Editing 1221

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|1221}}
{{Year nav|1221}}
{{C13 year in topic}}
[[File:Jalal al-Din Khwarazm-Shah crossing the rapid Indus river, escaping Chinggis Khan and his army.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Jalal al-Din Mangburni]] (left) crosses the [[Indus River]] and escapes [[Genghis Khan]].]]
Year '''1221''' ('''[[Roman numerals|MCCXXI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Friday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[November]] &ndash; Emperor [[Theodore I Laskaris]] dies after a 16-year reign and is succeeded by his son-in-law [[John III Doukas Vatatzes]]. John fends off Theodore's brothers, who believe that they have the better claim for the throne of the [[Empire of Nicaea]]. In December, he becomes the sole ruler, and during his reign, the Empire becomes the most powerful of the Byzantine successor states and the frontrunner in the race to recover [[Constantinople]] from the [[Latin Empire]].<ref>George Akropolites (2007). ''The History'', p. 160. Trans. [[Ruth Macrides]]. New York: Oxford University Press.</ref> John also cultivates a close relationship with [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor]], and negotiates with [[Pope Honorius III]] about the possibility of reuniting the Church.

==== Fifth Crusade ====
* [[June]] &ndash; Sultan [[Al-Kamil]] again offers peace terms to Cardinal [[Pelagio Galvani|Pelagius]] with the cession of [[Jerusalem]] and all [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] apart from [[Oultrejordain]], together with a 30 years' truce and money compensation for the dismantling of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, a German contingent under [[Louis I, Duke of Bavaria|Louis I of Bavaria]] arrives at [[Damietta]], with orders from Frederick II not to launch an attack on [[Cairo]] until the emperor's arrival. Louis and Pelagius decide to advance into [[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]] towards [[Mansoura, Egypt|Mansoura]], where Al-Kamil has built a fortress to protect Cairo. The Crusaders assemble their armies and tents are set up just up the [[Nile]], on [[June 29]].<ref>[[Steven Runciman]] (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', p. 140. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[July 4]] &ndash; Pelagius orders a three-days fast in preparation for the advance. King [[John of Brienne|John I of Jerusalem]] arrives at Damietta to rejoin the Crusade at the command of Honorius III. The Crusader force moves towards [[Sheremsah]], halfway between [[Faraskur]] and Mansoura on the east bank of the Nile, occupying the city on [[July 12]]. Sources tell of 630 ships of various sizes, 5,000 knights, 4,000 archers, and 40,000 men. A horde of pilgrims march with the army. They are ordered to keep close to the river, to supply the Crusaders with water. Pelagius plans a new offensive and leaves a large garrison at Damietta.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', pp. 140–141. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[July 24]] &ndash; Pelagius moves the Crusader forces near [[Ashmun al-Rumman]], on the opposite bank from Mansoura. Queen-Regent [[Alice of Champagne|Alice of Cyprus]] and leaders of the military orders warn Pelagius of a large Muslim army being formed in [[Syria]]. Meanwhile, the Egyptian army under Al-Kamil crosses the Nile near [[Lake Manzaleh]] and establishes themselves between the Crusader camp and Damietta. In the Ushmum canal at Sheremsah, Al-Kamil's ships sail down the Nile and block the Crusaders' line of communications to Damietta. In August, Pelagius orders a retreat, but the route is cut off by Egyptians.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', p. 141. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[August 26]]–[[August 28|28]] &ndash; [[Battle of Mansurah (1221)|Battle of Mansoura]]: The Crusader army led by Pelagius and John I of Jerusalem is defeated by the Egyptian forces at Mansoura. John and the military orders fight a last stand on the river banks of the Nile. He beats off a Nubian assault (supported by elite Turkish cavalry) and drives them back, but only after thousands of soldiers have perished. The remaining Crusaders are surrounded by Al-Kamil's forces and begin a desperate retreat to Damietta. The city is well-garrisoned and supplied with arms; a naval squadron under [[Henry, Count of Malta]] ("Enrico Pescatore") defends the harbour against the Egyptians.<ref>Maalouf, Amin (2006). ''The Crusades through Arab Eyes'', pp. 225–226. Saqi Books. {{ISBN|978-0-863-56023-1}}.</ref> The Crusaders retreat under cover of darkness. Many of the soldiers cannot bear to abandon their stores of wine, and drink them all rather than leave them. The [[Teutonic Order|Teutonic Knights]] set fire to the stores that they cannot carry, thus informing the Egyptians that they are abandoning their positions. In the meantime, Al-Kamil orders opening of the sluices along the right bank of the Nile, flooding the area. Pelagius on his ship is carried by the floodwaters past the blockading Egyptian fleet. Other ships, carrying the medical supplies of the army and much of its food, escape, but many are captured.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', pp. 141–142. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[August 28]] &ndash; Pelagius sues for peace and sends an envoy to Al-Kamil. The terms of surrender are accepted, which includes the retreat from Damietta – leaving Egypt with the remnants of the Crusader army and an 8-year truce. After prisoners are exchanged, Al-Kamil enters Damietta on [[September 8]]. The [[Fifth Crusade]] ends with nothing gained for the West, with much lost, men, resources and reputations. The Crusaders blame Frederick II for not being there. Pelagius is accused of ineffectual leadership and a misguided view, which has led to rejecting the sultan's peace offerings.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', pp. 142–143. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>

