April 15 – A fire breaks out in the
Song Chinese capital city of
Hangzhou, raging for four days and nights, destroying 58,097 houses over an area of more than 3 miles (4.8 km), killing 59 people, and an unrecorded number of other people, who are trampled while attempting to flee. The government provides temporary lodging for 5,345 people, in nearby
Buddhist and
Taoist monasteries. The collective victims of the disaster are given 160,000 strings of cash, along with 400 tons of rice. Some of the government officials who lose their homes take up residence in rented
boathouses on the nearby
West Lake.
January 31 –
Battle of Lena: Swedish forces under King
Eric X defeat the invading Danish army (some 12,000 men). King
Sverker II ("the Younger") is deposed as king of
Sweden and is succeeded by Eric X.
March 24 – Innocent III places
England under
a Papal Interdict, as punishment for
John, King of England ("Lackland")'s refusal to accept
Stephen Langton as archbishop of
Canterbury. During the interdict, religious services as
marriages, burials, or baptisms cannot be performed.[2] John confiscates church property of clergy who are unwilling to conduct services. Many bishops in the country flee abroad to the
Continent.[3]
Robert of Courçon, an English cardinal, writes his Summa – devoted to questions of
canon law and ethics – dealing at length with the question of
usury.