istoryworld
All Events
After a siege of seven months, the city of Antioch falls to the knights of the first crusade
Konya, in central Turkey, becomes the capital of the Seljuk Turks, who call themselves sultans of Rum
Crusaders capture the holy city of Jerusalem and massacre the Muslim and Jewish inhabitants
On the death of his brother, William II, Henry I becomes king of England
The Assassins, a sect of Nizari Ismailis, begin to acquire strongholds in Persia
Many of the towns of northern Italy acquire virtual independence as self-governing communes
Greek texts, translated by Arabic scholars in Baghdad, gradually make their way through the Muslim world to Christian Europe
Chinese potters in the Song dynasty develop the wares known as celadons, with thick transparent green glazes
Conjoined twins Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst are born in Biddenden, in Kent
The chansons de geste, performed by professional minstrels in castles and manors, celebrate the exploits of Charlemagne and his paladins
The crusaders now rule the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem, the principality of Antioch and the counties of Tripoli and Edessa
The Knights of St John of Jerusalem become an established order under papal protection
A 'chapelry' exists by now in Petersham, probably occupying the same site as a Saxon church mentioned in the Domesday Book
Peter Abelard teaches philosophy at Notre Dame until an affair with one of his pupils, Héloïse, brings his career to a dramatic end
St Bernard establishes a new monastery at Clairvaux, from which he presides over the rapid expansion of the Cistercian order
The troubadours of Provence develop a new form of love poetry in French, introducing courtly love
The White Ship strikes a rock off the Cherbourg peninsula drowning William the Aetheling, heir to the English throne
The Knights Templar are founded, to protect pilgrims from the Muslims on the journey to Jerusalem
A popular French poem, the Chanson de Roland, turns a minor disaster in one of Charlemagne's campaigns into a tale of epic heroism
The full flowering of the Romanesque style is seen in the nave of the abbey church at Vézelay, in France
Work begins on the exquisite palace chapel in Palermo, built for the Norman kings of Sicily
On the death of Henry I, his nephew Stephen moves quickly to keep Henry's daughter Matilda off the English throne
Walter FitzAlan takes a post as steward with the Scottish king, thus establishing the Stewart family and later dynasty
Conrad III, of the Hohenstaufen family, is elected German king - a title which remains in the family for more than a century, bringing with it that of Holy Roman emperor
Pope Innocent III and the second Lateran council outlaw the crossbow as a weapon causing unacceptable devastation
