The Second millenium

[Vince]

1141

Having invaded England, Matilda, rightful heiress to the Throne, captures King Stephen and becomes Queen. But she is never crowned, the people revolt, and she returns the throne to her cousin Stephen. But it works: her son will later become Henry II, King of England.

Having lost the northern half of their country, the Chinese sign a peace treaty with the Jin Dynasty that lasts for twenty years.

Germany begins sending colonists into Transylvania in central Romania.

 

[Vince]

1142

American Indians in the eastern United States invent wampum. Polished beads made from seashells, they were used to record information, to commemorate important events, and to sign treaties by a people who had not invented writing. European settlers later used them for money when trading with the Indians.

Things continue to go badly for Ifriqiya, the Moslem empire in the center of the north Africa coast. A famine strikes their capital city, and they are forced to submit to Sicily in return for food.

Four year old Konoe begins his thirteen year reign as Emperor of Japan. His grandfather holds the real power, while the former Emperor had none at all, causing conflicts. Instead of retiring, as most Emperors did, Konoe dies peacefully at the age of seventeen.

 

[Vince]

1143

Celestine II begins his six-month reign as Pope. He renounces all Papal concessions to the government of Sicily, strengthens the Knights Templar and the Hospitallers (who answered directly to the Pope) and lifts the excommunication of the King of France only when the King accepts a bishop appointed by the Pope.

Saint Malachy writes his Prophecy of the Popes. Consisting of 112 short Latin phrases, it attempts to predict all future Popes, predicting that after the current Pope Benedict, the next Pope will see the city of Rome destroyed. The Catholic Church gives slight attention to the prophecy. (Today is March 5, 2013. The cardinals are meeting to appoint the next Pope, and according to Saint Malachy, he will see the city of Rome destroyed.)

Two out of three isn't bad. The Normans seize two Moslem cities in north Africa but fail to take a third.

Baldwin III begins his twenty year reign as King of Jerusalem. He will have to defeat his mother in a civil war before he can assume full power, however.

Manuel the Great begins his thirty-six year reign as Byzantine Emperor. He expands his borders into eastern Europe and into Arab lands, forms strong alliances with the Catholics, protects the Crusader kingdoms, betrays whoever he needs to, and restores much of Byzantium's former glory. But after his death, the Empire enters a massive decline.

 

[Vince]

1144

Lucius II begins his 11 month reign as Pope. A group of disgruntled citizens and nobility form the Commune of Rome, establishing a rebel Senate that actually elected its own senators. They appealed to Pope Lucius to renounce all his temporal powers and appealed to the Holy Roman Emperor to help them overthrow both the Pope and the Roman nobility. So powerful was their public support that they were able to seize much of the city of Rome and begin a functioning republic.

During his short reign, Pope Lucius got heavily-involved in English and Portuguese politics, offering military protection in return for gold.

After one Crusader kingdom falls to the Moslems, another one voluntarily joins the Byzantine Empire. I should point out again that the Catholics and Orthodox still regarded themselves as being the same religion.

In Norwich, England, Jews are falsely accused of murdering a twelve year old Catholic boy. Decades of sporadic massacres break out in England as a result.

 

[Vince]

1145

War breaks out in northern Africa between the Moslems, as the Almohads begin rapidly expanding into Ifriqiya. They also expand westward, into the Almoravid Empire, which ruled northwest Africa and southern Spain. And they expand into Spain itself.

Ever heard of Merv, a city in Iran? It overtakes Constantinople in population this year, and might briefly be the largest city in the world.

Pope Lucius personally leads an attack on parts of Rome held by the Commune of Rome. He is killed by a thrown stone, and Eugene III begins his eight year reign as Pope. Eugene makes an uneasy peace with the republic set up by the Commune, and they allow him to enter Rome and be consecrated. A weak-willed, easy-going man, he was controlled by Bernard of Clairvaux, a powerful advocate of Papal authority. He was driven out of Rome for most of his reign, returning at times through military force before being driven out again. But when he died, the citizens wanted him buried with honors at the Vatican in recognition of his genuinely pious life.

Kim Bu-sik compiles the History of the Three Kingdoms, Korea's oldest extant history text. Blatantly pro-China in its political outlook, it was intended to strengthen the current Korean government.