==== Mongol Empire ====
* Spring &ndash; [[Genghis Khan]] orders an armed reconnaissance expedition into the [[Caucasus]] (consisting of [[Kingdom of Georgia|Georgia]] and [[Armenia]]) under the command of [[Subutai]] and [[Jebe]] ("the Arrow"). The Mongols defeat two Georgian armies around [[Tbilisi]], but lack the will or equipment to besiege the capital city. During the fighting, King [[George IV of Georgia]] himself is severely wounded and his elite knights are massacred. Meanwhile in [[Siege of Bamyan|Bamyan]], the ruler [[Genghis Khan]] leads a Mongol force that besieges and captures the fortified city after fierce resistance; during the fighting, his grandson [[Mutukan]] is killed, prompting a brutal massacre of the city’s defenders. The Mongols then return to [[Azerbaijan]] and [[Iran|Persia]], and burn and pillage a few more cities.<ref name=RuncimanIII207/>
* February &ndash; The cities of [[Merv]] (perhaps the world's largest up to this date), [[Herat]] and [[Nishapur]] which have peacefully surrendered rise up in arms. Genghis Khan sends his son [[Tolui]] to spend an extra month to subdue the revolts. Contemporary scholars report over a million people are systematically killed in a [[genocide]].<ref name=RuncimanIII205/>
* September &ndash; [[Battle of Parwan]]: Sultan [[Jalal al-Din Mangburni]] recruits an army of Turkic and Afghan warriors numbering some 60,000 men. As soon as news of this reaches Genghis Khan he sends a Mongol army of 30,000 men, led by his stepbrother [[Shikhikhutug]]. Meanwhile, Jalal al-Din moves to [[Parwan Province|Parwan]] (modern [[Afghanistan]]), where the two armies meet in a narrow valley. Jalal al-Din takes the initiative, ordering his right-wing of Turks to dismount and engage in a skirmish. On the third day, the Mongols are finally defeated by the Khwarezmian forces and are forced to retreat. Shikhikhutug is driven off in defeat, losing over half his army.<ref>Tanner, Stephen (2009). ''Afghanistan - A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War against the Taliban'', p. 94. Da Capo Press.</ref>
* October &ndash; The Mongol army raids Georgia for the second time, and Subutai and Jebe allow their forces to pass through the [[Caucasus Mountains]].<ref name=RuncimanIII207>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', p. 207. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[November 24]]  &ndash; [[Battle of the Indus]]: Left with some 20,000 men, Jalal al-Din Mangburni has headed for the [[Indus River]] where Genghis catches up with him. In a desperate battle the Khwarezmain forces are destroyed, completing the [[Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire]], while Jalal al-Din flees across the river and escapes into [[India]].<ref name=RuncimanIII205>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', pp. 205–206. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>

==== Europe ====
* [[June 16]] &ndash; The Jewish population of [[Erfurt]] ([[Duchy of Thuringia]]) is massacred after a [[Blood libel|ritual murder libel]]. A crowd storms the synagogue where the Jews have gathered with the threat of [[baptism]] or death. The Jewish quarter, including the synagogue, is razed: many Jews are tortured and killed. 
* [[Siege of Tallinn]]: An Estonian Crusader army tries to conquer the Danish stronghold of [[Tallinn]] with the help of [[Revala|Revalians]], [[Harjumaa (ancient county)|Harrians]] and [[Virumaa|Vironians]]. They besiege the stronghold for 14 days but finally retreat their forces.

