The so-called Pueblo Bonito, a large, freestanding,…

Nomadic tribes constantly threaten China's borders.

The eleventh century-Jurchen tribes of northern Manchuria had descended from the Tungusic Mohe, or Malgal tribes who had been subjects of the ethnically Goguryeo/Balhae state during the Tang era.

By the eleventh century, the nomadic Jurchens, who inhabit the region of present Manchuria, had become vassals of the Khitan Liao Dynasty to the south.

This changes in 1114-1115, when the Jurchen chieftain Wanyan Aguda, having unified his people, abruptly severs relations with his Liao overlord, declares himself Emperor, and leads his tribesmen in a sweeping conquest of southern Manchuria, quickly seizing Shangjing, also known as Huanglongfu, the Northern Capital of Liao.

As the Jurzhen attack from the north, the Han Chinese of the Song imperium attack the Khitans, their longtime enemies, from the south.

Huizong’s misguided alliance against the Khitan Liao with the Jurzhen and their subsequent treachery will result in the Song court’s total loss of North China.

Duke Boleslaw III of Poland, who had blinded his rebellious brother, Zbigniew, causing his death, "undertook a journey of pilgrimage to St. Gilles and St. Stephen the King" —that is to the Somogyvár Abbey and to the holy king's shrine at Székesfehérvár in Hungary—in 1113.

Coloman had received the Polish monarch cordially in Somogyvár Shortly afterwards—between 1113 and 1115—Coloman had discovered that his brother, Álmos, was again conspiring to seize the throne.

Having lost his patience, Coloman has Álmos and Álmos's young son, Béla, blinded in order to secure a peaceful succession for his own son.

On the same occasion, many of his brother's partisans are likewise mutilated.

Roger, the son of Prince Richard of Salerno, who had succeeded his uncle Tancred as regent of Antioch in 1112, forestalls a Seljuq Turkish attempt to reconquer Syria by his victory in the Battle of Sarmin on September 14, 1115.

Baldwin leads an expedition into Oultrejordain in 1115 and builds the castle of Montreal.

Originally called 'Krak de Montreal' or 'Mons Regalis', it is named in honor of the king's own contribution to its construction (Mont Royal).

It is strategically located on a hill on the plain of Edom, along the pilgrimage and caravan routes from Syria to Arabia.

This allows Baldwin to control the commerce of the area, as pilgrims and merchants need permission to travel past it.

It is surrounded by relatively fertile land, and two cisterns are carved into the hill, with a long, steep staircase leading to springs within the hill itself.

The Syrian Christians who live in the area are invited to settle in Jerusalem to replenish the population, which had been mostly massacred in 1099.

Venice, strategically positioned at the head of the Adriatic, has from the ninth century developed into a city state (an Italian thalassocracy or Repubblica Marinara, the other three being Genoa, Pisa, and Amalfi).

The city has become a flourishing trade center between Western Europe and the rest of the world, especially the Roman Empire of Constantinople and the Islamic world.

At the beginning of the twelfth century, the foundations of Venice's naval and commercial power begin to be laid: the state naval yard known as the Arsenal has been under construction in 1104.

The joining of the Croatian and Hungarian crowns in 1102 has automatically made Venice and Hungary rivals for domination of Dalmatia.

Hungary seeks access to the sea, while Venice wishes to secure its trade routes to the eastern Mediterranean and to use Dalmatian timber for shipbuilding.

From 1115 (and lasting until 1420), the two powers will wage twenty-one wars for control of the region and Dalmatian cities will change hands repeatedly.

The March of Tuscany, a northern Italian polity dating to the early ninth century, had in 1027 been granted to the House of Canossa.

Boniface III, who had used the title dux et marchio (duke and margrave), had been an ally of the Holy Roman Emperors, but his power was so great that he had threatened that of the emperors in Italy.

He had united the Canossa inheritance, which was largely in the Emilia, to Tuscany and had passed it on to his daughter Matilda, called la Gran Contessa or the Great Countess.