 

[Vince]

1146 is a year of African warfare.

In order to keep everyone straight, the Almoravids were African Moslems who controlled north-west Africa, and then seized southern Spain when the Moslem Empire there collapsed. They managed to delay the Catholic Reconquest of Spain for centuries. In north central Africa, Ifriqiya was a tottering Moslem Empire; from within their own empire emerged the Almohads. In order to keep things straight, I will refer to the Almohads as the "Unitarians," which is what their name means. In northeast Africa, the Fatimids were a Moslem Empire that controlled Egypt but were centered in Asia.

A once-mighty empire, the Almoravids found themselves in a nightmare when they invaded Spain. Draining their resources against Spanish, Portuguese, and even Crusader Catholics, the Almoravids couldn't stand up to the Unitarians. This year, the Unitarians seize most of Morocco from the Almoravids. Reeling in defeat, the Almoravids then lose the Balearic Islands to Genoa. Flushed with victory, Genoa then invades southern Spain, but is later driven out. Meanwhile, Sicily seizes Tripoli, a major seaport on the Mediterranean, from Ifriqiya.

Under the preaching of Bernard of Clairvaux, the Second Crusade begins...and begins massacring Jews. Bernard frantically tries to stop them, pointing out that God had helped the Moslems massacre a previous group of Crusaders who had done the same thing.

Too much rain damages European crops, causing a major famine.

 

[Vince]

1147

The Baltic Crusades begin. Run mostly by Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, these Catholic nations wage war against pagans and Orthodox Christians in northeastern Europe for the next four centuries. Various pagan groups are annihilated or absorbed and have not re-appeared to this day.

At the same time, Turks defeat two Crusader armies, one German and one French.

Portugal captures Lisbon, its current capital, from the Moslems.

In northwest Africa, the Unitarians come sweeping southwards out of the mountains of Morocco, invading the Almoravid Empire, seizing all of their African territory and killing their ruler. Already exhausted from its wars in Spain, the empire collapses, and the Unitarians now rule about half of Africa's Mediterranean coast. Abd al-Mu'min, their leader, now turns eastward. But he sends a general into Spain, and he quickly captures Seville from the Almoravids.

After seizing a large Greek island from the Byzantines, Sicily invades Greece, pillaging Athens, Corinth, and Thebes.

 

[Vince]

1148

A year after their major victories, the Unitarians are having problems, as Sicily seizes two of their seaports, and revolts break out among their conquered people. The Crusaders send a fleet that captures a third seaport.

Meanwhile, the Second Crusade reaches Jerusalem, having suffered heavy losses along the way. They begin a five week siege of Damascus that ends in a massive victory for the Moslems. With the leaders distrusting each other, the Second Crusade begins to collapse.

Both Portugal and Barcelona manage to capture one small Moslem city apiece.

 

[Vince]

1149

At the Battle of Inab, a Syrian army surrounds and destroys a Christian army sent to help Damascus. Both Moslems and Christians were heavily divided, with most refusing to send help to either side.

Having lost all their African territory to the Unitarains, the Almoravids lose two more Spanish cities to the Catholics.

Pursued by his political opponents, Pope Eugene III takes refuge in a castle.

 

[Vince]

1150

About this time, Peter Lombard writes his “Four Books of Sentences,” which becomes the most important theological work in Europe for the next three centuries. Relying heavily on the Church Fathers and on Scripture, it was required as part of the education of Catholic clergy and was sometimes cited by the Protestant Reformers.

Ever heard of the Chichimeca Indians? Their name is an insult meaning “Barbarians,” given them by the Spaniards whom they resisted so heroically. They are actually a group of tribes from northern Mexico, some of whom migrated southward. About this time, traveling through the Mexican mountains, they make an amazing discovery: there is a deep “bowl” in the mountains, containing a lake that is 55 miles long. With a pleasant climate and excellent fishing, it looks like Paradise, except for one problem: for five months it rains almost every night, and then it rarely rains for the next seven months. Most of them move on, but a few of them settle there. And today, “The Gringo Zone” is the largest collection of Americans anywhere in the world outside the United States, and my wife and I love it here.

