The Second millenium

[Vince]

1213 is a good year for Pope Innocent III. King John of England submits to the Pope's authority, and the Pope lifts the interdict he had placed on England. And then his Crusader forces in France win a major victory over the Albigensians and their French allies, leading to a major massacre.

But England's Royal Navy wins its first major victory, defeating a French fleet off the coast of Belgium. They catch 700 French ships, loaded for an invasion of England, by surprise. The English capture 300 ships in addition to what they destroy.

Genghis Khan plunders the entire nation of Jin, except for their capital, Beijing, to which he lays siege.

 

[Vince]

And now it is 1214.

Jin surrenders to Genghis Khan, and after paying a ransom, the Emperor escapes. Meanwhile, the Mongols are closing in on Korea.

Sinope is a seaport on the Black Sea in northern Turkey. With the Byzantine Empire falling apart under civil war and war with the Crusaders, they are unable to keep the Turks from seizing the city.

France wins a smashing defeat over a coalition of English, German, and Flemish invaders. As a result, Normandy becomes a permanent part of France (although they do lose it a few times.)

 

[Vince]

1215 is a great year for the world: the Magna Carta is signed.


John, King of England, is forced to sign the Magna Carta. Among other things, it stated that no freeman could be punished without a fair trial, a law that remains in effect today. In modified form, much of it is still the law in Britain, the United States, Canada, and other nations. It strengthened the belief that a King is not absolute, and that the people have rights. It established the belief that a nation can pass a set of laws (usually a constitution) that their government is forced to obey.

Though far too weak in protecting the rights of the people (it was mostly designed to protect the rights of the nobility) it became an inspiration for freedom even outside the English-speaking world. When US History is taught in American schools, the textbook often begins with the Magna Carta.

King John had enough trouble with Robin Hood (who didn't exist) and the Pope (who did), but his nobles were too much for him. They were losing their privileges as King John desperately kept raising taxes to finance Crusades. John was forced to sign the document after delaying as long as he could, and he quickly repealed it and went to war with his barons. Pope Innocent III, a man whose legend as a mass murderer still survives, quickly annulled the document.

 

[Vince]

We're still in the year 1215, when the Magna Carta was signed.

Threatened by France, Scotland, and his rebellious barons, England's King John submits to Pope Innocent III, swearing to support another Crusade. But despite the Pope's support, John is forced to sign the Magna Carta, and when he breaks its terms, his barons rebel and Scotland invades England.

Pope Innocent III begins a large and lengthy Church Council in Rome that will eventually require Jews and Moslems to wear special clothes to identify themselves, confirm the requirement that Catholics must go to confession once a year, forbids the clergy from being judges in death penalty offenses, declares that the bread and wine literally become Christ's Body and Blood during Mass, and names the Pope the "Vicar of Christ."

After capturing Beijing, Genghis Khan spends another month burning the city.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 1216

Honorius III begins his eleven year reign as Pope. A high-ranking Church official who had served as treasurer (among other offices), he was well-loved by the common people because of his long record of kindness. Fearing a schism within the deeply-divided Catholic Church, the cardinals reached a compromise: two viable papal candidates were allowed to choose the Pope themselves. Reluctantly accepting the office, Honorius set out to reform the Catholic Church spiritually, while organizing the Fifth Crusade. He recognized the Dominican and Franciscan orders, demanded a thorough education for the clergy, and gave assistance to universities.

A version of the Magna Carta is written for Ireland, granting English nobility the same rights as those in England itself.

Meanwhile, the First Barons' War is not going well for England's King John. He invades Scotland, but France invades England. The French capture London unopposed. Having escaped the city, King John dies, and his eight year old son is crowned Henry III.

 

[Vince]

1217

The Fifth Crusade arrives in the Holy Land. Their plan is to swing southwest and capture Egypt, thus avoiding a two-front war when they later attack Jerusalem.

