1203

1203 in variouscalendars
Gregorian calendar	1203; MCCIII
Ab urbe condita	1956
Armenian calendar	652; ԹՎ ՈԾԲ
Assyrian calendar	5953
Balinese saka calendar	1124–1125
Bengali calendar	610
Berber calendar	2153
English Regnal year	4Joh. 1– 5Joh. 1
Buddhist calendar	1747
Burmese calendar	565
Byzantine calendar	6711–6712
Chinese calendar	Nhâm tuấtNiên (WaterDog); 3900 or 3693; — to —; Quý hợi niên (WaterPig); 3901 or 3694
Coptic calendar	919–920
Discordian calendar	2369
Ethiopian calendar	1195–1196
Hebrew calendar	4963–4964
Hindu calendars
-Vikram Samvat	1259–1260
-Shaka Samvat	1124–1125
-Kali Yuga	4303–4304
Holocene calendar	11203
Igbo calendar	203–204
Iranian calendar	581–582
Islamic calendar	599–600
Japanese calendar	Kennin3; ( kiến nhân ３ niên )
Javanese calendar	1111–1112
Julian calendar	1203; MCCIII
Korean calendar	3536
Minguo calendar	709 beforeROC; Dân tiền 709 niên
Nanakshahi calendar	−265
Thai solar calendar	1745–1746
Tibetan calendar	Dương thủy cẩu niên; (male Water-Dog); 1329 or 948 or 176; — to —; Âm thủy trư niên; (female Water-Pig); 1330 or 949 or 177

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	12th century; 13th century; 14th century;
Decades:	1180s; 1190s; 1200s; 1210s; 1220s;
Years:	1200; 1201; 1202; 1203; 1204; 1205; 1206;

Year1203(MCCIII) was acommon year starting on Wednesday(link will display the full calendar) of theJulian calendar.It was also the first year to have all digits different from each other since 1098.

Events

By place

Fourth Crusade

April 20– The Crusader army evacuatesZadar,and sets sail toCorfu;Boniface of Montferratand DogeEnrico Dandolostay behind to await PrinceAlexios Angelos.After a brief pause atDurrës(modernAlbania), the fleet reaches Corfu. Meanwhile, news of its approach (through spies) has reached EmperorAlexios III AngelosatConstantinople.He gives order to strengthen the city walls and the fortifications.^[1]
May–June– The Crusader fleet roundsGreeceand stops at Negroponte (modern-dayHalkis), where the local authorities submit to Alexios Angelos. Encouraged by this, the Crusader leaders send him and several ships to extend his authority over the neighboring island ofAndros.Mid-June, the Crusader fleet sails from Greece toAbydos,where it enters theDardanelles.^[2]
June 23– The Crusader fleet comes within sight of Constantinople, and enters theBosporus.The Byzantine capital is defended by a garrison of 15,000 soldiers (including 5,000 men of theVarangian Guard), and a fleet of 20 galleys. OnJune 26,the Byzantine troops skirmish with the Crusader forces, who attack, without success, the cities ofChalcedonandChrysopolis.^[3]^[4]
July 2– Crusader leaders sail close to the city's walls in order to display the young Alexios Angelos, where they call upon the Byzantines to rise up in his favour. After rowing back and forth for a while, receiving insults and missiles, the attempt is abandoned. The Crusader leadership decides to land an invasion force north ofGalata– using prevailing currents and winds.^[5]
July 5– The Crusader fleet disembarks their horse transports, and barrels down upon the Byzantine defenders in a full cavalry charge. The Byzantines flee after brief combat, and retreat to the Tower of Galata, where they fortify themselves. After a bitter struggle, the Crusaders capture the tower and break the floating chain, and allow their fleet to enter theGolden Horn.^[6]
Siege of Constantinople:The Crusaders, led by Boniface of Montferrat, capture Constantinople, in support of the deposed EmperorIsaac IIand his son Alexios Angelos. This marks the main outcome of theFourth Crusade.
- July 11– The Crusaders take positions opposite thePalace of Blachernaeon the northwest corner of the city. Their first attempts are repulsed, but onJuly 17the Venetians take a section of the wall of about 25 towers, while the Varangian Guard holds off the Crusaders on the land wall, inflicting heavy casualties. The Venetians set fire to the buildings inside the Golden Horn walls, and then abandon the occupied fortifications.^[7]
- July 17–18– Alexios III tries to counterattack from theGate of St. Romanusbut retreats without a fight. Embarrassed, he prefers to escape and abandon his subjects, fleeing with the imperial treasure toDeveltos(a fortified town on theGulf of Burgas) inThrace.Meanwhile, the Byzantine aristocracy restores the ex-emperor Isaac II to the imperial throne. OnAugust 1,Alexios Angelos is crowned co-emperor as Alexios IV.^[8]
August – Alexios IV announces new taxes and enrages theOrthodox Churchby confiscating large quantities of Byzantine icons, many centuries old, and melts them down to produce enough silver to pay the massive debt to the Venetians. A riot breaks out in Constantinople – during which the Byzantine populace loots and burns the homes of Italian residents in the city.^[9]
August 31– The Venetians rally a rabble of soldiers and storm through the walls, attacking the Mitation Mosque which results in extensive fires in Constantinople. Finally, they are fought off by the Byzantines and Muslims standing side by side. It becomes one of the most extensive urban conflagrations inEuropean Historyand renders some 100,000 people homeless.^[10]
August–October – Alexios IV leads a Crusader expedition (some 6,000 men) to extend his central-government control, against the fugitive Alexios III in Thrace. Meanwhile, a Crusader fleet operates in theSea of Marmarain support of the Thracian campaign. The Crusaders seize several towns, includingAdrianople,while Alexios escapes and withdraws toMacedonia.^[11]

