The Seventh Crusade, led by King Louis IX of France, departs from France on August 25, 1248. with the objective to reconquer the Holy Land. The expedition was a failure for the crusaders ending in defeat in 1250 at the Battle of Mansourah, where King Louis IX was captured and later ransomed.
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What Happened in August?
Conquests, crusades, and victories. Explore pivotal historical events that took place in August. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The Byzantine Empire recaptures the city of Constantinople from the Latin Empire, marking the end of the Fourth Crusade.
King Louis IX of France dies from a plague in Tunis while leading the Eight Crusade which had as a goal the conquest of Tunis, then proceed to Egypt and march to the Holy Land. However, upon arrival in Tunisia it became clear that it was not going to be possible to conquer the Bey of Tunis.
The city was well prepared to withstand an invasion, with a newly repaired city wall and warriors from Morocco and the Crusaders were suffering for a lack of fresh water. More
The Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty of China successfully repels a second invasion attempt by the Japanese forces in the Battle of Kōan.
Swiss National Day - Alliance against the Holy Roman Empire in 1291.
The Siege of Acre ends, resulting in the fall of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the complete expulsion of European Christian forces from the Holy Land.
William Wallace, Scottish leader of the resistance against English rule, is captured by English forces near Glasgow. Wallace was betrayed by John Menteith, a Scottish knight loyal to Edward I, who handed him over to the English who took Wallace to London.
In London, Wallace was condemned as a traitor and executed on August 23, 1305. Menteith received large land grants in Knapdale and Kintyre for his service.
1314, August 23-24
The Battle of Bannockburn takes place, where Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce defeat the English army, securing Scottish independence.
The Battle of Monte Catini is fought on August 29, 1315, in the Val di Nievole in Italy, between the forces of Pisa, led by Uguccione della Faggiuola and the larger allied army of Florence and the Kingdom of Naples, where the Pisan forces achieved a decisive victory.
The Treaty of Leake is signed by King Edward II and his cousin, Thomas of Lancaster in Leake, Nottinghamshire. The agreement was a compromise to reconcile the king with Lancaster and his followers and to end the baronial conflict. The treaty reconfirmed the Ordinances of 1311 and granted a pardon to Lancaster and his supporters.
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The Battle of Crécy occurs during the Hundred Years' War, where the English army, led by Edward III, defeats the French forces under the command of but King Philip VI of France. was the commanding monarch of the losing French army.
King John of Bohemia, known as John the Blind, a loyal ally of France was a notable fatality on the French side. As the battle turned against the French, he insisted his knights tie their horses' reins to his so he could fulfill his wish to strike one blow with his sword; their bodies were discovered the next day still bound together.
The St. Mary Magdalene's flood devastates the Netherlands, England, and Germany, causing significant loss of life and destruction.
1363, Aug 30 - Oct 4
The naval Battle of Lake Poyang takes place between rival rebel leaders Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang who competed during the Red turban Rebellion to overthrow the Yuan dynasty and establish a new one. The battle resulted in Zhu destroying Chen's fleet and the death of Chen himself.
This was the last major battle of the rebellion which led to the fall of the Mongol Yuan dynasty and Zhu went on to defeat other contenders and captured the Yuan capital in 1368, establishing the Ming Dynasty as its first Hongwu Emperor from 1368 until his death in 1398. He was also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Ming, personal name Zhu Yuanzhang.
Portuguese forces, led by King John I and Nuno Álvares Pereira, with support from English longbow men, defeat the Castilians at the Battle of Aljubarrota on August 14, 1385.; ending the 1383–1385 Portuguese crisis and securing its independence from Castile.
The defeat of King John I of Castile prevented the annexation of Portugal and led to the signing of the Treaty of Windsor (1386) between Portugal and England, cementing a long-lasting alliance between the two countries.
The Grand Duke of Lithuania, Jogaila (Jagiełło), signs the Union of Krewo on August 14, 1385, agreeing to convert to Roman Catholicism, baptize his subjects, and marry Queen Jadwiga of Poland. Jogaila was baptized as Władysław II Jagiełło and crowned King of Poland in February 1386, creating the powerful Jagiellonian dynasty and initiating the Christianization of Lithuania.
King Richard II of England surrenders to his cousin Henry Bolingbroke at Flint Castle on August 19, 1399. Richard was forced to abdicate and Henry crowned himself King Henry IV, beginning the Lancastrian dynasty and ultimately leading to the Wars of the Roses. Richard was imprisoned in the Tower of London before his death in February 1400.
The University of St. Andrews in Scotland is chartered by a papal bull from Avignon Pope Benedict XIII.
King Henry V of England dies, and his infant son Henry VI, who was just nine months old, becomes the king, resulting in the minority rule and political instability in England. Shortly after, his maternal grandfather, Charles VI of France, also died, and Henry VI also became the titular King of France.
As he was too young to rule, his uncle, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was appointed Regent of England, while another uncle, John, Duke of Bedford, became the Regent of France to govern the ongoing war efforts. Henry VI was crowned King of England in 1429 and King of France in 1431. More
The Hongxi Emperor ascends to the throne of China becoming the fourth Ming Emperor on August 12, 1424, following the death of his father, the Yongle Emperor. He died the following year on May 29, 1425. He was succeeded by his 26-year-old son, Zhu Zhanji.
The Congress of Arras is convened on August 5, 1435 between representatives of England, France and Burgundy to negotiate peace during the Hundred Years' War. The Congress and the subsequent Treaty of Arras represented diplomatic failures for England and major successes for France , leading to the expulsion of the English from France.