Editing 1196 (section)

==== Europe ====
* Spring &ndash; Henry VI persuades a diet at [[Würzburg]]. He manages to convince the majority of the German nobles and clergy to recognize his 2-year-old son, [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]], as king of the Romans and heir to the imperial throne. However, Archbishop [[Adolf of Altena|Adolf of Cologne]] thwarts the will of the diet and arouses the resistance of several [[Duchy of Saxony|Saxon]] and [[Duchy of Thuringia|Thuringian]] nobles against Henry, who realizes that he is unable to establish a hereditary monarchy (see [[Erbreichsplan]]) in the [[Holy Roman Empire]] without resistance.<ref>Hampe, Karl (1973). ''Germany under the Salian and Hohenstaufen Emperors'', p. 226. Trans: Bennett, Ralph. Oxford: Blackwell. {{ISBN|0-631-14180-4}}.</ref>
* [[April 23]] &ndash; [[Béla III of Hungary|Béla III]] dies after a 23-year reign in which he has supported the former Byzantine emperor [[Isaac II Angelos|Isaac II]] ('''Angelos''') against the invading Bulgarians. Having made the Hungarian court one of the most brilliant in [[Europe]] and made his hereditary monarchy. Béla is succeeded by his 22-year-old son [[Emeric, King of Hungary|Emeric]] as ruler of [[Kingdom of Hungary|Hungary]], [[Croatia in personal union with Hungary|Croatia]] and [[Dalmatia]] (until [[1204]]).
* [[April 25]] &ndash; King [[Alfonso II of Aragon|Alfonso II]] ('''the Chaste''') dies after a 32-year reign at [[Perpignan]]. He leaves a will that divides his realm ([[kingdom of Aragon|Aragon]] loses [[Provence]]) and is succeeded by his 21-year-old son [[Peter II of Aragon|Peter II]] ('''the Catholic''').
* [[Battle of Serres]]: Bulgarian forces under Tsar [[Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria|Ivan Asen I]] defeat the Byzantine army near [[Serres]]. During the winter Ivan continues his campaign in [[Central Macedonia]] and captures many Byzantine fortresses.
* Ivan Asen I is stabbed to death by [[Ivanko (Bulgarian boyar)|Ivanko]], a Bulgarian [[boyar]] (aristocrat), who is accused of having an affair with Ivan's wife's sister. He is succeeded by his brother [[Kaloyan of Bulgaria|Kaloyan]] as co-ruler of the [[Second Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]].