King Richard I of England ("The Lionheart") is wounded in his shoulder by a crossbow bolt, on March 25, 1199, while besieging the French castle of Châlus-Chabrol. He died from a resulting gangrene infection on April 6, 1199.
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What Happened in March?
The first Olympic games, the founding of dynasties, and legendary battles. Explore historic milestones from March that influenced today's world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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1208 CE, c. March
Pope Innocent III issues a papal bull calling for the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathar heretics in southern France, c. March 14, 1208, after a papal legate, Pierre de Castelnau, was assassinated. Pope Innocent III, offered indulgences (forgiveness for sins) to participants and promised the lands of the heretics to any noble who would fight.
The Albigensian Crusade did not officially begin until the following year, when the crusader army assembled in Lyon in southern France in the summer of 1209 and went on to commit the "Massacre at Béziers" on July 22, 1209. Where the Crusaders sacked the city, slaughter thousands of inhabitants, both Cathars and Catholics, and burned the city to the ground. The event is associated with the phrase, "Kill them all; God will know his own," allegedly uttered by papal legate Arnaud Amalric.
The military Albigensian campaign continued for 20 years until1229. But shifted after the Béziers massacre, to more of an Inquisition led "search and punish campaign" to root out remaining Cathar "heretics". It technically ended on April 12, 1229, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris (Treaty of Meaux), which secured French royal control over Languedoc. However resistance continued until 1244 with the fall of Montségur, and the final Cathar stronghold of Quéribus fell in 1255, following years of Inquisition, about 45 years after it started.
Pope Innocent III places England under an interdict on March 23, 1208, as part of the dispute with King John regarding the placement of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.
The interdict lasted for over six years, prohibiting church services, sacraments, and Christian burials, essentially paralyzing religious life until 1214. Facing potential revolt from his barons and a planned invasion by France, John capitulated and surrendered his kingdom to the Pope's authority and became a papal vassal in May 1213. The interdict was officially lifted on July 2, 1214
1215, c. March 19
Pope Innocent III issues the papal bull Ad liberandam, c. March 19, 1215, calling for the Fifth Crusade aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem by attacking the Ayyubid Empire via Egypt. Pope Innocent III died in July 1216 and he was succeeded by Pope Honorius III. The Crusade was unsuccessful with the Crusaders failing to take Cairo.
Mongol invasion of Central Asia: The Battle of the Kalka River takes place on May 31, 1223 between the Mongol Empire and Kievan Rus principalities and Cumans in modern-day Ukraine. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for the Mongol Empire.
Siege of Montségur during the Albigensian Crusade: The Cathar stronghold falls to the Crusaders.
1274, March 13 - The Second Council of Lyon opens under Pope Gregory X.
The Reign of the Song Dynasty which ruled parts of China, for more than three centuries, ends on March 19, 1279, after a Mongol fleet defeats the Song fleet in the Battle of Yamen and completes its conquest of China. More
The Sicilian Vespers rebellion breaks out on March 30, 1282, against the oppressive rule of Charles I of Anjou, in Palermo, Sicily. Starting with a violent incident at the Santo Spirito church , it escalated into a widespread massacre of French officials and residents, effectively ending Angevin control in Sicily and leading to the Aragonese conquest.
The island ultimately broke away from Naples, leading to the establishment of a separate Sicilian kingdom under Aragonese rule (the Kingdom of Trinacria) following the Peace of Caltabellotta.
King Edward I, following his conquest of Wales, issues the Statute of Rhuddlan (or Statute of Wales) on March 3, 1284. The statue was promulgated on March 19, 1284; formally incorporated the Principality of North Wales into the English Crown.
The statue, promulgated on March 19, 1284, established English administration and common law and introduced the shire system, basically ending Welsh independence. 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.
King Alexander III of Scotland dies on March 19, 1286, after falling from a horse. His children had predeceased him and he had designated his infant granddaughter to inherit the throne, however she died in 1290, leading to a succession crisis, the Scottish War of Independence and a power vacuum which plunged Scotland into chaos, leading to decades of conflict with England.
Edward I of England captures and sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed on March 30, 1296 during the First War of Scottish Independence. Berwick was Scotland's most important trading port at the time, second only to London in economic importance.
Contemporary accounts of the number of people slain estimated that in in less than two days no fewer than fifteen thousand of both sexes perished, some by the sword, others by fire. Much booty was seized from the city. The town was then repopulated with English people from Northumbria. it wasn't until 1318 when Berwick was recaptured by King Robert and the English burgesses was expelled. However, Berwick would change hands several more times in the years to come, before permanently becoming part of England in 1482 when the town was captured by the English.
Robert the Bruce claims the Scottish throne shortly after killing his rival John Comyn and is crowned King of Scots on March 25, 1306, by Bishop William de Lamberton at the traditional site of Scone. He was crowned a second time the next day by Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan, to fulfill tradition and further legitimize his claim.
Pope Clement V, accedes to the demands of French King Philip IV and moves the papal seat from Rome to Avignon on March 9, 1309; beginning the period known as the "Avignon Papacy" between 1309–1377, when seven successive popes resided in Avignon, all under the influence of the French Crown.
Pope Clement V issued the papal bull "Vox in Excelso" on March 22, 1312, during the Council of Vienne, which officially dissolved the Knights Templar.
The dissolution was the culmination of charges of heresy and immorality brought against the order, largely at the instigation of King Philip IV of France who had arrested many Templars in 1307.
The bull formally removed papal support for the order, leading to their official end and the transfer of their assets to the Knights Hospitaller. The bull was issued under significant pressure from King Philip IV of France, who had a substantial debt to the Templars and used false confessions obtained through torture to eliminate the powerful order. Grand Master Jacques de Molay and other leaders, who initially confessed under tortured were burned at the stake in 1314.
Jacques de Molay, the 23rd and last grand master of the Knights Templar, is burned at the stake on March 18, 1314, after being tortured and forced to make false confessions.
The Battle of Burton Bridge takes place in England, from 7 to 10 March 1322, between Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster and his cousin King Edward II, during the Despenser War. Thomas, attempted to scape but was eventually captured at the battle of Boroughbridge on March 16, 1322 and later executed on the King's orders.
Lancaster's defeat temporarily removed the threat to Edward's rule, but the King's unpopularity with his barons led to his forced abdication to the throne in favor of his son Edward III.
Edward II of England defeats the rebellious barons at the Battle of Boroughbridge,, on March 16, 1322, capturing his cousin Thomas of Lancaster, who was later executed on the King's orders.
The Treaty of of Edinburgh–Northampton between England and Scotland, recognizing Scottish independence is signed by Robert the Bruce in Edinburgh on March 17, 1328 and ratified by the English Parliament on behalf of 15-year old King Edward III in Northampton on April 24, 1328
The treaty ended the First War of Scottish Independence, which began in 1296. The treaty was widely unpopular in England and did not last for long; within a few years hostilities returned and the treaty was overturned by Edward III in 1333, leading to the Second War of Scottish Independence.
Edmund of Woodstock, son of Edward I of England and younger half-brother to deposed King Edward II. is executed on March 19, 1330 at Winchester Castle by beheading on order of Ro ger Mortimer, the de facto ruler of England. The execution followed Edmund's prior involvement in a plot to restore the imprisoned Edward II to the throne.