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1170
1170
1170
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1170 by topic
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1170 in poetry
1170 in various calendars
Gregorian calendar1170
MCLXX
Ab urbe condita1923
Armenian calendar619
ԹՎ ՈԺԹ
Assyrian calendar5920
Balinese saka calendar1091–1092
Bengali calendar576–577
Berber calendar2120
English Regnal year16 Hen. 2 – 17 Hen. 2
Buddhist calendar1714
Burmese calendar532
Byzantine calendar6678–6679
Chinese calendar己丑年 (Earth Ox)
3867 or 3660
    — to —
庚寅年 (Metal Tiger)
3868 or 3661
Coptic calendar886–887
Discordian calendar2336
Ethiopian calendar1162–1163
Hebrew calendar4930–4931
Hindu calendars
 - Vikram Samvat1226–1227
 - Shaka Samvat1091–1092
 - Kali Yuga4270–4271
Holocene calendar11170
Igbo calendar170–171
Iranian calendar548–549
Islamic calendar565–566
Japanese calendarKaō 2
(嘉応２年)
Javanese calendar1077–1078
Julian calendar1170
MCLXX
Korean calendar3503
Minguo calendar742 before ROC
民前742年
Nanakshahi calendar−298
Seleucid era1481/1482 AG
Thai solar calendar1712–1713
Tibetan calendarས་མོ་གླང་ལོ་
(female Earth-Ox)
1296 or 915 or 143
    — to —
ལྕགས་ཕོ་སྟག་ལོ་
(male Iron-Tiger)
1297 or 916 or 144
Murder of Thomas Becket (c. 1200)

Year 1170 (MCLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.

Events

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By place

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Levant

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  • Winter – Egyptian forces, led by Saladin, invade the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and besiege Darum on the Mediterranean coast. Its defenses are weak, and though Saladin has no siege engines with him, the fall seems imminent. King Amalric I withdraws his Templar garrison from Gaza, to assist him in defending Darum. Saladin raises the siege and marches on Gaza, where he captures the lower town (despite the stiff resistance ordered by Lord Miles of Plancy), and massacres the inhabitants. However, the citadel is too strong for Saladin, and he is forced to retreat to Egypt.[1]
  • Saladin sends an Egyptian squadron up the Gulf of Aqaba, which captures the Crusader outpost of Aila, at the head of the Gulf.[2]

England

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Ireland

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Africa

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Asia

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By topic

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Folklore

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Religion

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  • Peter Waldo, a French merchant of Lyon, starts the popular religious movement of the "Poor Men of Lyon", or Waldenses.[8]
  • Pope Alexander III addresses a series of letters to the backward Swedish church. He wants to impose the strict canonical requirements on the Swedes, that is, the ecclesiastical legal system. Due to being Christianized in 1050, Sweden is having trouble to fully adapt to the Catholicism that is preached and acted on in Europe.[9]

Births

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Deaths

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

1170

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from Grokipedia
Year 1170 was marked by pivotal events in medieval , most notably the assassination of , , on December 29 in by four knights—, Hugh de Morville, , and Richard Brito—who acted amid escalating conflicts between King Henry II and the Church over jurisdictional rights and clerical privileges. The killing, interpreted by contemporaries as martyrdom, provoked outrage across Christendom, prompted Henry II's public in 1174, and accelerated Becket's by in 1173, reinforcing ecclesiastical autonomy against secular encroachment. Earlier that year, on June 14, Henry II arranged the of his fifteen-year-old son, , at by Roger de Pont l'Évêque of , an unprecedented move to secure dynastic succession that nonetheless fueled familial rivalries and contributed to later Angevin instability. In Ireland, Richard de Clare, , known as Strongbow, arrived in August with Norman forces at the invitation of exiled King Dermot MacMurrough of , capturing Waterford and , which laid groundwork for Anglo-Norman expansion and Henry II's subsequent intervention in 1171. Notable births included on April 5, who became Queen of France, and around August 8, founder of the ; deaths encompassed Welsh ruler on November 28 and Brandenburg's Albert I the Bear on November 18, alongside Becket.