For the first time, "Gypsies" are mentioned: a group of them are musicians in Constantinople. Apparently migrating out of northwestern India into eastern Europe, they have a long history of persecution. There are several million Gypsies alive today, with 1 million in the US, 800,000 in Brazil, and most of the rest in Europe.

Cambodia completes the Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. Built as a Hindu temple, it is now Buddhist, and it is still in use.

 

[Vince]

1151

China completes the 1.3 mile long Anping Bridge. Made entirely of stone, it will remain the longest bridge in the world until 1846. Because the river is mostly filled in now, this historic landmark is no lnger used.

Moslems had been using Ghazni, in Afghanistan, as a base for raiding India. This year, India burns the city but cannot hold it.

With the death of Geoffrey the Handsome, his eighteen year old son Henry II becomes ruler of Normandy. The grandson of the King of England, Henry II will at various times rule large areas of Europe.

 

[Vince]

1152 is a really bad year for Ifriqiya. The Monotheists seize the westernmost part of their empire, and Sicily seizes all that is left of their Mediterranean coastline.

By marrying Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II now controls the entire western coast of France and about half its northern coast.

The Church in Ireland officially acknowledges the Pope's authority and establishes their present system of dioceses.

 

[Vince]

1153

With about 140,000 people today, Djerba is the largest island of north Africa, and had been seized by Sicily. This year Sicily puts down a rebellion there. Today the island is part of Tunisia, the closest African nation. And then the Sicilians invade the nearby Kerkenna Islands, with their 62 square miles of arid land. Abandoned by the Romans when the Empire collapsed, the Kerkenna Islands had remained free because nobody wanted them. Today they are part of Tunisia.

In the Indian Ocean, the Maldives, Asia's smallest nation, receive their first Moslem missionaries. However, they cannot displace the Buddhism that had displaced Hinduism.

The Kingdom of Jerusalem captures a major Egyptian fortress at Ascalon.

England's lengthy civil war, "The Anarchy," ends. Stephen remains king for the rest of his life, while Henry II (who controls much of France) will secede him.

Anastasius IV begins his one-year reign as Pope. He makes peace with various factions before dying next year.

 

[Vince]

1154

With the death of his cousin, 21 year old Henry II becomes King of England. Already the ruler of much of France, he establishes the Plantagenet Dynasty, which will rule England until 1485.

Anastasius IV dies in December, after a one year long successful reign. Adrian IV, the only English Pope, then begins his five-year reign.

In southern Spain, the Unitarians conquer Grenada, the last independent Moslem kingdom there. But they are still having trouble as Sicily continues to raid their port cities. Sicily also raids Egypt this year.

Al Idrisi was a great Moslem geographer who lived in Sicily. This year he completes a map of the world so accurate that it will not be replaced for three centuries.

 

[Vince]

1155 is a great year for ambitious men.

The only English Pope, Adrian IV, quickly gets busy. An honest abbot who was promoted to cardinal as a result of complaints about his reforms, Adrian had just returned to Rome from a successful journey to Norway when the Pope died, and he was quickly elected. His first act was to place Rome itself under an interdict until city authorities exiled an anti-papal leader who had murdered a cardinal.

The new Pope issues a decree that King Henry II of England is rightful ruler of Ireland and is authorized to invade them and forcefully turn all its churches Catholic (There were still some hold-outs).

When Byzantium invaded southern Italy, Pope Adrian enthusiastically helped them, because he feared the Normans. But after a string of rapid victories, the Byzantines were defeated and abandoned everything they had left in Italy. He came close to negotiating a re-union of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, but it fell apart on his demand that the Byzantine Emperor must recognize the Pope as the head of all Christianity.

Having become King of Germany and Italy, Frederick Redbeard is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian. Not satisfied with that, he seizes even more European territory.

Shirakawa II begins his three year reign as Emperor of Japan. Having steadily accumulated power, he is able to take the throne, abdicating three years later, but continuing to rule from retirement. He eventually helps the Samurai begin their 700 year reign over Japan.

 

[Vince]

1156 is a really rough year.

Sfax is an African seaport that Sicily had seized. The Moslem inhabitants revolt and kill all the Christians in the city, and the city then becomes independent.

