1170

What happened in the year 1170?

Events

• Norman invasion of Ireland

  In 1166, the exiled King Dermot of Leinster tried to raise a force of Norman knights to re-conquer his lands. He obtained a license to do so from Henry II, and persuaded Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke (known as 'Strongbow'), to help him by making Strongbow his heir. He landed in County Wexford on 1st May 1170, and later that year, had re-conquered Leinster. Suddenly, one of Henry's barons was in the position to take a major holding in Ireland, so Henry closed all Irish ports and ordered the Normans home. Strongbow disobeys, Dermot dies the next year, making Strongbow the King of Leinster, and Henry arrives with a large force to control his vassal, and accept the fealty of the Irish nobles.

• Henry II holds a parliament at Windsor


• The Toltec city of Tula in the Valley of Mexico, on the shores of Lake Xaltocan, was ransacked.


• Saladin won the power struggle in Egypt, conquering it for the Seljuk Sultan, Nureddin.


• Coup d'état against Korean Goryeo dynasty.

  A group of Korean army officers led by Jeong Jungbu and Lee Uibang launched a move against King Injong and succeeded. The king went into exile and Myeongjong was made king. Myeongjong was the 3rd son of King Injong and functioned as a puppet ruler of the military regieme. Military rule of Goryeo began.

• A transit of Mars across Jupiter on 12 September was observed by the monk and chronicler Gervase of Canterbury, and by Chinese astronomers.

Births

• Saint Dominic - the founder of the Dominican order of monks, he was born in Calaruega, Spain.


• Anders Sunesen, Archbishop of Lund and therefore primate of Denmark


• Valdemar II of Denmark, perhaps the greatest of the medieval Danish kings. He expanded Danish influence along the Baltic, and finally defeated the Estonians at the Battle of Reval.

Deaths

• November 13 - Albert I, Margrave of Brandenburg (Albrecht der Bär)

  Albert was the founder of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, expanding his territories during a series of campaigns against the Wends or Slavic peoples. He was the only son of Otto the Rich, Count of Ballenstedt, and Eilika, daughter of Magnus Billung, Duke of Saxony. He secured the territory of Brandenburg after the death of Pribislav, Duke of Brandenburg in 1150.

• November 28 - Owain Gwynedd

  The reign of Owain ap Gruffudd or Owain Gwynedd (1137-70) saw the consolidation of the Welsh principality of Gwynedd initiated by his father, Gruffudd ap Cynan. Owain expanded the boundaries of Gwynedd until they reached the environs of Chester, and in 1165, he led the resistance of the Welsh princes to the invasion of Henry II.

• Saint Thomas à Becket is murdered in Canterbury Cathedral

  After a 7 year exile in France, a truce was arranged by Pope Alexander between Henry and Thomas, and he returned to Canterbury in November 1170. Over the next few weeks, every misdemeanor and imagined slight was relayed back to Henry in France, and around Christmas Day, he was supposed to have uttered the immortal words: "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?" Several of Henry's court discussed arresting Becket, and four nobles set out to Canterbury. On the evening of December 29th, William de Tracy, Reginald Fizurse,  Richard le Bret and Hugh de Morville forced their way into the cathedral and murdered Becket above the steps to the crypt.

1169 -O- 1171

12th century