The Battle of Lincoln is a tremendous victory by the English over the French. The English capture various barons who had sided with the French, and they sack the city of Lincoln because it had sided with the French. A French fleet is quickly sent over with re-enforcements but is defeated off the coast of Dover. The remains of the French army are able to escape to France, but their chances of conquering England have vanished. In the north, Scotland withdraws its invading army, and the First Barons' War ends in an English victory.

King Haakon IV takes the throne of Norway, and their era of civil war virtually ends.

The English Catholic Church decrees that the Irish can only have English clergy.

 

[Vince]

1218

The Fifth Crusade arrives at Dalmietta, an Egyptian seaport that controls entry to the Nile River. The siege is so deadly to the population that Francis of Assisi arrives to try to negotiate a surrender, but without success.

Genghis Khan is having a great year. He conquers various Turkish-Russian groups and begins negotiating with the Persians to surrender voluntarily.

Eighty-two years after it was founded, the University of Salamanca in Spain is given a royal charter. It is the third-oldest European university in existence.

 

[Vince]

1219 is here!

The Serbian Orthodox Church is granted independence from rule by other Orthodox Churches. Remaining Orthodox, it is self-governing, with about 9.5 million members today.

For the fourth time in fifty years, a massive flood hits the Netherlands, killing about 36,000 people.

The Fifth Crusade captures Damietta, Egypt, giving them control of entry to the Nile. Francis of Assisi begins actively preaching in Egypt.

Meanwhile, Danish Crusaders are caught in a surprise attack by the Estonians, and Denmark is losing. As their leader raises his hands and prays desperately, a flag falls from the sky. (I don't believe it, but it's a great story). The Danes win, and the flag, with its white cross dividing a red field, is the oldest national flag still in use.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 1220!

A forty-three year long civil war breaks out in Iceland, between leaders who want to be loyal to Norway and those who want to be independent. When it is over, Iceland becomes a vassal state to Norway.

Frederick II begins his thirty-year reign as one of the greatest Holy Roman Emperors. Excommunicated four times for warring against various Popes, he expanded culture and science as he made his empire more powerful. As a result, surrounding nations feared him, and his dynasty collapsed shortly after his death.

Middle Eastern Moslems find themselves being invaded by the Mongols. With the Abbasid Caliphate already falling apart, they manage to hold on for a few years. Genghis Khan also over runs the Moslem lands of central Asia, but he does not attempt to destroy Islam, and it survives within the Mongolian Empire.

 

[Vince]

1221 is a great year for murderers named Genghis Khan.

The Jin Dynasty, which is now part of the Mongol Empire, invents bombs, using them against the Chinese. Explosives had already been invented, but the Jin constructed metal casings (which would normally lessen the strength of the explosive) that would shatter into shrapnel when the bomb hit something.

In one of the bloodiest massacres in history, Genghis Khan defeats a Turkish-Iranian kingdom and razes their capital to the ground, massacring every last inhabitant. Contemporary scholars reported that the Mongols killed over 1 million citizens of the capital. Defeating another nearby Iranian kingdom, Genghis Khan orders another massacre of the citizens.

Having defeated their Moslem enemies, Georgia is attacked twice by the Mongolians. Although they win both times, the Mongols are unable to capture Georgia's capital and they withdraw.

Genghis Khan personally leads an invasion of Pakistan.

 

[Vince]

1221 is so filled with the murders of Genghis Khan that we had to come back for the other events.

After a few minor revolts, the Japanese place Go-Horikawi on the throne. He's the third Emperor for the year, but he hangs on for another eleven years before abdicating to his one year old son. Ten years old when he takes the throne, he is controlled by his father, a prince who holds the real power. When he abdicated, he became the real ruler, but he died two years later. His quiet reign didn't accomplish much, either good or bad.

The Fifth Crusade turns down a generous Moslem offer: the Moslems will give them Jerusalem if the Crusaders will return Damietta (which had given them control of the Nile's entry to the Mediterranean Sea.) Bad move, Crusaders. Later, they will have to return Damietta in exchange for a safe withdrawal.