Events

England

In 1170, under King Henry II's rule, saw the of the king's eldest son as a junior king to bolster dynastic continuity and the return from exile of Archbishop , culminating in his assassination amid ongoing church-state tensions. On June 14, Henry II arranged the of his 15-year-old son, , at , designating him as a co-ruler despite the father's ongoing reign; this premature crowning aimed to preempt succession disputes but later fueled familial rebellions. Thomas Becket, since 1162 and exiled since 1164 over disputes regarding clerical privileges and the , reconciled tentatively with Henry II in earlier that year and returned to on December 2, landing at Sandwich in . On December 29, four knights—, Hugh de Morville, , and Richard Brito—entered and murdered Becket during , striking him down at the altar steps after he refused to flee or absolve excommunicated bishops; the assailants acted under the misinterpretation of Henry's frustrated outburst, reportedly "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?", uttered amid court complaints about Becket's intransigence. The assassination provoked widespread outrage across , with Becket's blood seen as martyrdom; Henry II disavowed direct involvement, but the event strained royal authority, prompted ecclesiastical condemnations, and foreshadowed Becket's by in 1173, alongside Henry's public penance at the tomb in 1174.

Ireland

In 1170, the Anglo-Norman incursion into , initially launched in 1169 to restore as King of , gained momentum with reinforcements led by Richard de Clare, and known as Strongbow. Facing opposition from rival Irish kings and Norse-Gaelic lords, Mac Murchada had recruited Norman mercenaries from , but Strongbow's arrival escalated the campaign, bringing approximately 200 knights and 1,000 archers and foot soldiers. This force landed under the banner of conquest, allying with Mac Murchada's Irish levies against entrenched powers in southeastern . On 23 August, Strongbow's expedition disembarked near Waterford, a key Norse-Irish port city held by forces loyal to High King . The invaders, supported by earlier Norman contingents under Raymond FitzGerald (le Gros), who had landed in May, quickly besieged the town. Waterford fell within days amid fierce street fighting, with reports of significant bloodshed among defenders and civilians, marking a pivotal expansion of Norman control beyond Wexford. Following the victory, Strongbow married Mac Murchada's daughter, , securing his claim to upon the king's death and consolidating the alliance through dynastic ties. Emboldened, the combined Anglo-Norman and forces advanced on , the island's premier urban center under Norse-Gaelic King . A ensued, culminating in the city's capture on 21 after two months of intermittent assaults and blockades. Ascall fled into , and Norman knights repelled a relief fleet dispatched from the Isles, solidifying as Strongbow's operational base. These successes shifted the balance in but alarmed King , who viewed the growing Norman foothold as a potential rival power.

Levant

In June 1170, a major earthquake struck the , epicentered near in northern , affecting a broad area including western , , and central southern . The event occurred on 29 June at daybreak, causing widespread destruction in where many buildings collapsed, killing numerous residents and forcing survivors to camp outside the city; contemporary accounts report aftershocks and significant casualties across the region, though exact death tolls vary. Later that year, , serving as of under the nominal authority of Nur ad-Din of , initiated his first significant offensive against the Crusader . On 10 December, Egyptian forces under besieged the coastal fortress of Darum, employing stone-throwing and sappers against the Templar-held garrison led by Ansel de Pass; the assault breached outer defenses but was abandoned mid-month when King Amalric I advanced with a relief army of approximately 250 knights and 2,000 infantry, prompting to withdraw after raiding Gaza. Following the failed siege, Saladin redirected efforts southward, capturing the Crusader outpost of Ayla (modern ) on 31 through a combined land and naval operation; his army transported prefabricated ships across the via camels to blockade the port from the , severing Jerusalem's access and marking a strategic gain for Muslim forces in the ongoing . This campaign demonstrated Saladin's emerging independence in military decision-making, despite tensions with Nur ad-Din, and highlighted the precarious position of Crusader holdings amid rising Zengid-Egyptian coordination.

