) abdicates the throne in favor of his two-year-old son
Tsuchimikado, after a 14-year reign.
By topic
Literature
December 11 –
Averroes (or Ibn Rushd), Arab polymath and physician, dies. He is the author of more than 100 books, for which he is known in the
western world as The Commentator and Father of Rationalism.[5]
Innocent III excommunicates Philip II for repudiating his marriage to
Ingeborg of Denmark (see
1193), to whom he took an almost instant dislike, but public opinion forces Philip to effect a reconciliation with the pope.