Saint Dominic dies. He had founded the Dominicans, who played a leading part in the first Inquisition, but there is no proof that Dominic himself was involved.

 

[Vince]

1222

The southwest coast of Cyprus is struck by the "1222 Cyprus Earthquake." The quake causes a tidal wave that hits both Libya and Egypt; it drains the major harbor of Paphos, returns as a tidal wave, and floods the town. The castle defending the harbor is abandoned, as the harbor remains dry to this day. A Byzantine fortress and some churches are also destroyed.

The King of Hungary is forced to sign "The Golden Bull of 1222." Like the Magna Carta, it required the King to obey the law. It exempted the nobility and the Church from taxes, authorized the nobles to disobey illegal royal commands, and freed the nobility from supporting foreign wars if they did not wish to. On the other hand, it barred Jews from holding office and barred commoners from any high office.

Six year old Eric the Lisp and Lame begins his twenty-eight year reign as King of Sweden. Except for a two year period in which he was overthrown and then returned, he reigned quietly and successfully.

John the Merciful begins his 32 year reign as Byzantine Emperor. With the Crusaders in control of Constantinople and much of Byzantium ruled by various nobles, he didn't really control the nation. He was a brilliant general who had married the Emperor's daughter, and he quickly re-seized much of his territory from the Crusaders. He was able to invade Europe, re-taking various Greek cities that had been part of Byzantium, as well as recovering territory from the Bulgarians. He defeated his rivals on the battlefield, kept peace with the Moslems, and actually negotiated successfully with the Crusaders, the Popes, the Bulgarians, and others. He brought in prosperity, executed justice, and was declared an Orthodox saint fifty years after he died.

 

[Vince]

1223

The forces of Genghis Khan attack the Rus, slaughtering survivors who had been promised safe conduct in return for surrender. But unable to hold their territory, the Mongols quickly withdraw.

Sancho the Pious becomes King of Portugal. Sancho made a peace treaty with the Catholic Church (which had excommunicated his father) and then ignored it. He concentrated on conquering Moslem areas south of Portugal, successfully expanding his borders while ignoring internal problems. After 24 years on the throne, the Pope ordered him dethroned, and he fled Portugal, allowing his brother to become King.

Louis the Lion begins his three year reign as King of France. A successful warrior while his father was King, Louis had personally led the invasion that had captured London and half of England before being driven out. As King of France, he put down a large-scale rebellion before dying of natural causes.

 

[Vince]

1224 is here!

Sicily and Malta expel their Moslem inhabitants. You might recall that decades ago, the King of Sicily had proclaimed that all his citizens were equal.

With the death of the caliph, Spanish Moslems go to war against each other, helping the Catholics as they continue the Reconquest.

Francis of Assisi becomes the first known person to receive the stigmata--wounds appeared on his body in the same places where Christ was crucified. An actual phenomenon that has been observed and studied by doctors, stigmata appear on women four times as often than on men. Different recipients have the five wounds (nailprints in their wrists and feet and a hole where the lance went in), forehead wounds (from the crown of thorns) or back wounds (from the scourging). Different studies have attributed stigmata to hysteria, malaria, auto-suggestion, infections, and of course, a miracle. All stigmatics suffer pain from their wounds.

 

[Vince]

1225

Sorry , Folks. I posted this yesterday, but it didn't "take."

The Tran Dynasty begins in Vietnam. The eight year old Empress is forced to marry into their family and is reduced to Princess. Tran Thai Tong then begins his successful 33 year reign. Ruling wisely, he is forced to pay tribute to the Mongols, but later leads his people in a bloody but successful war that drives them out. He then hands Vietnam to his son and retires.

Northern India defeats a Mongol invasion.

 

[Vince]

1226 is one of those years when a lot happens.

Louis IX becomes King of France for the next 44 years. The only French King to be canonized as a Catholic saint, he launched two unsuccessful Crusades, destroyed Jewish religious works, and persecuted the Catharii. Immediately after taking the throne, he launches an invasion of southern France, intending to destroy the Albigenses and some rebellious rulers.