Beside her vast Emilian allods, Tuscany, held in feudal tenure, is her greatest possession and she has wielded it to the benefit of the Papacy in the Investiture Controversy.

After Matilda's death in 1115, no further margraves will be appointed and the era of the feudal princes has passed in northern Italy, to be replaced by the dominance of the city-states, maritime republics and communes.

Florence, which now becomes governed by an autonomous commune, begins to evolve as a commercial power.

Bernard of Clairvaux: The Cistercian Leader and Future Voice of Conservatism (1115 CE)

In 1115, the twenty-five-year-old Bernard, a Cistercian monk since 1113, was chosen abbot of Clairvaux, a newly founded daughter house of Cîteaux. Known thereafter as Bernard of Clairvaux, his forceful personality, spiritual devotion, and ascetic discipline drew numerous recruits to the reforming Cistercian monastic order, making him one of the most influential religious figures of the twelfth century.

Bernard and the Expansion of the Cistercian Order

• As abbot, Bernard established Clairvaux as a model of Cistercian reform, emphasizing simplicity, poverty, and strict monastic discipline, in contrast to the more opulent Cluniac tradition.
• His leadership helped fuel the rapid expansion of the Cistercian movement, as his reputation for holiness and theological rigor attracted new monks.
• Clairvaux became one of the most influential monasteries in medieval Europe, spreading Cistercian idealsacross the continent.

The Leading Voice of Religious Conservatism

Bernard would go on to play a crucial role as a conservative force in the intellectual revival of Western Europeknown as the Renaissance of the Twelfth Century:

• He opposed the rise of Scholasticism, which sought to reconcile reason with faith, clashing particularly with Peter Abelard, whom he condemned at the Council of Sens (1141).
• He emphasized mysticism and monastic spirituality over rational theological inquiry, reinforcing a traditionalist approach to religious thought.
• His writings on theology, devotion, and monastic life shaped medieval spirituality and influenced later mystics.

Political and Ecclesiastical Influence

• The Schism of 1130 – Bernard’s authority was instrumental in resolving the papal schism, ensuring victory for Pope Innocent II over the rival Antipope Anacletus II.
• The Second Crusade (1147–1149) – He became the most influential advocate of the Second Crusade, preaching across Europe and rallying support for the campaign.
• The Veneration of the Virgin Mary – Bernard was a key proponent of the growing Marian devotion in the medieval Church, shaping Catholic piety for centuries.

Legacy and Canonization

Bernard of Clairvaux’s impact on monasticism, theology, and medieval society was profound:

• He was canonized as a saint in 1174, only twenty-one years after his death.
• In 1830, he was declared a Doctor of the Church, recognizing his contributions to Catholic theology and mysticism.
• His writings and influence remain foundational in Cistercian spirituality and Christian mysticism.

Through his spiritual leadership, theological conservatism, and political influence, Bernard of Clairvaux shaped twelfth-century Christendom, leaving a legacy that endured far beyond his time.

The Siege of Castillon and the Communal Struggle in Amiens (1115–1117 CE)

On Palm Sunday, 1115, King Louis VI of France arrived in Amiens to support both the bishop and the town’s inhabitants in their ongoing conflict with Enguerrand I of Coucy, one of his rebellious vassals. The dispute arose after Enguerrand refused to recognize a charter of communal privileges, which granted the people of Amiens greater self-governance.

Louis VI and the Defense of Communal Liberties

By the early twelfth century, many French towns sought to establish communes, freeing themselves from feudal control and asserting their own local governance. The granting of a communal charter to Amiens was part of a broader movement that Louis VI had cautiously supported, aiming to curb feudal disorder and strengthen royal authority over unruly vassals like Enguerrand I of Coucy.

When Enguerrand rejected the charter, he launched punitive raids against the city from his fortress of Castillon, dominating the surrounding countryside through military pressure.

The Siege of Castillon (1115–1117)

Determined to uphold the charter, Louis VI arrived with an army and joined the citizens of Amiens in besieging Castillon, the seemingly impregnable fortress from which Enguerrand had been harassing the city.