==== Britain ====
* [[June 21]] &ndash; 10-year-old [[Joan of England, Queen of Scotland|Joan of England]], eldest daughter of the late [[John, King of England|King John]], marries the 21-year-old King [[Alexander II of Scotland]] at [[York Minster]].<ref>Agnes Mure MacKenzie (1957). ''The Foundations of Scotland'', p. 251.</ref>

==== Asia ====
* [[May 13]] &ndash; [[Emperor Juntoku]] is forced to abdicate, and is briefly succeeded by his 2-year-old son [[Emperor Chūkyō|Chūkyō]] on the throne of [[Japan]]. Ex-Emperor [[Emperor Go-Toba|Go-Toba]] leads the unsuccessful [[Jōkyū War]] against the [[Kamakura shogunate]].
* [[July 29]] &ndash; The 9-year-old [[Emperor Go-Horikawa|Go-Horikawa]] ascends to the [[Chrysanthemum Throne]] at the [[Kyoto Imperial Palace]] in Japan. He is a grandson of the late Emperor [[Emperor Takakura|Takakura]] and a nephew of the exiled Go-Toba.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Perkins|first1=George W.|title=The Clear Mirror: A Chronicle of the Japanese Court During the Kamakura Period (1185-1333)|publisher=Stanford University Press|isbn=0804763887|page=59|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c8rKCOSmKEMC&q=Emperor+Go-Horikawa+1221&pg=PA59|chapter=Mourning Attire|date=August 1998}}</ref>

==== Mesoamerica ====
* The [[Maya peoples|Maya]] of the [[Yucatán region|Yucatán]] revolt against the rulers of [[Chichen Itza]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Richard Bodley Scott|author2=Graham Briggs|author3=Rudy Scott Nelson|title=Blood and Gold: The Americas at War|date=2009|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1846036910|page=35|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WsY3rtoy8KoC&q=Chichen+Itza+revolt+1221&pg=PA35|access-date=December 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227215302/https://books.google.ca/books?id=WsY3rtoy8KoC&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=Chichen+Itza+revolt+1221&source=bl&ots=4z9kwdYItx&sig=oWKAhMg8_8XLT2GEmYO0Cj7g5mw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=5QufVPu-O46fyASB1oGYAw&ved=0CEkQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Chichen%20Itza%20revolt%201221&f=false#v=onepage&q=Chichen%20Itza%20revolt%201221&f=false|archive-date=December 27, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Bancroft|first1=Hubert Howe|title=The native races. 1882-86|date=1883|publisher=History Company|location=British Columbia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=23V0AAAAMAAJ&q=Chichen+Itza+revolt+1221&pg=PA631}}</ref></onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[May 13]] &ndash; [[Alexander Nevsky]], Kievan Grand Prince (d. [[1263]])<ref name="rozhdenia">{{cite journal |url= http://www.maxknow.ru/images/upload/articles45/1160.htm |script-title= ru:О дате рождения Александра Невского |trans-title= About the Birthdate of Alexander Nevsky |journal= Вопросы истории [Questions of History] |author= V.A. Kuchkin |date= 1986 |issue= 2 |pages= 174–176 |language= ru |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222201904/http://www.maxknow.ru/images/upload/articles45/1160.htm |archive-date=22 February 2015}}</ref>
* [[June 4]] &ndash; [[Przemysł I of Greater Poland|Przemysł I]], Polish [[Nobility|nobleman]] and knight (d. [[1257]])
* [[October 9]] &ndash; [[Salimbene di Adam]], Italian chronicler (d. [[1290]])<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rayborn|first1=Tim|title=Against the Friars: Antifraternalism in Medieval France and England|date=9 October 2014|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0786468317|page=17|chapter=Popular Religion, Heresy and Mendicancy}}</ref>
* [[November 2]] &ndash; [[Qutuz|Saif al-Din Qutuz]], Egyptian military leader (d. [[1260]])
* [[November 23]] &ndash; [[Alfonso X of Castile|Alfonso X]] ("the Wise"), king of [[Kingdom of Castile|Castile]] (d. [[1284]])<ref>{{cite book|author1=Francisco Márquez Villanueva|author2=Carlos Alberto Vega|title=Alfonso X of Castile, the learned king, 1221-1284: an international symposium, Harvard University, 17 November 1984|date=1990|publisher=Dept. of Romance Languages and Literatures of Harvard University|isbn=0940940434|pages=165}}</ref>
* [[Barisone III of Torres|Barisone III]], Sardinian judge of [[Judge of Logudoro|Logudoro]] (or Torres) (d. [[1236]])
* [[Bonaventure]], Italian theologian and philosopher (d. [[1274]])<ref name=walsh>{{cite book |editor=M. Walsh|title=Butler's Lives of the Saints|url=https://archive.org/details/butlerslivesofsa00butl|url-access=registration|location=New York|publisher=HarperCollins|year=1991|page=[https://archive.org/details/butlerslivesofsa00butl/page/216 216]|isbn=9780060692995 }}</ref>
* [[Hugh XI of Lusignan]], French nobleman and knight (d. [[1250]])
* [[Margaret of Provence]], queen consort of [[France in the Middle Ages|France]] (d. [[1295]])
* [[Nisshō]], Japanese [[Buddhism in Japan|Buddhist]] priest and teacher (d. [[1323]])
* [[Theobald II, Count of Bar]], French nobleman and knight (d. [[1291]])
* [[Walter Devereux of Bodenham and Bromwich|Walter Devereux]], Anglo-Norman nobleman and knight (d. [[1292]])
* [[William Mauduit, 8th Earl of Warwick]], English nobleman and knight (d. [[1268]])

