Battle of Cadfan: An English expeditionary army under
Stephen Bauzan is ambushed and defeated by Welsh forces. The English are decimated by devastating guerilla attacks and the Welsh capture the English supply train. Stephen Bauzan is killed along with some 1,000–3,000 of his men. The remaining English flee the battle, Prince
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd is said to have been present at the battle, collecting spoils from the fallen English army. According to sources, it is one of the greatest victories of a Welsh army in the field against a much more powerful English force.[3]
King
Henry III orders the production of a
twenty pence, English coin of pure gold. Unfortunately, the
bullion value of the coins is about 20% higher than the nominal face value, leading to poor circulation, as coins are melted down by individuals for their gold content.
Henry III relents to the demands of his son
Edward (the Lord Edward) for assistance to fight the Welsh (see
1256). He joins him on a campaign to retake the territories lost to the Welsh forces led by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.
Venetian–Genoese War: The Venetian fleet under Admiral
Lorenzo Tiepolo breaks through the harbour chain at
Acre and destroys several Genoese ships. He also attacks the fortifications but Tiepolo is unable to expel the Genoese garrison (some 800 men strong and armed with 50–60
ballistae), from their quarter of the city throwing up a blockade.[5]
Spring – Mongol forces under
Uriyangkhadai conduct a campaign against local
Yi and Lolo tribes in
Vietnam. He returns to
Gansu and sends messengers to the court of
Möngke Khan informing him that
Yunnan is firmly under Mongolian control. Möngke Khan honors and rewards Uriyangkhadai for his military achievements.[6]
Matthew Paris, English monk and chronicler, personally interviews Henry III for an entire week while compiling his major work of English history, Chronica Majora.
Natural Disaster
Samalas eruption: Mount Samalas volcano erupts on
Lombok Island,
Indonesia. One of the
largest volcanic eruptions in the past 10,000 years, it creates severe climatic changes across the globe, leading to severe
famine and death, and to one of the biggest geopolitical changes across the globe over the next few centuries.[9][10]
^Hywel Williams (2005). Cassell's Chronology of World History, p. 143.
ISBN0-304-35730-8.
^Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest, pp. 160–161. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press.
ISBN0-472-08260-4.