A short civil war, called the Hogen Rebellion, breaks out in Japan in a conflict over the secession. Although quickly settled, it will eventually produce Samurai rule over the nation.

There are many contradictory accounts, but it seems that Lalli, a Finnish madman, kills Henry, Bishop of Finland, with an ax.

Sverker the Elder, King of Sweden, is murdered on his way to church and his rival takes the throne.

Apulis is the "heel" of the Italian peninsula, and this year it rebels against Sicily. Encouraged by the Pope, Byzantium invades Italy to help the rebels. Sicily beats them all and forces the Pope to sign a humiliating treaty.

Arslan II begins his 36 year reign over the Seljuk Turks. He wins more wars than he loses, and under his reign, the Turks expand to about 2/3 of modern Turkey. But he divides his kingdom among his nine sons, and civil war breaks out after his death.

The city of Moscow is founded.

 

[Vince]

1157

Albert the Bear was a ferocious landholder who had seized large areas from the pagan Wends east of Germany. This year he goes to full-scale war against them, forcibly converting the survivors and founding Brandenburg, which survive abut a century and a half.

After winning Denmark's civil war, Valdemar I becomes king and begins rebuilding his country.

England and a lot of France isn't enough; Henry II invades Wales and gets himself a beating.

 

[Vince]

1158

Having failed to defeat the Normans, the Byzantines abandon Italy. The Norman Kingdom of Southern Italy only lasts a few decades, however.

Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Redbeard begins organizing public universities that are not controlled by the Church.

Portugal continues to pound its way southward to its present boundaries, seizing three Moslem cities.

The original British "pound" referred to one pound of silver, which could make 240 silver pennies. This year, Britain modernizes into their current system, in which one pound sterling equals 100 pence. For the record, a "penny" is "the smallest coin." In the New Testament, a penny was one day's wage. As technology advanced, nations introduced smaller coins ('farthings").

In Spain, a Catholic monk founds The Order of Calatrave. This military order includes monks, knights, and nobility. Designed to protect a local monastery from Moslem invaders, the order later became a powerful military and political force that helped reconquer all of Spain and Portugal.

 

[Vince]

1159 is a good year for new Popes: both of them.

Pope Adrian IV dies, and two lines of rival Popes begin.

Alexander III begins his 21 year reign as Pope after being elected by the majority of cardinals. But with the support of the Holy Roman Empire and most of Europe, Victor IV begins his five year reign as Pope. There will now be two lines of Popes until 1176.

Alexander starts off with strong opposition, but over a period of years wins increasing governmental support. He reached his height in 1179, when he got a Church Council to decree that a Pope could not be elected without a two-thirds majority of the cardinals, a rule which still applies. But shortly afterward he was driven out of Rome, never to return.

Meanwhile, Victor IV holds his office mostly because it strengthens the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor. Little is known about him.

After rapidly seizing half of Africa's Mediterranean coast, the Unitarian Moslems had quickly lost several coastal cities to Sicily. But this year, the Unitarians retake Tunis.

 

[Vince]

1160

Pope Alexander III excommunicates the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Redbeard for supporting Pope Victor IV. The Papacy and the HRE had been feuding over control of the Church, the Papal states, and southern Italy for some time. Two years later, the Holy Roman Empire captures Rome.

After defeating Sicily in a naval battle, the Unitarians recapture Mahdia, an African seaport. Then they sign a trade treaty with Pisa.

You need to remember that "Italy" was a nation in the northern half of the Italian peninsula, and that some of its cities were semi-independent. Italy and Germany were both part of the Holy Roman Empire. This year, HRE Frederick Redbeard besieges and seizes Crema, a northern Italian city-state. He destroys the city and slaughters its inhabitants.

Erik the Holy, King of Sweden, is assassinated. Though never canonized by the Catholic Church, he is the patron saint of Sweden.

The Knights Templar found the city of Tomar inside a monastery. Eventually it grows to a modern city of 20,000 people. Portugal also begins a major offensive against southern Moslems.

A magistrate and his wife donate their mansion to an abbey to form an elementary school called "The Derby School." With rigid rules and high academics, the school was financially crippled by World War 2, struggling on until it was closed in 1989.