1108

Events

By place

Europe

• Spring – King Sigurd I sails from England, on the Norwegian Crusade to Palestine. He repels a Muslim fleet near the Tagus River, then attacks Sintra, Lisbon and Alcácer do Sal, and finally defeats a second Muslim fleet further south.
• May 29 – Battle of Uclés: Almoravid forces defeat the armies of Castile and León. The advance of the Reconquista is halted, and the Berbers re-capture the towns of Uclés, Cuenca, Huete and Ocaña. The Christians, many of nobility, are beheaded.
• July 29 – King Philip I dies at Melun, after a 48-year reign. He is succeeded by his son Louis VI, who, at the start of his rule, faces insurrections from feudal brigands and rebellious robber barons.
• September – Siege of Dyrrhachium: Italo-Norman forces under Bohemond I lift the siege due to illness and lack of supplies. Bohemond becomes a vassal of the Byzantine Empire by signing the Treaty of Devol.
• Autumn – The Principality of Nitra ceases to exist, after King Coloman of Hungary, deposes its last ruler, Álmos, duke of Croatia.
• The consuls of Bergamo are first mentioned, indicating that the city has become an independent commune in Lombardy (Northern Italy).

Levant

• Summer – Jawali Saqawa, Turkish ruler of Mosul, accepts a ransom of 30,000 dinar by Count Joscelin I and releases his cousin Baldwin II, count of Edessa, who is held as prisoner (see 1104).
• Baldwin I marches out against Sidon, with the support of a squadron of sailor-adventurers from various Italian cities. A Fatimid fleet from Egypt defeats the Italians in a sea-battle outside the harbour.

Asia

• The Taira and Minamoto clans join forces to rule Japan, after defeating the warrior monks of the Enryaku-ji temple near Kyoto. The Taira replace many Fujiwara nobles in important offices – while the Minamoto gain more military experience by bringing parts of Northern Honshu under Japanese control (approximate date).

By topic

Religion

• Chichester Cathedral is consecrated under Ralph de Luffa, bishop of Chichester, in England.
• Construction begins on the tower of Winchester Cathedral, building continues until 1120.
• Pistoia Cathedral in Italy is damaged by a severe fire.
• June 13 – Restored Ferentino Cathedral in Italy is consecrated.

Births

• Andronikos Komnenos, Byzantine prince (d. 1142) (approximate date)
• Baldwin IV, count of Hainaut (d. 1171)
• Bohemond II, Italo-Norman prince of Antioch (d. 1130) (approximate date)
• Derbforgaill, Irish princess (d. 1193)
• Henry the Proud, duke of Bavaria (d. 1139) (approximate date)
• Leopold the Generous, duke of Bavaria (d. 1141) (approximate date)

Deaths

• January 4 – Gertrude, Grand Princess of Kiev
• March 7 – Gundulf, Norman bishop of Rochester (b. c.1024)
• March 18 – Abe no Munetō, Japanese samurai (b. 1032)
• May 21 – Gerard, Norman archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England
• May 29
  • García Ordóñez, Castilian nobleman
  • Sancho Alfónsez, Castilian nobleman
• July 5 – Guy of Hauteville, Italo-Norman diplomat
• July 29 – Philip I, king of France
• Summer – Urse d'Abetot, Norman sheriff of Worcestershire
• November 15 – Enrico Contarini, bishop of Castello
• García Álvarez, Castilian official and military leader
• Gonzalo, bishop of Mondoñedo (approximate date)
• Gregory III, count of Tusculum (approximate date)
• Guy II the Red of Rochefort, French nobleman and crusader
• Veera Ballala I, Indian ruler of the Hoysala Empire
• Wang, Chinese empress consort of the Song dynasty (b. 1084)

References

References

1. Picard, Christophe. (1997). "La mer et les musulmans d'Occident au Moyen Age". Presses Universitaires de France.
2. McGrank, Lawrence. (1981). "Norman crusaders and the Catalan reconquest: Robert Burdet and the principality of Tarragona 1129-55". Journal of Medieval History.
3. Kleinhenz, Christopher. (2004). "Medieval Italy: an encyclopedia, Volume 1". Routledge.
4. [[Steven Runciman]] (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem'', p. 90. {{ISBN. 978-0-241-29876-3.
5. Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem'', p. 74. {{ISBN. 978-0-241-29876-3.