• During the siege, the king was struck by an arrow in his hauberk (chainmail armor) but remained unharmed.
• Despite the strength of Castillon’s defenses, the siege continued for two years, gradually wearing down the defenders.
• By 1117, the fortress fell to royal forces, marking a decisive victory for Louis VI and reinforcing his authority over rebellious nobles.

Significance and Legacy

• Victory for Communal Liberties – The success at Castillon reinforced the right of Amiens to maintain its communal privileges, signaling royal support for urban self-governance under the Capetians.
• Curbing Feudal Rebellions – By defeating Enguerrand I of Coucy, Louis VI weakened the autonomy of warlike vassals, furthering his long-term efforts to assert central royal power.
• A King of War and Governance – The siege cemented Louis VI’s reputation as a militant monarch, willing to personally lead campaigns to defend both his vassals’ rights and his own authority.

The fall of Castillon in 1117 was another step in Louis VI’s lifelong struggle against the "robber barons" of France, reinforcing his role as a protector of both the monarchy and emerging urban communities.

Henry I’s Attempt to Secure William Adelin’s Succession in Normandy (1115 CE)

By 1115, King Henry I of England sought to secure the succession of his only legitimate son, William Adelin, as Duke of Normandy, ensuring the continued union of England and Normandy under the House of Normandy. To accomplish this, he attempted to gain formal recognition from King Louis VI of France, the Capetian overlord of the duchy.

The Homage Proposal and Norman Support

• Henry crossed into Normandy in 1115 and assembled the Norman barons, requiring them to swear loyalty to William Adelin as the rightful heir to the duchy.
• As Duke of Normandy, Henry still owed feudal homage to the King of France, and he sought to legitimize his son's inheritance by negotiating a formal settlement with Louis VI.
• In exchange for Louis’s recognition of William Adelin, Henry offered a substantial payment, hoping to dissuade the Capetians from backing any rival claimants.

The Failure of Negotiations and the Capetian Response

• Initially, negotiations between Henry I and Louis VI appeared close to a resolution, with Louis considering the financial compensation in return for recognizing William as Duke of Normandy.
• However, the deal collapsed, as Louis VI ultimately sided with Baldwin VII of Flanders, a staunch Capetian ally, and rejected Henry’s proposal.
• Instead, Louis declared William Clito, the son of Robert Curthose and Henry’s imprisoned elder brother, as the rightful Duke of Normandy.

Consequences and Renewed Conflict

• Henry’s failure to secure Capetian recognition meant that William Clito became a serious rival, as his claim to Normandy was now backed by the King of France and the Count of Flanders.
• This diplomatic breakdown intensified the Anglo-Norman conflict with France, as Louis VI actively worked to undermine Henry’s authority in Normandy.
• The rivalry over Normandy’s succession would persist for years to come, culminating in military clashes between Henry I and Capetian-backed forces, shaping the broader struggle for dominance in Atlantic West Europe.

Despite Henry’s political maneuvering, Louis VI’s support for William Clito marked the beginning of a prolonged Capetian-Norman rivalry, foreshadowing the tensions that would define Anglo-French relations throughout the 12th and 13th centuries.

Emperor Henry's ruthless extension of his power in Germany has produced opposition and revolt, led from 1114 by Adalbert of Mainz and Lothair, duke of Saxony, his former ally.

Lothair had risen in arms against Henry in 1112, but had been easily quelled.

A quarrel in 1113 over the succession to the counties of Weimar and Orlamünde, however, had given occasion for a fresh outbreak on the part of Lothair, whose troops had been defeated at the Battle of Warnstadt, though the duke was soon pardoned.

Having been married at Mainz on January 7, 1114 to the twelve-year-old Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, to whom he has been betrothed for four years, the twenty-seven-year-old emperor is confronted with a further rising, initiated by the citizens of Cologne, who are soon joined by the Saxons and others.

Henry fails to take Cologne, and his forces had been defeated on February 11, 1115, at the Battle of Welfesholz, denying Henry the power to rule Saxony.