January 17 – Aragonese forces led by King
Alfonso III (the Liberal) conquer the island of
Menorca. He signs the "Treaty of San Agayz" with Sultan
Abû 'Umar ibn Sa'îd on
January 21. Alfonso accepts a policy of free trade for merchants and their property. He also concludes an alliance against the Marinids with
Abu Said Uthman I, ruler of the Zayyanid
Kingdom of Tlemcen (modern
Algeria). He proposes to supply him with five to ten galleys (with food and other goods) in exchange for 500 elite Zayyanid horsemen.[1]
Alfonso III (the Liberal) is forced to make concessions to the nobility after an aristocratic uprising (called the
Union of Aragon). In particular, he grants his barons a "Bill of Rights", known as the Privilegium Generale. This leaves a heritage of disunity and further dissent among the nobility, who increasingly see little reason to respect the throne, and brings the
Crown of Aragon to the point of anarchy. Alfonso, who is not pleased with the anti-royalist movement, is forced to accept the Magna Carta (Great Charter).[2]
June –
Rabban Bar Sauma, Chinese Nestorian monk and diplomat, travels from
Constantinople to
Italy. There he arrives in Naples and witnesses a sea battle in the harbour between the Aragonese and the Angevin fleets. Bar Sauma goes to
Rome, but arrives too late to meet Pope
Honorius IV, who recently died. He instead is engaged in negotiations with the cardinals, who are in a conclave to elect a successor, and visits the
St. Peter's Basilica. Bar Sauma goes to
Genoa, where he receives a warm welcome.[3]
June 23 –
Battle of the Counts: An Aragonese-Sicilian fleet (some 50 galleys) under Admiral
Roger of Lauria defeat a larger Angevin fleet of 70 galleys near
Naples. After a
feigned retreat, Roger attacks the Angevin galleys from all sides. During the battle, which last much of the day, the Angevin fleet is scattered, leaving about 40 galleys to be captured, along with 5,000 prisoners. After the victory, without any authorization from King
James II, Roger makes a truce with the Neapolitans (who are allies of the Angevins).
September – Rabban Bar Sauma arrives in
Paris, and is received in an audience by King
Philip IV (the Fair). He spends one month at the royal court, during his stay, Philip himself escorts him around the
Sainte-Chapelle (or Holy Chapel) to see the collection of
Passion relics by late King
Louis IX (the Saint). Philip gives Bar Sauma many presents and sends one of his noblemen,
Gobert de Helleville, to return with him to Mongol lands. In response, he attempts to form a military alliance with
France and
England.[4]
December 14 – A huge storm and associated storm tide in the
North Sea and
English Channel, known as
St. Lucia's flood in the
Netherlands, kills thousands and reshapes the coastline of the Netherlands and
England. In the Netherlands, a fringing barrier between the North Sea and a shallow lake collapses, causing the fifth-largest flood in recorded history – which creates the
Zuider Zee inlet, and kills over 50,000 people. It also gives sea access to
Amsterdam, allowing its development as an important port city.
Winter –
Mongol invasion of Poland: Mongol forces (some 30,000 men) under
Talabuga Khan and
Nogai Khan, attack
Poland for the third time. The cities of
Lublin,
Sandomierz and
Sieradz are devastated by the invaders. Nogai Khan besieges
Kraków and launches an unsuccessful assault on the fortified city, suffering heavy casualties in the process.
England
February –
South England flood: A large storm hits the south coast, this has a powerful effect on the
Cinque Ports, two of which are hit (
Hastings and
New Romney). The storm destroys Old
Winchelsea on
Romney Marsh and nearby
Broomhill. The course of the
Rother River is diverted away from New Romney, which is almost destroyed, ending its role as a port; the Rother runs instead to the sea at
Rye – whose prospects as a port are enhanced. A cliff collapses at Hastings, ending its role as a trade harbor and demolishing a part of
Hastings Castle. New Winchelsea is established on higher ground.[5]
June 8 – Welsh forces led by
Rhys ap Maredudd revolt in
Wales against King
Edward I (Longshanks). Although Maredudd has assisted the English in the past, he accuses Edward of treating him unfairly over taxes. The rebels burn several towns, including
Swansea and
Carmarthen. They capture most of
Ystrad Tywi, heartland of
Deheubarth (the revolt will not be suppressed until
1288).
