1209

By area

Asia

• Genghis Khan conquers Western Xia.
• The army of the Kingdom of Georgia raids the Muslim principalities in north Iran.

  Europe

• The Albigensian Crusade is launched against the Cathars.
• * July 22 - Massacre at Béziers: Simon de Monfort, leader of the Crusade, sacks Béziers, killing many Cathars and Catholics alike.
• * August - Simon de Monfort takes over Carcassonne.
• May - The First Parliament of Ravennika is held in Greece.
• June - Treaty of Sapienza: the Republic of Venice recognizes the possession of the Peloponnese by the Prince of Achaea, Geoffrey I of Villehardouin, and keeps only the fortresses of Modon and Coron.
• November - John of England is excommunicated by Pope Innocent III. Despite the excommunication, John will continue to make amends to the Church, including giving alms to the poor whenever he defiles a holy day by hunting during it. This year, he feeds a hundred paupers to make up for when he "went into the woods on the feast of St. Mary Magdalen", and three years from now, he will feast 450 paupers "because the king went to take cranes, and he took nine, for each of which he feasted fifty paupers."
• London Bridge is completed.
• Black Monday, Dublin: A group of 500 recently arrived settlers from Bristol are massacred by warriors of the Gaelic O'Byrne clan. The group leaves the safety of the walled city of Dublin to celebrate Easter Monday near a wood at Ranelagh, and are attacked without warning. Although in modern times a relatively obscure event in history, it is commemorated by a mustering of the Mayor, Sheriffs and soldiers on the day, as a challenge to the native tribes for centuries afterwards.

  By topic

Education

• Cambridge University is founded.

  Markets

• Philippe Auguste of France grants a "conduit" to merchants going to the Champagne fairs, guaranteeing the safety of their travel, as any attempt made against them is now to be considered as a crime of lese-majesty. The decision increases again the appeal of the fairs, to merchants from Italy and the Low Countries.
• The banking firm known as the Gran Tavola is formed; most of the partners are members of the Bonsignori Family.

  Religion

• The Franciscan Order is founded.