== Deaths ==
* [[January 17]] &ndash; [[Walter de Clifford (died 1221)|Walter de Clifford]], English nobleman (b. [[1160]])
* [[February 18]] &ndash; [[Theodoric I, Margrave of Meissen]] (b. [[1162]])
* [[March 26]] &ndash; [[Raoul de Neuville]], French bishop and diplomat
* [[March 27]] &ndash; [[Berengaria of Portugal]], queen consort of [[Denmark]] (b. [[1198]])
* [[April 25]] &ndash; [[Baruch ben Samuel]] of Mainz, German [[rabbi]]
* [[Spring (season)|Spring]] &ndash; [[Mutukan]] commander of [[Mongol Empire]]
* [[July 7]] &ndash; [[Peter of Cornwall]], English priest and writer (b. [[1140]])
* [[August 6]] &ndash; [[Saint Dominic|Dominic]], founder of the [[Dominican Order]], canonized (b. [[1170]])<ref>{{cite book|last1=Perkins|first1=Charles Callahan|title=Tuscan sculptors: their lives, works and times, Volume 1|date=1864|publisher=Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green|page=[https://archive.org/details/tuscansculptors04perkgoog/page/n87 19]|url=https://archive.org/details/tuscansculptors04perkgoog|quote=Saint Dominic 1221 August 6.|chapter=The Arca Di S. Domenico.}}</ref>
* [[September 15]] &ndash; [[Geoffrey of Rohan]], French nobleman (b. [[1190]])
* [[October 4]] &ndash; [[William IV, Count of Ponthieu]] (Talvas), Norman nobleman (b. [[1179]])
* [[October 21]] &ndash; [[Alix, Duchess of Brittany]] (or Alis), Breton noblewoman (b. [[1200]])
* [[October 31]] &ndash; [[Ulrich II (bishop of Passau)|Ulrich II]], Bishop of Passau, German [[abbot]] and prince-bishop
* November &ndash; [[Theodore I Laskaris]], emperor of [[Empire of Nicaea|Nicaea]] (b. [[1175]])
* December &ndash; [[Roger (archbishop of Benevento)|Roger of San Severino]], archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Benevento|Benevento]]
* [[Adam of Perseigne]], French [[Cistercians|Cistercian]] abbot (b. [[1145]])
* [[Albertet de Sestaro]], French jongleur and [[troubadour]]
* [[Asukai Masatsune]], Japanese ''[[Waka (poetry)|waka]]'' poet and writer
* [[Lalibela (Emperor of Ethiopia)|Lalibela]] (Gebre Meskel), ruler of the [[Ethiopian Empire]] (b. 1162)
* [[Gruffydd Fychan ap Iorwerth]], Welsh knight (b. [[1150]])
* [[Hassan III of Alamut]], ruler of the [[Nizari Ismaili state|Nizari Ismaili State]] (b. [[1187]])
* [[Henry I of Rodez]], French nobleman and troubadour
* [[John of Tynemouth (canon lawyer)|John of Tynemouth]], English priest, archdeacon and lawyer
* [[Najmuddin Kubra]], Khwarezmian philosopher (b. [[1145]])
* [[Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk]], English nobleman and knight (b. [[1144]])
* [[Walter de Lindsay of Lamberton]], Scottish nobleman and knight

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1221}}
[[Category:1221| ]]