Africa

In , the under the youthful Caliph experienced further power consolidation by , who had assumed the role in March 1169 following the death of his uncle . In spring 1170, 's father, , arrived from at the request of Zengid ruler Nur al-Din, reinforcing 's familial network and administrative grip amid lingering factional tensions from the 1169 . By December, directed forces to seize the Crusader outpost at Ayla (near modern ), thereby safeguarding Egyptian access to commerce and the pilgrimage corridor against Latin incursions. Across the , the under Abu Ya'qub Yusuf (r. 1163–1184) upheld dominance over , , , and adjacent territories, enforcing tawhid-based reforms and tribal pacification inherited from founder . Administrative priorities in 1170 increasingly oriented toward , including the transfer of the Iberian provincial capital to to counter Christian pressures, while the core African domains around remained stable hubs for Berber military recruitment and orthodoxy enforcement. No major revolts or external invasions disrupted Almohad North African holdings that year, allowing sustained projection of power westward.

Asia

In the kingdom of on the Korean Peninsula, a military coup erupted on 11 August 1170, orchestrated by disaffected generals including Jeong Jung-bu and Yi Ui-bang against the civilian-dominated court of King Uijong. The rebels, resentful of corruption, the king's favoritism toward Buddhist monks and female entertainers, and the neglect of privileges, stormed the palace in , massacring dozens of high-ranking civil officials and elites while sparing the king initially to maintain legitimacy. This event, known as the Wōnhaeng or "Insurrection of the Traitorous Subjects," overthrew the Silla-inherited bureaucratic system and installed a regime of military strongmen, marking the onset of Goryeo's that persisted until the Mongol invasions in the 13th century. The coup's immediate aftermath saw Jeong Jung-bu emerge as the dominant figure, executing rivals and purging the , which reduced the central court's authority and empowered provincial warlords. King Uijong was deposed in 1173 following further unrest, replaced by his brother Myeongjong under military oversight, as the new rulers prioritized Confucian reforms in administration while consolidating power through alliances with Jurchen tribes to the north. This shift reflected deeper tensions between the class and the hereditary military , exacerbated by Goryeo's ongoing conflicts with the Jin dynasty and internal fiscal strains from lavish court expenditures. Elsewhere in , the in , ruled by Emperor Xiaozong, maintained a defensive posture against the Jurchen Jin empire, with no major recorded offensives or diplomatic breakthroughs in 1170, though naval innovations and market expansions continued to bolster economic resilience amid tributary relations. In , the Taira clan's dominance under solidified, with court politics in focused on imperial regency and clan rivalries, setting the stage for the later , but without pivotal incidents that year.

Natural Disasters and Phenomena

A major earthquake struck the on June 29, 1170, affecting regions in present-day , , and central southern . The epicenter was near Hims (modern , Syria), where severe shaking demolished fortifications, mosques, and homes, with aftershocks extending the damage to cities like Hamah, Tripoli, and Antioch. Historical accounts report thousands of deaths, including civilians and soldiers amid ongoing Crusader-Muslim conflicts, and the event weakened structures in the Dead Sea Rift zone, contributing to long-term seismic patterns in the region. Chroniclers framed the quake in religious terms, interpreting it as divine judgment, though geological analysis attributes it to tectonic stress along the fault system. On September 11, 1170, English monk Gervase of Canterbury recorded a rare astronomical alignment in which Mars transited across , visible shortly after rose in the evening sky. The event, lasting from approximately 19:56 to 20:50 GMT with the pair rising at 20:48 GMT, appeared as Mars passing in front of 's disk from Earth's perspective, a conjunction notable for medieval observers tracking celestial omens. Such alignments, occurring roughly every 720 to 820 days due to orbital resonances, held astrological significance in 12th-century but reflect predictable gravitational mechanics rather than portents.

