1185

Year 1185: A Year of Turmoil and Transition

The year 1185 (MCLXXXV) marked a significant chapter in history as a common year that commenced on a Tuesday according to the Julian calendar.

Events by Place

Byzantine Empire

• August – King William II of Sicily, known as “the Good,” lands in Epirus with a formidable Siculo-Norman army comprising 200 ships and 80,000 men, including 5,000 knights. He advances to the Byzantine city of Thessaloniki, capturing and pillaging it, resulting in the massacre of approximately 7,000 Greek citizens.
• September 11–12 – A revolt led by Isaac II Angelos occurs in Constantinople, leading to the deposition of Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos. Andronikos attempts to escape to Asia but is apprehended and killed by an irate mob. Isaac is subsequently proclaimed emperor, signaling the end of the Komnenos Dynasty.
• November 7 – In the Battle of Demetritzes, a bolstered Byzantine army commanded by Alexios Branas decisively defeats William II, thus terminating his invasion of the Byzantine Empire. Thessaloniki is reclaimed, and the Normans are forced back to Italy, suffering significant losses as many ships are destroyed by storms.
• A revolt by Peter and Ivan Asen leads to the uprising of the Vlachs and Bulgars against the Byzantine Empire, culminating in the establishment of the Second Bulgarian Empire.

Levant

• March 16 – The Leper King, Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, dies after a decade-long reign, leaving his 8-year-old nephew, Baldwin V, as his successor under the regency of Count Raymond of Tripoli. The child-king becomes embroiled in the political struggles between his mother, Sibylla of Jerusalem, and half-sister, Isabella I.
• In light of severe drought and famine afflicting Palestine, Saladin agrees to a four-year truce. The treaty, signed by Count Raymond of Tripoli and prominent nobles, restores trade relations between the Crusader States and their Muslim counterparts, ameliorating the situation through the influx of corn from the east.

British Isles

• April 25 – The first expedition of Prince John to Ireland is launched by his father, King Henry II of England. Accompanied by 300 knights and a cadre of administrators, John attempts to assert English dominance, landing at Waterford. His disdain for local Irish customs and failure to ally with Anglo-Norman settlers leads to his eventual defeat, prompting a hasty return to England in December. Nevertheless, he is later named ‘King of Ireland’ by Pope Urban III.
• April 15 – The East Midlands earthquake occurs, marking the first recorded earthquake in England, which devastates Lincoln Cathedral.

Europe

• July – The Treaty of Boves is signed by King Philip II of France, consolidating his control over territories like Amiénois and Artois, earning him the title “Augustus”.
• August 15 – The cave monastery of Vardzia is consecrated by Queen Tamar of Georgia, who also marries Yury Bogolyubsky, Grand Prince of Novgorod.
• September – Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, returns to Germany after a three-year exile imposed by Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor.
• December 6 – The death of King Afonso I of Portugal, known as “the Great,” ends his 36-year reign. He is succeeded by his son, Sancho I, dubbed “the Populator.”

Africa

The Almohad forces, led by Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur, successfully reconquer Béjaïa and Algiers, which had fallen to the Banu Ghaniya, descendants of the Almoravids.

Asia

• March 22 – In the Battle of Yashima, forces under Minamoto no Yoshitsune triumph over the Taira clan, securing a significant naval victory.
• April 25 – The Battle of Dan-no-Ura sees the Japanese fleet, commanded by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, decisively defeat the Taira clan, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict.
• December – Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa empowers Minamoto no Yoritomo to establish Japan’s first bakufu (shogunate), effectively concluding the Genpei War.

Notable Events by Topic

Astronomy

May 1 – A solar eclipse, visible across Central America and parts of Europe and Kazakhstan, occurs.

Markets