Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV arrives at the fortress of Canossa, on January 25, 1077 beginning the famous Walk to Canossa to seek forgiveness from Pope Gregory VII after being excommunicated.
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What Happened in January?
Tragic deaths, ravaged cities, and great acts of heroism. Discover what happened this month in history and the defining moments that shaped the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The Crusaders besiege the city of Arqa, an important strategic point in Lebanon, during the First Crusade. The siege ended with the Crusaders failing to capture Arqa. They then continued their march along the coast towards Jerusalem.
Henry I of England's daughter, Matilda (Maud), marries Holy Roman Emperor Henry V on January 7, 1114, strengthening Anglo-German relations. The marriage took place in Worms, Germany, when she was 12 years old.
Pope Gelasius II succeeds Pope Paschal II as the 161st pope.
The Council of Troyes, meets on January 13, 1129 and grants official sanction from the papacy to the Templar Order (Knights Templar) officially recognizing the military order as an "army of God". The order had been founded in 1119 by some French noblemen.
The Council of Troyes was convened by Bernard of Clairvaux, acting as a Legate of Pope Honorius II, The order and the rules were subsequently approved by Pope Honorius II. The Templar Order gradually increase it size, power, gaining considerable influence. It was eventually abolished by Pope Clement V who disbanded the order in 1312. More
King Stephen of England and Empress Matilda sign the Treaty of Wallingford, recognizing Stephen as king while allowing Matilda's son to inherit the throne.
Lotario dei Conti di Segni is elected Pope Innocent III on January 8, 1198, He was elected at age 37, shortly after the death of Pope Celestine III at the age of 37 and became one of the most influential popes of the Middle Ages. His papacy is considered by many historians to be the peak of medieval papal power.
The Fourth Crusade, in route to Jerusalem, enters into an agreement with the Byzantine prince Alexios Angelos on January 21, 1203, to divert their main force to Constantinople to restore his deposed father, Isaac II Angelos, as emperor.
Both promising to add his support to their invasion of Jerusalem and pay their debts to the Venetians for their fleet. On June, 23 1203, the main Crusader army reached Constantinople, starting their siege on July 17, 1203.
1254, c. January 18
The Cortes of Leiria in Portugal is convened by King Afonso III to address various issues in the kingdom. It was the first Portuguese assembly to broadened representation and include representatives (burghers) from the municipalities, alongside the nobles and clergy, to discuss taxes and trade laws, establishing an important precedent for royal power and consent.
Afonso III used this assembly to gain support for his policies, including taxing the burghers and challenging Rome, marking a shift in Portuguese governance.
Michael VIII Palaiologos was proclaimed co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire on January 1, 1259 through a coup, becoming the senior co-ruler to the young John IV Laskaris. He later became the sole emperor in 1261 after overthrowing and blinding John IV.
He went on to the restoration of the Byzantine Empire after the fall of Constantinople in 1204. This event established the last ruling dynasty of the empire, the Palaiologan dynasty which ruled for nearly two centuries until the empire's fall in 1453.
Simon de Montfort summons the first English Parliament on January 20, 1265 to include knights from counties and burgesses (representatives from towns) alongside nobles and clergy. The action was a way to consolidate power after capturing King Henry III, and his heir, Prince Edward, at the Battle of Lewes.
Although Montfort rule did not last long, his concept of a more representative Parliament known as Simon de Montfort's Parliament, set an important precedent for future parliaments. Henry III's son and successor, Edward I, adopted the practice of including knights and burgesses in parliament, which became standard procedure by the end of the 13th century.
The Principality of Wales becomes united with England following Edward I issuance of the Statute of Rhuddlan following his conquest of Wales. The statue was the first major step on the path to full integration which came which came about with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542.
The Statue established a new constitutional framework that annexed the conquered territories to the English Crown, introducing English common law and the shire system, and effectively ending Welsh independence, although full legal integration into England didn't occur until the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 when Wales was fully incorporated into the Kingdom of England, creating the unified realm existing today.
François Grimaldi, known as "Malizia" (the Cunning), captures the fortress of Monaco on January 8, 1297, by gaining entry by deception disguised as a Franciscan monk and establishing the Grimaldi family's rule.
This event marked the beginning of the Grimaldi dynasty's claim to Monaco and is commemorated on the country's coat of arms, which features two monks brandishing swords. François Grimaldi only held Monaco for four years when he was expelled by the Genoese. It was his cousin Rainier I, and later Rainier's descendants, who solidified the Grimaldi family's long-term rule over Monaco, which continues to this day.
Scottish forces under William Wallace achieve victory against English troops at the Battle of Scone Moor.
The city of Pamplona in Spain becomes a part of the Kingdom of Navarre.
Serbian King Stefan Milutin conquers the city of Skopje from the Byzantine Empire.
The Mamluks capture the city of Jaffa, ending Crusader control in the Holy Land.
Andrew III of Hungary dies, leading to succession disputes and internal conflicts in Hungary.
Dante Alighieri is accused of corruption in political office, like others from the White Guelphs political party. who supported independence for the city-state and were not aligned with the Pope.
Dante's sentence was a hefty fine, banishment for two years from Florence and permanent exclusion from public office. Dante refused any pardon that required him to admit guilt against the city he loved and later that year, he was banned for life and threatened with execution if he returned. While in exile, he wrote his best-known epic poem, "The Divine Comedy". The poet never returned to Florence and died of malaria 20 years later in Ravenna on the Adriatic coast.
King Edward II of England and Isabella of France are married on January 25, 1308, in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. The marriage was arranged years earlier by Edward I and Philip IV of France to secure peace between England and France.
The couple was jointly crowned King and Queen of England at Westminster Abbey one month later, on February 25, 1308,The marriage became famously tumultuous and politically significant leading to Isabella's rebellion and eventual deposition of her husband, earning the nickname: She-Wolf. The marriage deteriorated quickly due to Edward's favoritism towards men like Piers Gaveston, Isabella grew alienated, particularly by the powerful Despenser family, who seized her lands and power. In 1325, Isabella traveled to France and refused to return, forming a political and romantic alliance with exiled nobleman Roger Mortimer. In 1326, Isabella and Mortimer invaded England with mercenaries, gaining swift support from barons and the public. Edward II was captured and forced to abdicate, becoming the first English king ever deposed. He abdicated in favor of his son Edward III. Isabella and Mortimer ruled as regents until Edward III took power in 1330, and ordered the execution of Mortimer; Isabella went on to live on in relative comfort.