1232


Year 1232 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.

Events

By place

Europe

  • June 15 - Battle of Agridi: The Cypriot army under King Henry I defeats the Lombard forces of Emperor Frederick II. After the battle, John of Beirut, hires 13 Genoese war-galleys to aid in the siege of Kyrenia.
  • July 16 - Muhammad I is elected as ruler of the Taifa of Arjona. He revolts against Ibn Hud, the independent ruler of Al-Andalus, and takes control of the city, beginning the foundation of the Nasrid dynasty.

    England

  • July 29 - King Henry III dismisses his justiciar and regent Hubert de Burgh, and replaces him with the Frenchmen Peter des Roches and Peter de Rivaux, thereby irritating his barons.
  • Peter de Rivaux, nephew of Peter des Roches, is made Lord Treasurer of Henry III's household and keeper of the king's wardrobe. This moves him into an important position for controlling the king's affairs.
  • The Domus Conversorum, a building and institution in London for Jewish converts to Christianity, is established by Henry III.

    Africa

  • The Almohad army besieges the city of Ceuta, where Abu Musa, rebellious brother of Caliph Idris al-Ma'mun, has received shelter and the support of the population. The Genoese rent a part of their fleet to the rebels, who successfully resist the forces of the caliph. The consequences of this revolt are threefold: the city becomes de facto independent from the Almohads, but its reliance on the Italian maritime powers increases, and the Trans-Saharan trade routes begin to shift eastward, due to the local turmoil.

    Mongol Empire

  • February 9 - Battle of Sanfengshan: The Mongol army defeats the Chinese Jin forces near Yuzhou. General Subutai successfully wipes out the last field army of the Jin dynasty – therefore sealing its fate of falling to the Mongol Empire. During the encounter, also called the Battle of the Three-Peak Mountain, Emperor Aizong of Jin orders the Jin army to intercept the Mongols. The Jin soldiers are constantly harassed by small groups of Mongol cavalry on the way. When they arrive at Sanfeng Mountain, the Jin army is hungry and exhausted by heavy snowfall. The Jin forces are quickly defeated by the Mongols and flee in all directions.
  • April 8 - Mongol–Jin War: The Mongol army led by Ögedei Khan and his brother Tolui begins the Siege of Kaifeng, capital of the Chinese Jin dynasty. During the summer, the Jurchens try to end the siege by negotiating a peace treaty, but the assassination of a Mongol embassy makes further talks impossible. While the negotiations are going on, a plague is devastating the population of the city. In the meantime, supplies stored at Kaifeng are running out, and several residents of the city are executed on the suspicion that they are traitors.
  • June - Mongol invasion of Korea: Choe Woo, Korean military dictator of Goryeo, orders against the pleas of King Gojong and his senior officials, the royal court, and most of Songdo's population to be moved to Ganghwa Island. Woo starts the construction of strong defenses on Ganghwa Island, which becomes a fortress. The government orders the common people to flee the countryside and take refuge in major cities, mountain citadels, or nearby islands. The Mongols occupy much of northern Korea, but fail to capture Ganghwa Island.
  • December 16 - Battle of Cheoin: Korean forces defeat a Mongol attack at Cheoin. The Mongol Empire concludes a peace treaty with Goryeo and withdraws its forces.

    Japan

  • August 27 - The Goseibai Shikimoku code of law is promulgated.
  • November 17 - Emperor Go-Horikawa abdicates in favor of his 1-year-old son, Shijō, after an 11-year reign. Because he is very young, most of the actual leadership is held by his relatives.

    By topic

Literature