Renowned medieval French philosopher, Pierre Abélard, died on April 21, 1142. He spent his final days under the protection of Peter the Venerable at Cluny, after facing condemnation for his teachings. He is recognized as one of the great thinkers of the 12th century.
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What Happened in April?
Sieges, raids, and monumental deaths. Discover key historical events from April that influenced the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Construction of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral in France, began sometime, between March 24 and April, 25, 1163, with the laying of the foundation stone by Pope Alexander III in the presence of King Louis VII. The Cathedral was formally completed 200 years later in 1345.
The project was initiated by Maurice de Sully, the Bishop of Paris, who envisioned a grand cathedral in the new Gothic style to replace the then existing Saint-Étienne Cathedral.
Saladin became the de facto ruler (emir) of Egypt on c. April 23, 1169, after the death of his uncle Shirkuh's. He officially abolished the Shi'ite Fatimid Caliphate in 1171 and established the Sunni Ayyubid Dynasty. He subsequently expanded his rule to Syria, being proclaimed Sultan of Egypt and Syria on 1175, as he unified the Muslim forces against the Crusader states.
The Treaty of Łęczyca, in medieval Poland, is signed, c. April 25, 1185, bringing a pause in the power struggles between Casimir II the Just and his older brother, Mieszko III the Old. As part of the treaty, Mieszko III acknowledged Casimir's rule over Kraków (the Seniorate), while Casimir recognized Mieszko's status as a senior prince. The resulting peace, was often unstable.
Emperor Henry VI is crowned Holy Roman Emperor on April 15, 1191, by Pope Celestine III on April 15, 1191, alongside his wife Constance of Sicily.in Rome.
Alfonso II of Aragon, the first king of the Crown of Aragon and Count of Barcelona, dies on April 25, 1196 in Perpignan (modern-day France). He was succeeded by his son, Peter II of Aragon (also known as Pedro II or Peter the Catholic).
King Richard I (the Lionheart) dies on April 6, 1199, at age 41, shortly after being wounded while besieging the castle of Châlus-Chabrol in France. His brother, John, becomes King of England with his coronation taking place on May 27, 1199. John, was King of England until his death in 1216.
During the Fourth Crusade, crusaders launch a second, successful assault on Constantinople. They sack the city, looting its wealth and treasures and dividing the Byzantine Empire between themselves and the Venetians.
The city of Constantinople falls to the Crusaders on April 12, 1204 during the Fourth Crusade, second siege. The city was sacked for three days as the crusaders loot holy relics, destroyed ancient artwork, and committed widespread violence during their brutal attack.
The Crusaders established the Latin Empire (1204–1261), which splintered the Byzantine state into smaller successor states. But the brutality and cruelty of the attack fueled the the permanent The Byzantines recovered the city in 1261 but the empire was never able to regain its former strength and it eventually fell to the Ottoman Empire on May 29, 1453, when Sultan Mehmed II's forces captured Constantinople after a lengthy siege, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire and the city becoming Istanbul, the new Ottoman capital.
Pope Innocent III excommunicates Count Raymond VI of Toulouse c. April, 1208, due to the Count's failure to suppress the Cathar heresy.
Pope Innocent III actually excommunicated Count Raymond VI of Toulouse multiple times for his failure to suppress the Cathar heresy and his alleged involvement in the murder of a papal legate,
The Treaty of Meaux - Paris was signed on April 12, 1229, between Raymond VII of Toulouse and Louis IX of France (Saint Louis), formally ending the Albigensian Crusade and bringing the region under French control finalizing a process of centralization and marking a crucial step towards modern France's borders.
The Battle of Liegnitz (Legnica) takes place on April 9, 1241, during the Mongol invasion of Europe, where a combined Polish-German force is defeated by the Mongols.The battle took place two days before the Mongol victory over the Hungarians at the much larger Battle of Mohi. More
King Louis IX of France was captured on April 6, 1250 by the Egyptian Mamluk forces at the Battle of Fariskur during the Seventh Crusade. He was ransomed in May 6, 1250 for a staggering sum of money and the surrender of the port city of Damietta.
He was released on May 6, 1250, along with 12,000 Christian war prisoners were released alongside him. He then left for Acre and stayed in the Holyland for four years and returned to France in 1254 to reign. He died later on a subsequent Crusade in 1270.
King Louis IX of France was captured by Egyptian forces on April 6, 1250, after being defeated during the seventh Crusade Battle of Fariskurin in a decisive victory by the Ayyubid forces. Louis IX was ransomed and later succumbed to dysentery on August 25, 1270 during the Eighth Crusade. His son, Philip III, succeeded him.
The English capture the town of Dunbar in Scotland on April 27, 1296 during the Second War of Scottish Independence, after the English forces under John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, crushed King John Balliol's Scottish army, capturing the castle's the next day and beginning English occupation.
St. Louis IX of France is canonized as a saint by Pope Boniface VIII on August 11, 1297, following a detailed papal inquest, only 27 years after his death during the Eighth Crusade in Tunis in 1270. He was known for his deep personal piety, dedication to the poor and his sense of justice.
He is known for commissioning the building the Sainte-Chapelle, to house the Crown of Thorns and for establishing the Sorbonne university. He is the patron saint of France, the Secular Franciscan Order, barbers, and groomers. His canonical feast day is celebrated annually on August 25, the anniversary of his death.
The Declaration of Arbroath, a Scottish declaration of independence, is sent to Pope John XXII, on April 6, 1320, asserting Scotland's sovereignty and independence from England
The letter, written in Latin, asked the Pope to recognize Robert the Bruce as the rightful king and to use his influence to persuade England to make peace, while also emphasizing Scotland's long history of freedom. The request did not lead to the Pope recognizing Robert as King of Scots, and the following year the Pope was persuaded by the English to take their side, issuing six bulls in support of the English. More
King Casimir III of Poland is crowned on April 25, 1333,. He focused on strengthening the kingdom through domestic reforms, legal codification, economic growth, and peaceful diplomacy. Poland was a major European power by his death in 1370.
Francesco Petrarca, commonly known as Petrarch, is crowned poet laureate on April 8, 1341 on Rome’s Capitoline Hill, marking the revival of the ancient Roman tradition.
c. 1347, April 9
William of Ockham, the influential Roman Catholic, Franciscan philosopher and theologian known for "Ockham's razor," died in Munich, Bavaria, circa April 9, 1347, likely due to the plague. He was in exile under the protection of Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV after fleeing papal custody in Avignon.