Louis also furthered arts and education and was a skilled diplomat. Captured by the Egyptians, he was ransomed after four years., He then used his wealth to strengthen Crusader defenses. But he also made beneficial alliances with Moslem rulers and almost negotiated a successful alliance with the Mongol Empire.

Sancho II, King of Portugal, begins a major offensive, capturing Elvas, a town in eastern Portugal, from the Moslems.

 

[Vince]

Have no fear! 1227 is here!

Pope Gregory IX begins his fourteen year reign. The new Pope quickly suspends the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II for not supporting the new Crusade, and finally excommunicates him and invades Germany. The Emperor responded by defeating the invaders and invading Italy. Peace was made, and then the Romans drove the Pope into exile. After defeating an Italian coalition, the HRE turned against the Pope and invaded Italy again. Peace was not attained until Pope Gregory died.

His anti-Jewish laws held Jews out of political offices until the nineteenth century, although they were not always enforced.

In Mongolia, Genghis Khan dies. The nations he conquered universally regard him as a murderous tyrant, with little good to say about him. He did unify the Mongol people, strengthen the use of the Silk Road as a means of communication, establish a unified Mongolian alphabet, and practice freedom of religion. But no great political, scientific, or cultural advances came out of his reign. After his death, the M0ngolian conquest actually picked up speed, and at its height, the Mongolian Empire became the largest land-area empire in history.

 

[Vince]

1228 is really great!

With Islam's former African empire continuing to crumble. Moslems in modern Tunisia declare themselves independent and form the Hafsid Dynasty. Surviving for 345 years, the Hafsids conquer some small neighboring Moslem kingdoms, trade extensively with Catholic Europe, practice piracy against Italy, spread art and culture, and are finally destroyed by Turkish Moslems as the Ottoman Empire expands from Asia into Africa. An influx of Spanish Moslems fleeing the Reconquest provide a steady stream of wealth and education.

And the Hindus aren't doing too bad. They establish Assam, a kingdom in northeastern India, which survives for 598 years before being seized by Britain. Today it is a province of India.

Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II launches the Sixth Crusade. It does little fighting but manages to retake Jerusalem through negotiation. Frederick had been excommunicated for waging war against the Pope, but ignoring that, he personally led his troops into the Kingdom of Jerusalem (which did not actually include the city itself). Bogged down with a Syrian rebellion, the sultan of Egypt quickly agreed to return Jerusalem in return for a ten-year truce, but Moslems kept control of the Temple site.

In Spain, various Catholic kingdoms continue to retake areas from the Moslems, as the Moslems continue to break apart into smaller kingdoms.

 

[Vince]

1229 is really fine!

A riot breaks out at the University of Paris between students, Church officials, and secular officials over control of the University. With many students killed, the students then strike for two years, shutting the institution down. With an emphasis on theology, it was the most prestigious university in the world. Students were under the direct control of the Church, and when they committed crimes off-campus could not be arrested or charged. The riot began when students destroyed a tavern over a disputed bill. When the Church would not act, secular authorities got permissive for the City Guard to arrest them. The City Guard then killed several innocent students. The University finally re-opened under direct Papal control.

Having taken Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth without shedding any blood, a triumphant Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II has himself crowned King of Jerusalem. The fact that he is currently excommunicated is added to the fact that he had received no Papal support.

Canute the Tall begins his uneventful five year reign as King of Sweden. When he dies, the previous King retakes the throne.

 

[Vince]

We're late for lunch; it's 1230.

In Spain, the Catholic kingdoms of Galatia, Toledo, and Leon unite. Their king, Ferdinand II continues to expand southward into Moslem territory, while Portugal also continues to expand southward.

Sundiata becomes ruler of a village in west Africa. By the time he's through, that village will have grown into the mighty Mali Empire. At its height, the Mali Empire would stretch from the Atlantic across the center of west Africa. It became wealthy through its control of trade routes and the generally peaceful policies of its Emperors, spreading culture and economic progress wherever it went. In 1600, it collapsed under attack from other African nations.