Summer – Edward I (Longshanks) replies to the Welsh rebellion by raising an army at
Gloucester commanded by
Edmund of Almain. The English forces besiege
Dryslwyn Castle, which lasts for three weeks before the castle falls after the curtain walls are undermined. Rhys ap Maredudd manages to escape and goes into hiding before the stronghold is finally captured in late September.
December – Parts of
Norfolk are flooded, the port of
Dunwich in
Suffolk is further devastated, and in
The Fens through the storm and the violence of the sea, the monastery of
Spalding and many churches are overthrown and destroyed: "The whole country in the
parts of Holland was, for the most part, turned into a standing pool so that an intolerable multitude of men, women and children were overwhelmed with the water, especially in the town of
Boston, a great part thereof was destroyed."[6]
Middle East
Spring –
Arghun Khan, Mongol ruler of the
Ilkhanate, sends an embassy under Rabban Bar Sauma with the mission of contracting a military alliance against the
Mamluk Sultanate and take the city of
Jerusalem. He travels with a large retinue (bearing gifts and letters) and 30 riding animals from
Tabriz through
Armenia to
Trebizond. Bar Sauma arrives in Constantinople and receives an audience with Emperor
Andronikos II (Palaiologos).[7]
March – Mamluk forces under Sultan
Qalawun (the Victorious) capture
Latakia, last remnant of the
Principality of Antioch. The city port falls easily into his hands, but the defenders retire to the citadel at the mouth of the harbour. Finally, Qalawun forces the Crusader garrison to surrender on
April 20.[8]
Winter – Two unidentified 'merchants' travel from
Alexandria to
Cairo to warn Qalawun of the economic dangers posed by Genoese domination in the eastern
Mediterranean, which leaves the Mamluk trade at their mercy. Qalawun accepts the invitation to intervene, and breaks the truce with Tripoli.[10]
May 14 –
Nayan, Mongol prince of the
Borjigin clan, revolts against the rule of
Kublai Khan. Kublai leads a punitive expedition against Nayan in
Manchuria and defeats his forces on
July 16.
December –
Battle of Pagan: Mongol-led Yuan forces (some 7,000 cavalry) led by
Temür Khan defeat King
Thihathu of the Pagan Kingdom. The kingdom disintegrates and anarchy ensues.
The Altar of St. James in
Pistoia Cathedral, Italy – a masterwork of the
silversmithing trade containing nearly a ton of silver – is begun; it will not be completed for nearly 200 years.
Economy
The Italian city of
Siena exacts a forced loan from its taxpayers for the first time, a common feature of medieval public finance.[13]
April 3 – Pope
Honorius IV dies after a 2-year
pontificate at Rome. During his reign, he tries to restore
Sicily to papal vassalage, but Honorius clashes with King
Peter III (the Great), who supports Sicilian independence.
^Morris Rossabi (2014). From Yuan to Modern China and Mongolia: The Writings of Morris Rossabi. BRILL. pp. 385–386.
ISBN978-90-04-28529-3.
^Steven Runciman (1952). A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre, p. 337.
ISBN978-0-241-29877-0.
^Steven Runciman (1952). A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre, pp. 337–338.
ISBN978-0-241-29877-0.
^Steven Runciman (1952). A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre, p. 339.
ISBN978-0-241-29877-0.
^Meynier, Gilbert (2010). L'Algérie cœur du Maghreb classique. De l'ouverture islamo-arabe au repli (658-1518). Paris: La Découverte. p. 163.
ISBN978-2-7071-5231-2.
^Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia, p. 195. Translation: Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press.
ISBN978-0-8248-0368-1.
^Munro, John H. (2003). "The Medieval Origins of the Financial Revolution". The International History Review. 15 (3): 506–562.
^Walter, Ingeborg (1969). "Boccamazza, Giovanni". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, p. 169. Volume 11: Boccadibue–Bonetti (in Italian). Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana.
ISBN978-8-81200032-6.