Topical Events

Religion

On December 29, 1170, was assassinated in by four knights—, Hugh de Morville, , and —loyal to . The killing stemmed from a prolonged dispute between Becket and Henry II over ecclesiastical privileges, particularly following the 1164 , which sought to subordinate church courts to royal authority; Becket, having returned from exile in earlier that month, had excommunicated bishops who participated in the unauthorized coronation of Henry's son. Henry's exasperated remark—"Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"—was interpreted by the knights as a directive, though historical accounts indicate the king did not explicitly order the murder. The assassination provoked widespread outrage across , elevating to status and intensifying tensions between secular and ecclesiastical powers. , who had supported during his exile, placed England under in 1171 and excommunicated Henry until the king performed public at 's in 1174; was canonized in 1173, with his shrine becoming a major pilgrimage site that underscored the church's assertion of independence from monarchical control. In the same year, French merchant initiated the Waldensian movement in by distributing his wealth and advocating a return to and direct scriptural interpretation, criticizing clerical corruption and amassing followers who translated the into vernacular languages. This pre-Reformation dissenting group emphasized lay preaching and simplicity, gaining papal condemnation by 1184 but marking an early challenge to established Catholic hierarchy amid growing calls for reform. In the Islamic world, Nur ad-Din Zengi consolidated power by assuming control of following his brother Qutb ad-Din's death in May 1170, enhancing Sunni unity against through propaganda, construction, and military campaigns that pressured the Kingdom of Jerusalem under Amalric I. As a devout ruler, Nur ad-Din's and administrative reforms, including of scholars, fortified orthodox Islam's resistance to Frankish incursions, setting the stage for further Zengid expansions.

Folklore and Legends

Following the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket on December 29, 1170, in Canterbury Cathedral, accounts of miraculous events rapidly emerged, forming the basis of his hagiographical legends. Reports of healings and supernatural occurrences at the murder site and his tomb began almost immediately, attributed to Becket's intercession as a martyr. These narratives, documented by Canterbury Cathedral's monks, portrayed Becket as a powerful saint capable of divine intervention, contributing to widespread popular devotion. Monastic chroniclers, including William of Canterbury and Benedict of Peterborough, compiled extensive records of these purported miracles starting in 1171. Between them, they cataloged approximately 703 cases, encompassing cures for severe afflictions such as , blindness, , and , as well as instances of protection from harm and restoration of life. These accounts, while serving the cathedral's interests in promoting Becket's , drew from eyewitness testimonies and pilgrim reports, reflecting medieval beliefs in saintly . The legends emphasized the efficacy of relics associated with , particularly vials of his distributed as ampullae to pilgrims, believed to possess properties. Stories proliferated of individuals recovering after applying or consuming the , or through vows made at his , reinforcing his status as a protector against royal tyranny and injustice. Such folklore not only accelerated by on February 21, 1173, but also transformed into a major pilgrimage center, embedding the martyr's lore in English . Beyond healings, some tales incorporated supernatural elements, such as visions of Becket or divine retribution against his assassins, who reportedly suffered gruesome deaths or penances. These narratives, though embellished for devotional purposes by clerical authors, captured folk traditions of martyrdom and sanctity prevalent in 12th-century Europe. The rapid accrual of miracle stories underscores how Becket's violent death catalyzed a blend of historical event and legendary amplification, influencing subsequent medieval literature and piety.

Births

Notable Births

Leonardo Fibonacci (c. 1170 – after 1240) was an Italian born in , renowned for introducing the modern and the to via his 1202 work , which detailed practical arithmetic applications including the sequence now named after him. Saint Dominic (1170–1221), born Domingo de Guzmán in Caleruega, Castile (modern ), established the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) in 1216 to combat heresy through preaching and education, emphasizing poverty, study, and itinerant ministry. Valdemar II (1170–1241), born in , , succeeded as king in 1202 and expanded Danish influence across the through conquests in and , earning the epithet "the Victorious" after key battles like Lyndanisse in 1219.

