1203

Political Events

Brittany rebels against England's John Lackland, whose troops try to suppress the uprising (see 1202).

The prince of Volhynia Roman Mstislavich sacks Kiev and makes Vladimir on the upper Volga his capital.

The Byzantine Empire that was founded by the Roman emperor Constantine in 350 comes virtually to an end as the Fourth Crusade reaches Constantinople in July (see 1202). The usurper Alexius III takes flight and will die in exile at Nicaea in 1211, the blind Isaac II Angelus is retrieved from the dungeons August 1 and restored to his Byzantine throne, but Isaac's mind has grown feeble after 8 years in prison, and his son Alexius rules as regent for the vicious Isaac (see 1204).

Muizz-ud-Din Muhammad of Ghur completes his conquest of Upper India.

The Japanese shōgun Yorii falls ill, raising fears that his son will gain dominance. Yorii has married Wakasa Hiki, daughter of a powerful family that rivals the Hōjo and Minamoto families. Masako Hōjo and her father incarcerate Yorii in a castle.

Education

Siena University has its beginnings.

Literature

Poetry: Parzival by German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, 31, is an epic romance of the Holy Grail based on Perceval by the late Chrétien de Troyes (see 1190).

Agriculture

Livestock breeding and viniculture increase in parts of France and the Lowlands as cheap grain from the new granary in the Baltic Sea region makes it less profitable to grow wheat, rye, barley, and oats.

Food Availability

Famine ravages England and Ireland as it will repeatedly throughout this century. Recurrent crop failures will bring hardship to what later will be called the British Isles, the German states, and Poland, but cheap grain from the Balkans will lower food prices in much of the Continent.

Food And Drink

A large brewing industry develops at Hamburg and in the Lowlands as barley malt from the Baltic becomes more readily available at lower prices.

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