Editing 1209 (section)

==== Europe ====
* [[May]] &ndash; The [[Parliament of Ravennika (1209)|First Parliament of Ravennika]], convened by Emperor [[Henry of Flanders]], is held in the town of [[Ravennika]] in [[Greece]], in an attempt to resolve the rebellion of the [[Lombardy|Lombard]] nobles of the [[Kingdom of Thessalonica]]. Henry pardons Lord [[Amédée Pofey]] (or Buffois), and reinvests with his fief, while the other nobles persist in their rebellion and keep to their castles. After receiving imperial recognition, [[Geoffrey I of Villehardouin]] becomes Henry's vassal, thereby subordinating [[Principality of Achaea|Achaea]] directly to [[Constantinople]].<ref>Wolf, Robert Lee; Hazard, Harry W. (1969). ''The Latin Empire of Constantinople, 1204–1261'', pp. 207–208.</ref>
* [[June]] &ndash; [[Treaty of Sapienza]]: The [[Republic of Venice]] recognizes the possession of the [[Peloponnese]] by Geoffrey I of Villehardouin and keeps only the fortresses of [[Methoni, Messenia|Modon]] and [[Koroni|Coron]]. Venice also acquires an exemption of her merchants from all tariffs, and the right to establish "a church, a market and a court" in every city of Achaea.<ref>Setton, Kenneth M. (1976). ''The Papacy and the Levant (1204–1571), Volume I: The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries'', p. 34. {{ISBN|0-87169-114-0}}.</ref>
* [[July 22]] &ndash; [[Massacre at Béziers]]: The Crusader army, led by [[Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester|Simon de Monfort]], arrives in the [[Languedoc]] area, and makes camp at [[Béziers]], to start a siege. The citizens, believing that their city walls are impregnable, harass the Crusaders, by sending a group of soldiers (supported by armed civilians) to launch a sortie against their camp. When they are forced to retreat, the Crusaders storm the walls (which are not properly manned) and enter the gate, sacking and killing some 20,000 [[Catharism|Cathars]] and [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] alike.<ref>Tyerman, Christopher (2006). ''God's War: A New History of the Crusades'', p. 591. {{ISBN|9780674023871}}.</ref>
* [[August 15]] &ndash; Simon de Montfort takes [[Carcassonne]], after negotiating the city's surrender with [[Raymond Roger Trencavel]] (or Raimond), viscount of Béziers and [[Albi]], who is imprisoned and dies in mysterious circumstances 3 months later in his own dungeon. The Cathars are allowed to leave and expelled with nothing more than their clothes.