By place Levant • Spring – A Fatimid expeditionary force (some 20,000 men) invades
Palestine and launches attacks into the
Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Crusaders defeat a Fatimid rearguard near
Ascalon, and capture the city after a 3-year siege. The Crusaders capture
Caesarea Maritima with support of the Genoese fleet. A number of
Genoese trading colonies are established along the Mediterranean coast. •
Siege of Tripoli: The Crusaders under
Raymond IV begin the siege of
Tripoli (modern
Lebanon). The garrison calls for assistance, but a Seljuk relief army from
Damascus and
Homs is defeated by Raymond. •
May 17 –
Battle of Ramla: The Crusaders (500 knights) under King
Baldwin I are defeated by the Fatimid army at
Ramla (modern
Israel). Baldwin and his companions escape through the enemy lines to
Arsuf. •
May 27 – The Crusaders under Baldwin I break their way out of
Jaffa, which is encircled by the Fatimid Army. A charge of the French cavalry breaks the enemy's ranks, and forces them to retreat to
Ascalon. • Raymond IV is imprisoned by
Tancred, nephew of
Bohemond I, and
regent of the
Principality of Antioch (he is later released after promising to denounce any claims). •
Dagobert of Pisa is briefly deposed as
Patriarch of Jerusalem (he is restored later in the year). • The
Venetians establish a new trade emporium in
Sidon (modern Lebanon).
Europe •
May 5 – The short-lived principality created by
Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar ends:
Valencia is captured by
Almoravid forces under Sultan
Yusuf ibn Tashfin. It is later recaptured, evacuated and burned by King
Alfonso VI. •
June 4 –
Władysław I Herman, duke of
Poland, dies at
Płock (possibly poisoned by his enemies) after a 23-year reign. He leaves the succession to be disputed between his sons
Zbigniew and
Bolesław III Wrymouth. • The
Pacta Conventa formed by the
Croatian nobility, recognize King
Coloman as their overlord, initiating the personal union between the two kingdoms. Coloman is crowned king of
Croatia (until
1116).
England • King
Henry I captures
Arundel Castle after having besieged Earl
Robert of Bellême. Robert loses his English lands (as did his brothers
Roger the Poitevin and
Arnulf de Montgomery) and is banished to
Normandy.
By topic Religion •
Council of London: A church council convened by
Anselm, archbishop of
Canterbury, bans
sodomy and the sale of Christian slaves to non-Christian countries, and reforms the
clergy. • Henry I orders the tomb of
Edward the Confessor be opened; the body of the former king is supposedly found undecayed. The
Westminster monks start to claim Edward as a saint. == Births ==