1289

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political events

Pope Nicholas IV takes office February 22. Charles the Lame meets with him at Rieti, and the new pope absolves Charles of the promises that he made to the king of Aragon; the pontiff crowns Charles king of Sicily and excommunicates Alfonso III as Charles of Valois prepares to seize Aragon in alliance with Castile and León.

The Battle of Campaldino June 11 pits pro-papal against pro-imperial forces in an engagement between Florence and Arezzo (see 1287). Guelph partisans from Arezzo have incited the Florentines against the Ghibellines, and Florence has enlisted the support of its allies at Bologna, Lucca, and Pistoia, who are bolstered also by a small contingent sent by the Guelph party leader Charles II of Naples, but Florence's Guelphs soon split into factions (see 1302).

Floris V, count of Holland, takes over the territory of the West Frisians to expand his realm (see 1296; Amsterdam, 1275).

Tripoli on the coast of Asia Minor falls April 29 to Qalaun, caliph of Egypt (see Acre, 1291).

The Byzantine emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus assumes the throne after a 7-year regency to begin a 39-year reign.

The Mongols in Burma dethrone the son of the late Narathihapate and install a puppet ruler, ending the Pagan dynasty as they consolidate their control of the country (see 1287).

religion

The College of Cardinals elects Girolamo Cardinal Masci February 22 to succeed the late Pope Honorius IV, who died in 1287; now 60, the new pontiff will reign until 1292 as Nicholas IV.

The Greek Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople Gregory II (George of Cyprus) retires under pressure to a monastery early in the year after a 6-year reign in which he has antagonized both opponents and supporters of a reunification of the Latin and Greek churches. Virulent and persistent attacks by his predecessor John XI Beechus have helped bring about Gregory's deposition (and led to John's deportation to a remote area of Nicomedia); the Byzantine emperor Andronicus II Paleologus chooses as Gregory's successor the anti-unionist monk Athanasius, who will reign until 1310 as Athanasius I, thwarting efforts to reunite the Latin and Greek Orthodox churches and provoking such opposition from the clergy that he will be permitted to resign and then restored to office (see 1307).

education

France's University of Montpelier has its beginnings.

communications, media

Block printing is employed for the first time in Europe at Ravenna (see Korea, 1234; China, 1313).

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