Editing 1212 (section)

== Events ==

=== By place ===
 
==== England ====
* [[July 10]] &ndash; The [[Early fires of London#Great Fire of 1212|Great Fire]]: The most severe of several [[early fires of London]] burns most of the city to the ground; over 3,000 people die, many of them by drowning in the [[River Thames]]. According to a contemporary account: "An awful fire broke out on the [[Southwark]] side of [[London Bridge]]; while it was raging, a fire broke out at the other end also and so hemmed in the numerous crowds who had assembled to help the distressed. The sufferers, to avoid the flames, threw themselves over the bridge into boats and barges; but many of these sunk, the people crowding into them.".<ref name=Fires>"Fires, Great", in ''The Insurance Cyclopeadia: Being an Historical Treasury of Events and Circumstances Connected with the Origin and Progress of Insurance'', Cornelius Walford, ed. (C. and E. Layton, 1876) p26</ref>
* [[John, King of England]], impounds the revenue of all prelates appointed by bishops, who have deserted him at his excommunication. He remains on good terms, however, with churchmen who stood by him, including Abbot Sampson, who this year bequeaths John his jewels.<ref>Warren, W. L. (1961). ''King John''. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 169–172.</ref>

==== Europe ====
* Spring &ndash; After the fall of [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]] the Crusaders complete their conquest of the [[Morea]] in southern [[Greece]]. The city, along with [[Nafplio|Nauplia]], is given to [[Othon de la Roche]], a Burgundian nobleman, as a fief, along with an income of 400 ''[[hyperpyron]]'' from [[Corinth]].<ref>Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994). ''The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest'', p. 90. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. {{ISBN|0-472-08260-4}}.</ref> Meanwhile, the Venetians conquer [[Crete]] and evict [[Henry, Count of Malta]] ("Enrico Pescatore"), a Genoese adventurer and pirate, active in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]].
* [[July 16]] &ndash; [[Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa]]: The Christian forces of King [[Alfonso VIII of Castile]] ("the Noble") decisively defeat the Almohad army (some 30,000 men) led by Caliph [[Muhammad al-Nasir]]. The victory gives a further impulse to the ''[[Reconquista]]'' but this leaves the [[Kingdom of Castile]] in a difficult financial position, as numerous soldiers have to be paid by the treasury.<ref name=linehan1999>{{cite book|author1-link=Peter Linehan|editor1-link=David Abulafia|title=The New Cambridge Medieval History c.1198-c.1300|year=1999|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=0-521-36289-X|pages=668–671|first=Peter|last=Linehan|editor=David Abulafia|chapter=Chapter 21: Castile, Portugal and Navarre}}</ref>
* The [[Children's Crusade]] is organized. There are probably two separate movements of young people, both led by shepherd boys, neither of which embark for the [[Holy Land]] – but both of which suffer considerable hardship.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bridge|first=Antony|title=The Crusades|location=London|publisher=Granada Publishing|year=1980|isbn=0-531-09872-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/crusades00brid}}</ref>
** Early Spring &ndash; Nicholas leads a group from the [[Rhineland]] and crosses the [[alps]] into [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|Italy]]. In August, he arrives with some 7,000 children in [[Genoa]]. Nicholas travels to the [[Papal States]] where he meets [[Pope Innocent III]].
** June &ndash; The 12-year-old Stephen of Cloyes leads a group across [[France]] to [[Vendôme]]. Attracting a following of over 30,000 adults and children. After arriving in [[Marseille]] the vast majority return home to their families.
* [[December 9]] &ndash; The 18-year-old [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] is crowned [[King of the Germans]] at [[Mainz]]. Frederick's authority in [[Kingdom of Germany|Germany]] remains tenuous, and he is recognized only in southern Germany. In the region of northern Germany, the center of [[Guelphs and Ghibellines|Guelph]] power, his rival [[Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto IV]] continues to hold the imperial power despite his excommunication.<ref>Toch, Michael (1999). "Welffs, Hohenstaufen and Habsburgs". In Abulafia, David; McKitterick, Rosamond (eds.). ''The New Cambridge Medieval History: c. 1198– c. 1300''. Cambridge University Press. p. 381.</ref>
* The [[Teutonic Order]] builds [[Bran Castle]] in the [[Burzenland]] (modern [[Romania]]) as a fortified position at the entrance of a mountain pass through which traders can travel. The Teutonic Knights build another five castles, some of them made of stone. Their rapid expansion in [[Kingdom of Hungary (1000–1301)|Hungary]] makes the nobility and clergy, who are previously uninterested in those regions, jealous and suspicious.
* A storm surge in the north of Holland claims approximately 60,000 lives.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

==== Asia ====
* Autumn &ndash; [[Genghis Khan]] invades Jin territory and besieges [[Datong]]. During the assault, he is wounded by an arrow in his knee and orders a withdrawal for rest and relaxation.<ref>Man, John (2011). ''Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Resurrection'', p. 166. {{ISBN|978-0-553-81498-9}}.</ref>

=== By topic ===

==== Literature ====
* [[Kamo no Chōmei]], a Japanese poet and [[essay]]ist, writes the ''[[Hōjōki]]'', one of the great works of classical Japanese prose.

==== Religion ====
* The [[Enclosed religious orders|contemplative Order]] of [[Poor Clares]] is founded by [[Clare of Assisi]] (approximate date).
* The [[Papal Interdict of 1208]] laid on [[Kingdom of England|England]] and [[Wales]] by Innocent III remains in force.