Europe

Spring – KingPhilip II of FranceinvadesNormandyand attacks a number of castles in the surrounding region. In April,John, King of Englandloses the support of his French vassals who desert him. Philip entersRouen,leading to the eventualTreaty of Paris (1259)and unification of Normandy and France.
At Rouen,William de Braose,an English nobleman, becomes the guardian of the imprisoned 16-year-oldArthur of Brittany,designated heir to the throne ofEngland– who is not known to be alive after April and is probably murdered by or at the orders of his uncle, King John.
August –Siege of Château Gaillard:French forces under Philip II begin the siege atChâteau Gaillardas part of a campaign to reconquer the continental properties of King John of England. During the winter of 1203/1204, the English underWilliam Marshalattempt to relieve the castle.
October –Brothers' Quarrel:Emeric, King of Hungarycaptures his rebellious brotherDuke Andrewwithout resistance following their third confrontation in recent years.^[12]
December 6– King John abandons the lands that have been held by theDukes of Normandyfor over a hundred years and returns to England. Only two castles hold out against the French forces – they areChinon Castle,controlled byHubert de BurghandLoches Castle.
TheOeseliansravageDanish Scania.The returning pirates later skirmish with the German settlers ofRiga,nearVisbyinGotland.

Levant

Summer – On orders ofAl-Adil I,sultan ofEgypt,Muslim ships attack Crusader vessels offCyprus.Ships fromAcreretaliate this action, by capturing six Muslim ships off Acre. KingAimeryofJerusalemdeclares the truce void between Al-Aldil and the Crusaders, and raids Muslim territory in northernPalestine.Al-Adil responds by taking his army to the outskirts of Acre – but does not launch an assault and retires afterward. A plague breaks out in Acre and half the newly arrived Crusader army dies.^[13]

East Asia

Early –Battle of Khalakhaljid Sands:Temüjin,khanof theMongoltribe and the futureGenghis Khan,is comprehensively defeated by the forces ofToghrul,khan of theKereit.^[14]
Midyear – TheBaljuna Covenant,anoathof mutual fidelity, is sworn by Temüjin and a small group of companions.^[14]^[15]
Late – In a 3-day battle at the Jeje'er Heights on the lowerKherlen River,Temüjin defeats the Kereit and Toghrul is killed.^[14]^[16]

Japan

Minamoto no Sanetomobecomes the thirdshogunof theKamakura Shogunate.During his reign, Sanetomo is a puppet ruler for his motherHōjō Masakowho uses him as a pawn in her war with her fatherHōjō Tokimasa.

