What Happened in June?

Leo VIII, is reinstated as Pope for a second term by Emperor Otto I, on June 23, 964, after Otto I forced the deposition of Benedict V who had been elected by the Romans after John XII's  sudden death. Leo VIII reigned from June 23, 964, until his death on March 1, 965. Expand +

One of the world's most destructive earthquakes, the magnitude 7.4 - 7.7 Manjil-Rudbar Earthquake with hundreds of aftershocks, hits Northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea, killing an estimated 50,000 people and injuring another 135,000, leaving more than 500,000 homeless and destroying three cities (Rudbar, Manjil, and Lowshan) and 700 villages. Nearly all buildings were destroyed in the Rudbar-Manjil area.

Conrad II, the first Salian Holy Roman Emperor dies on June 4, 1039, in Utrecht (modern-day Netherlands). He was succeeded by his son, Henry III.

The Battle of Manzikert takes place, where the Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Empire, leading to the gradual decline of Byzantine power and the rise of Turkish power in Anatolia.

Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, a prominent Norman magnate in England, dies, impacting the power dynamics of the time.

Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid, conquers the city of Valencia from the Moors on June 15, 1094, after a siege which began in 1093. He ruled it for the remainder of his life, holding it against counterattacks from the Almoravid army.  Expand +

The Crusaders begin the Siege of Jerusalem, a pivotal event during the First Crusade that eventually leads to the capture of the city on June 15 when the Crusaders entered Jerusalem and established the Kingdom of Jerusalem, marking the culmination of the First Crusade.

al-Idrisi, a highly accomplished geographer and cartographer is born in Ceuta, what is now, an autonomous Spanish City bordering Morocco, on the North African Coast. Born into a noble family, he received an extensive education in Córdoba.  Expand +

The Order of the Knights Templar is founded in Jerusalem after the First Crusade. They were a military religious order of the Catholic Church, officially known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. They initially aimed to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land. Over time, they became a powerful and wealthy organization, deeply involved in European politics and finance, and played a significant role in the Crusades. More

Lothair III, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome on June 4, 1133, by Pope Innocent II, which included the title King of Italy. He ruled as King of Germany from 1125–1137 and as Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 until his death in 1137. His coronation in Rome was not the first time he held the title of King of Italy; he had also been crowned King of the Romans in 1131 by Pope Innocent II, a title that included the Kingdom of Italy. 

The Treaty of Wallingford is signed, ending the civil war in England between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, and establishing Henry II as the undisputed king.

Frederick I, duke of Swabia and German king, also known as Barbarossa, is crowned Holy Roman Emperor on June 18, 1155 by Pope Adrian IV in Rome. More

Five monks in Canterbury, England, observe an unusual phenomenon on the moon described by them as a "flaming torch" springing up from the split, spewing out fire, hot coals, and sparks. They also said the Moon's body below the division "writhed" and "throbbed like a wounded snake" Their unusual observation has sparked scientific debate for centuries. The most plausible scientific explanation is that they observed a meteor exploding in Earth's atmosphere that, from their specific location, appeared to be affecting the moon. This interpretation aligns with the lack of evidence for a major lunar impact at that time and the nature of the monks' description. More

The Peace of Constance is signed on June 25, 1183 ending the conflicts between the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa) and the Lombard League  that granted autonomy to the Italian city-states, ending years of conflict. The treaty officially recognized the league's existence and allowed the cities to maintain their communal liberties, legal jurisdiction, and alliances, in exchange for fealty to the Emperor. This agreement was a result of the Emperor's military defeat at the Battle of Legnano in 1176.

The Battle of Fimreite takes place in Norway, where King Sverre Sigurdsson defeats the forces of Magnus Erlingsson, securing his rule. More

Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, also known as Barbarossa, drowns on June 10, 1190 while crossing the Saleph River (also known as the Göksu River) in modern-day Turkey, near the city of Seleucia in Anatolia. Frederick I was leading an army to Jerusalem during the Third Crusade. Expand +

Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart) arrives in Acre, beginning his involvement in the Third Crusade.

In June 1196, King Philip II of France married Agnes of Merania after having separated from his second wife, Ingeborg of Denmark. Pope Innocent III declared the marriage invalid, and a papal interdict was placed on France until Philip took Ingeborg back in 1200. Agnes died in 1201, and Pope Innocent III later declared the two children she had with Philip as legitimate. 

Stephen Langton is consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury by Pope Innocent III in Rome on June 11,1207. The decision sparked a major conflict with King John of England, who view Langton as too close to France and refused to accept him, preventing Langton from entering England until 1213, when he was finally installed.  Expand +

King John affixes his royal seal to the Magna Carta on June 15, 1215 at Runnymede, England. The document was basically a negotiated peace treaty between the King and his barons who were unhappy with King John's rule due to heavy taxation and perceived abuses of power.  Expand +