Editing 1240 (section)

== Events ==
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=== By place ===

==== Europe ====
* [[May 24]] &ndash; Duke [[Skule Bårdsson]], claimant to the Norwegian throne, is defeated by King [[Haakon IV of Norway|Haakon IV]] ('''the Old''') and his supporters. He seeks refuge in [[Helgeseter Priory|Elgeseter Priory]] in [[Trondheim]], and Haakon burns down the monastery, in which Skule is burned alive. Haakon becomes the undisputed ruler; this ends the [[civil war era in Norway]], after 110 years.
* [[July 15]] &ndash; [[Battle of the Neva]]:  A Swedish army under Bishop [[Thomas (bishop of Finland)|Thomas]] sails up the [[Gulf of Finland]] in their longboats. They proceed into the [[Neva|Neva River]] with the aim of seizing control over [[Lake Ladoga]] and from there, striking at the city of [[Veliky Novgorod|Novgorod]]. Prince [[Alexander Nevsky|Alexander]] rallies his ''[[druzhina]]'' comparable to the 'household' of western European countries, and decisively routs the Swedish forces, saving the [[Novgorod Republic]] from a full-scale enemy invasion from the North. As a result, Alexander wins his first military victory at the age of 19 and receives the title of '''Nevsky'''.<ref>[[David Nicolle]] (2005). Osprey: ''Lake Peipus 1242 – Battle on the Ice'', pp. 51–53. {{ISBN|1-85532-553-5}}.</ref>
* [[August]] &ndash; [[Siege of Faenza]]: Frederick II lays siege to the town of [[Faenza]] during the war of the [[Guelphs and Ghibellines]]. Meanwhile, Frederick makes an alliance with [[Republic of Pisa|Pisa]] to support his campaign against the [[Papal States]].
* Winter &ndash; Alexander Nevsky quarrels with the Kievan nobles (''[[boyar]]s'') and merchants of Novgorod, probably about peaceful trade with the westerners. He is banished, along with his mother, wife, and his ''druzhina'' to take up residence in the region around [[Moscow]], a minor town on the western border of the [[Vladimir-Suzdal|Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal]].<ref>David Nicolle (2005). Osprey: ''Lake Peipus 1242 – Battle on the Ice'', p. 53. {{ISBN|1-85532-553-5}}.</ref>
* [[Reconquista]]: King [[Sancho II of Portugal|Sancho II]] ('''the Pious''') conquers the city of [[Ayamonte]] from the [[Almoravid dynasty|Almoravids]], securing the Portuguese position in [[Al-Andalus]].<ref name=picard2000>{{cite book|last=Picard|first=Christophe|title=Le Portugal musulman (VIIIe-XIIIe siècle. L'Occident d'al-Andalus sous domination islamique|year=2000|publisher=Maisonneuve & Larose|location=Paris|isbn=2-7068-1398-9|page=110}}</ref>

==== Africa ====
* Summer &ndash; [[As-Salih Ayyub]] becomes ruler of [[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]], after deposing his half-brother [[Al-Adil II]]. Meanwhile, other members of the [[Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid Dynasty]] are conspiring to depose him and replace him with his uncle, [[As-Salih Ismail, Emir of Damascus|As-Salih Ismail]]. During his reign, As-Salih begins buying large numbers of [[Kipchaks|Kipchak]] slaves, to form an elite core in the Egyptian army, known as [[Mamluk]]s.<ref>Humphreys, R. Stephen (1977). ''From Saladin to the Mongols: The Ayyubids of Damascus, 1193–1260'', p. 268. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. {{ISBN|0-87395-263-4}}.</ref>

==== Levant ====
* [[October 10]] &ndash; [[Richard of Cornwall]], brother of King [[Henry III of England|Henry III]], arrives at [[Acre, Israel|Acre]] for a pilgrimage to [[Jerusalem]]. His pilgrimage has the approval of Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]], who is married to his younger sister, [[Isabella of England]], and gives him the task to make arrangements with the Military Orders. On his arrival, Richard travels to [[Ascalon]], where he is met by ambassadors from As-Salih Ayyub. As a negotiator, he is successful in the release of prisoners captured at [[Gaza City|Gaza]] (see [[1239]]), and he also assists with the building of the citadel in Ascalon.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', pp. 182–183. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>

==== Mongol Empire ====
* Winter &ndash; The Mongols under [[Batu Khan]] cross the frozen [[Dnieper|Dnieper River]] and [[Siege of Kiev (1240)|lay siege to the city of Kiev]]. On [[December 6]], the walls are rendered rubble by Chinese catapults and the Mongols pour into the city. Brutal hand-to-hand street fighting occurs, the Kievans are eventually forced to fall back to the central parts of the city. Many people take refuge in the [[Church of the Tithes|Church of the Blessed Virgin]]. As scores of terrified Kievans climb onto the Church's upper balcony to shield themselves from Mongol arrows, their collective weight strains its infrastructure, causing the roof to collapse and crush countless citizens under its weight. Of a total population of 50,000, all but 2,000 are massacred.<ref>Perfecky, George (1973). ''The Hypatian Codex'', pp. 43–49. Munich, Germany: Wilhelm Fink Publishing House.</ref>

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* [[June 12]] &ndash; The [[Disputation of Paris]] begins at the court of King [[Louis IX of France|Louis IX]] ('''the Saint'''), where four [[rabbi]]s defend the [[Talmud]] against [[Nicholas Donin]]'s accusations of [[blasphemy]].
* Pope [[Pope Gregory IX|Gregory IX]] authorizes a [[Crusades|Crusade]] against Novgorod, hoping that the [[Kievan Rus']] will be too preoccupied dealing with the raiding Mongols to the east to defend. 
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