By topic

Economy

First evidence that theTempleinLondonis extending loans to John, King of England. The sums remain small, but are often used for critical operations, such as the ransoming of the king’s soldiers captured by the French.^[17]

Religion

April 8– Congress ofBilino Polje:Ban Kulin,ruler ofBosnia,officially declares his allegiance to theRoman Catholic Churchand denouncesheresy.
Ragnall mac Somairle,a Scottish nobleman, invitesBenedictinemonks to establish the abbey ofIona.
The Temple ofNatarajais completed, atChidambaraminIndia.

Births

January 10–Abu Shama,Arab historian and writer (d.1267)
Abu Zakariya Yahya,ruler of theHafsid Sultanate(d.1249)
Bi Bi Monajemeh Nishaburi,Persian astronomer (d.1280)
Cecilia Cesarini,ItalianDominicannun and saint (d.1290)
Donnchadh,Scottish ruler (mormaer) ofMar(d.1244)
Eva Marshal,Cambro-Norman noblewoman (d.1246)
Hamuro Mitsutoshi,Japanesewakapoet (d.1276)
Hōjō Tokiuji,Japanesenoblemanand spy (d.1230)
Ibn Abi Usaybi'a,Syrian physician and historian (d.1270)
Kujō Motoie,Japanese nobleman and poet (d. 1280)
Mindaugas(or Mendog), king ofLithuania(d.1263)
Peter II( "the Little Charlemagne" ), count ofSavoy(d.1268)
Sengaku,JapaneseBuddhistmonk and writer (d.1273)
Vasilko Romanovich,Grand Prince ofKiev(d.1269)
Xueting Fuyu,ChineseZen Buddhistabbot (d.1275)
Zakariya al-Qazwini,Persian astronomer (d.1283)

Deaths

January –Sayyida Zumurrud Khatun,umm al-walad(mother) of the Abbasid caliph
January 12–Martin of León,Spanish priest (b.1130)
January 21–Agnes II,abbess ofQuedlinburgin Saxony (b.1139)
March –Hedwig,margravine ofMeissen(b.1140)
April 6–William of Æbelholt,French churchman (b.1125)
May –Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd,Welsh prince^[18]
July 12–Isabel de Warenne,English noblewoman
July 21–Harvey I of Léon,Breton nobleman (b.1153)
September 11–Stephen of Tournai,French bishop (b.1128)
October 8
- Hiki Yoshikazu,Japanese warrior and nobleman
- Minamoto no Ichiman,Japanese nobleman (b.1198)
November 4–Dirk VII,Dutch nobleman and knight
November 30–Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi,Arab scholar and jurist (b.1146)^[19]
unknown dates
- 'Abdallah ibn Ghaniya,Almoravid ruler ofMallorca
- Alexios Palaiologos,Byzantine heir apparent^[20]
- Gille Críst,Scottish nobleman and knight^[21]
- William de Stuteville,English nobleman^[22]
probable
- Eudokia Komnene,Byzantine noblewoman
- Siraj al-Din al-Sajawandi,Persian scholar^[23]
- Toghrul(or Wang Khan), Mongol leader^[16]