Deaths

Notable Deaths

Albert I, known as "the Bear" (c. 1100 – 18 November 1170), first of from 1157, died at approximately 70 years of age. He expanded the Ascanian dynasty's influence in the region through conquests and Christianization efforts in the Slavic territories east of the Elbe River. Owain Gwynedd (c. 1100 – 28 November 1170), King of in northern , died around age 70. He consolidated power among Welsh princes, resisting English incursions under Henry II, and maintained as a major principality until his death. Thomas Becket (c. 1118 – 29 December 1170), since 1162, was murdered at age 52 in by four knights—Reginald FitzUrse, Hugh de Morville, , and —acting on what they interpreted as King Henry II's command amid ongoing church-state conflicts over clerical privileges and trials. The assassination, occurring during , involved multiple blows to the head, leading to his immediate death on the cathedral steps; it provoked widespread outrage, contributed to Becket's rapid in 1173, and forced Henry into public penance.

References

  1. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/who-killed-thomas-becket
  2. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Thomas-Becket/
  3. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/thomas-becket-murder-shook-middle-ages
  4. https://www.onthisday.com/date/1170
  5. https://www.westminster-abbey.org/history/coronations-at-the-abbey/coronation-stories/
  6. https://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/subjects/history/history-the-full-story/norman-ireland-medieval-i/
  7. https://warhistory.org/%40msw/article/strongbow-and-the-invasion-of-ireland-ii
  8. https://www.historyonthenet.com/henry-ii-timeline
  9. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-II-king-of-England
  10. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/december-29/the-making-of-an-english-martyr
  11. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zmc6m39
  12. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zgmxfdm
  13. https://www.libraryireland.com/biography/RichardDeClareStrongbow.php
  14. https://gript.ie/on-this-day-23-august-1170-arrival-of-strongbow-3/
  15. https://www.military-history.org/fact-file/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-norman-conquest-of-ireland.htm
  16. https://www.timeref.com/episodes/conquest_of_ireland.htm
  17. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2003JB002523
  18. https://deadseaquake.info/EarthquakeCatalogOfTheDeadSea/1170CEQuake.html
  19. https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_darum_1170.html
  20. https://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_ayla_1170.html
  21. https://history-maps.com/warmap/crusades/event/siege-of-ayla
  22. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1384/saladin--the-unification-of-the-muslim-front-1169/
  23. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Almohad_Dynasty
  24. https://oxfordre.com/africanhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277734.001.0001/acrefore-9780190277734-e-1285
  25. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Goryeo-dynasty
  26. https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/books/edited-volume/626/chapter-pdf/978988/i978-0-8137-2471-3-59.pdf
  27. https://www.academia.edu/13409380/The_large_earthquake_on_29_June_1170_Syria_Lebanon_and_central_southern_Turkey_
  28. https://www.usgs.gov/publications/1170-and-1202-ce-dead-sea-rift-earthquakes-and-long-term-magnitude-distribution-dead
  29. https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/bitstreams/fd454afa-ded0-43a4-bb5d-e32545c74b34/download
  30. https://www.bogan.ca/astro/occultations/1170occl.htm
  31. https://celestiaproject.space/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1525
  32. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/becket.htm
  33. https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103S6P
  34. https://museeprotestant.org/en/notice/a-history-of-the-waldensians/
  35. http://www.waldensian.info/other-documents/WaldensianHistory.pdf
  36. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nur-al-Din
  37. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/crusades-complete-history
  38. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Miracles-Of-St-Thomas-Becket/
  39. https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/thomas-becket-murder-and-making-saint
  40. https://www.exploringbuildinghistory.co.uk/the-cult-of-st-thomas-becket-murder-miracles-a-challenge-to-royal-authority/
  41. https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Fibonacci/
  42. https://faith.nd.edu/saint/st-dominic/
  43. https://www.guideservicedanmark.dk/history-time/valdemar-the-victorious
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