References

^David Nicolle(2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 49.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 51.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 51.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^Steven Runciman (1952).A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre,p. 100.ISBN 978-0-241-29877-0.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,pp. 51–52.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,pp. 53–57.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,pp. 57–61.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 63.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 64.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 64.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^Philips, Jonathan (2004).The Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople,p. 209.ISBN 978-0-14-303590-9.
^Engel, Pál (2001).The Realm of St Stephen: A History of Medieval Hungary, 895–1526.I.B. Tauris Publishers. pp. 86–87.ISBN 1-86064-061-3.
^David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 19.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.
^^a ^b ^cRatchnevsky, Paul (1991).Genghis Khan: His Life and Legacy.Translated byThomas Haining.Oxford:Blackwell Publishing.ISBN 978-06-31-16785-3.
^Cleaves, Francis Woodman(1955)."The Historicity of The Baljuna Covenant".Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies.18(3): 357–421.doi:10.2307/2718438.JSTOR 2718438.
^^a ^bWeatherford, Jack (2004).Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world(1st ed.). New York: Crown. p. 60.
^Ferris, Eleanor (1902). "The Financial Relations of the Knights Templars to the English Crown".American Historical Review.8(1): 1–17.doi:10.2307/1832571.JSTOR 1832571.
^Pryce, Huw (October 15, 2010).The Acts of Welsh Rulers, 1120-1283.University of Wales Press. p. 334.ISBN 978-0-7083-2387-8.
^"Biodata".MuslimScholars.info.RetrievedDecember 17,2022.
^Vannier, Jean-François (1986). "Les premiers Paléologues. Étude généalogique et prosopographique" [The First Palaiologoi. Genealogical and Prosopographical Study]. In Cheynet, Jean-Claude; Vannier, Jean-François (eds.).Études Prosopographiques[Prosopographic Studies] (in French). Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne. pp. 171–172.ISBN 978-2-85944-110-4.
^Oram, Richard D., "The Earls and Earldom of Mar, c1150-1300", Steve Boardman and Alasdair Ross (eds.)The Exercise of Power in Medieval Scotland, c.1200-1500,(Dublin/Portland, 2003), pp. 46–66
^This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:"Stuteville, Robert de".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
^الزركلي, خير الدين.الأعلام - ج 7: محمد بن قاسم - نافع بن الحارث(in Arabic). IslamKotob.

[1] David Nicolle(2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 49.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[2] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 51.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[3] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 51.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[4] Steven Runciman (1952).A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre,p. 100.ISBN 978-0-241-29877-0.

[5] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,pp. 51–52.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[6] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,pp. 53–57.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[7] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,pp. 57–61.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[8] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 63.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[9] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 64.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[10] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 64.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[11] Philips, Jonathan (2004).The Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople,p. 209.ISBN 978-0-14-303590-9.

[12] Engel, Pál (2001).The Realm of St Stephen: A History of Medieval Hungary, 895–1526.I.B. Tauris Publishers. pp. 86–87.ISBN 1-86064-061-3.

[13] David Nicolle (2011). Osprey: Campaign - Nr. 237.The Fourth Crusade 1202–04. The betrayal of Byzantium,p. 19.ISBN 978-1-84908-319-5.

[PR-14] Ratchnevsky, Paul (1991).Genghis Khan: His Life and Legacy.Translated byThomas Haining.Oxford:Blackwell Publishing.ISBN 978-06-31-16785-3.

[15] Cleaves, Francis Woodman(1955)."The Historicity of The Baljuna Covenant".Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies.18(3): 357–421.doi:10.2307/2718438.JSTOR 2718438.

[JW-16] Weatherford, Jack (2004).Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world(1st ed.). New York: Crown. p. 60.

[17] Ferris, Eleanor (1902). "The Financial Relations of the Knights Templars to the English Crown".American Historical Review.8(1): 1–17.doi:10.2307/1832571.JSTOR 1832571.

[18] Pryce, Huw (October 15, 2010).The Acts of Welsh Rulers, 1120-1283.University of Wales Press. p. 334.ISBN 978-0-7083-2387-8.

[19] "Biodata".MuslimScholars.info.RetrievedDecember 17,2022.

[20] Vannier, Jean-François (1986). "Les premiers Paléologues. Étude généalogique et prosopographique" [The First Palaiologoi. Genealogical and Prosopographical Study]. In Cheynet, Jean-Claude; Vannier, Jean-François (eds.).Études Prosopographiques[Prosopographic Studies] (in French). Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne. pp. 171–172.ISBN 978-2-85944-110-4.

[21] Oram, Richard D., "The Earls and Earldom of Mar, c1150-1300", Steve Boardman and Alasdair Ross (eds.)The Exercise of Power in Medieval Scotland, c.1200-1500,(Dublin/Portland, 2003), pp. 46–66

[22] This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:"Stuteville, Robert de".Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

[23] الزركلي, خير الدين.الأعلام - ج 7: محمد بن قاسم - نافع بن الحارث(in Arabic). IslamKotob.

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