Certainty: 0 Death of Bernard, bishop of Sidon; Amalric chosen in his place. Bernard, bishop of Sidon, died around the time of the siege of Askalon. Amalric, abbot of the regular canons of the Premonstratensian order in the monastery of St Habakkuk, or St Joseph of Arimatheia, was chosen to take his place. Since during the siege of Askalon nobody was allowed to go far from the besieged town, Amalric is said to have been consecrated as bishop in the church at Lydda
Certainty: 3 The Parthenon inscriptions record the death on January 18 of Leon Xeros, metropolitan of Athens. Leon Xeros, metropolitan of Athens, is recorded in the Parthenon inscriptions as having died on January 18
Certainty: 3 Baldwin III raided Askalon, then decided to besiege it: the list of attackers. In the enthusiasm of victory over the Hiaroquin, the barons of Jerusalem decided to damage their greatest enemies by seeking to destroy the orchards around Askalon. But when they arrived, they found the enemy were terrified and reluctant to come outside the walls, so they resolved on a siege, and gathered their full army. Baldwin III and Fulcher the patriarch collected all the magnates of the kingdom, ecclesiastical and lay, and they camped around Askalon; they bound themselves by solemn oath not to abandon the siege till the city was taken, supported by the True Cross. At least ten ecclesiastical lords and nine lay lords are listed as having been present
Certainty: 2 Geza II revolted briefly, but was immediately overawed by Manuel's approach & sued for peace.
Certainty: 2 Manuel found & repaired some old ships, making Geza sue for peace.
Certainty: 2 Geza punished some Hungarian women for a song.
Certainty: 2 Siege of Askalon: the first five months. Baldwin III, the patriarch Fulcher and Peter, archbishop of Tyre, together with the other commanders, pitched tents and blockaded the city by land, assaulting its massive walls and a population of defenders twice the number of the attackers. They built a very high tower of wood and organised skilful protection for it and those fighting on it. Gerard of Sidon commanding the small flotilla of fifteen ships tried to control access to the city by sea. Around Easter a large number of pilgrims appeared, and they and their ships were conscripted compulsorily by Baldwin for the siege, with pay, strengthening the besiegers and raising Christian morale, while depressing that of the Egyptians. The Egyptian authorities took steps to help the defence, and in the fifth month sent a fleet of 70 huge ships with reinforcements and equipment. They soon overcame Gerard of Sidon's few vessels. The city was resupplied and the balance of morale reversed
Certainty: 2 Manuel cowed the Serbs, sent his army home & delayed in Thessaly.
Certainty: 2 Constance, princess of Antioch, married Reynaud of Chatillon. After rejecting (as women do) many celebrated and noble suitors, Constance, princess of Antioch chose as husband Reynaud of Chatillon, a knight who fought for pay. At first she kept it secret, as a widow needing the approval of Baldwin III, her first cousin and her kingly protector as ruler of Antioch. Reynaud gained Baldwin's assent in camp [at Askalon?], then returned to Antioch for the wedding. Some wondered why she had chosen one so far beneath her. No doubt she also considered the future of her underage son Bohemond
Certainty: 2 Manuel returned to the capital, receiving encomia.
Certainty: 2 Conrad's successor, Frederick I, asked to marry Maria, Manuel's niece, renewing Conrad's promises.
Certainty: 2 Andronikos (I), after failure in Cilicia, was appointed doux of Nis & Branicevo, with Kastoria also.
Certainty: 3 Siege of Askalon: varying fortunes of war. Bernard de Tremelay and the Templars were first on the scene when a section of Askalon's wall collapsed; this followed an attempt by the besieged to burn the besiegers' tower, which backfired when a wind-change blew flames back against the wall. The Templars rushed through the breach, and Bernard (it is said) kept others out, to maximise Templar booty. His tactics proved disastrous when the besieged succeeded in closing the breach very quickly, shutting him and his men inside; up to forty of them were killed, and their bodies suspended from the wall, swinging the pendulum of morale again in favour of the people of Askalon [William of Tyre, who was hostile to the Templars, cannot be trusted over such details]. Baldwin III and other leaders, secular and lay, met before the True Cross, to consider the siege after the slaughter of the Templars. Opinions were divided: Baldwin and most of the lay lords wanted to stop the siege, while Fulcher the patriarch, Peter of Tyre, the other bishops and Raymond of the Hospital wished to persist. The clergy carried the day, and the siege was continued with such desperation that the tide of battle turned again and the Christians won a victory
Certainty: 3 Siege of Askalon: the citizens decided to capitulate. The people of Askalon won a truce for the dead of both sides to be buried, then lost forty men carrying a beam to a huge stone from a Christian catapult. They began to discuss surrender, dramatised by William of Tyre as a speech made by wise and eloquent elders before the city's remaining population. The speech narrated fifty years of proud resistance against the stubborn Latin invaders, in which Askalon alone was undefeated; but present sufferings were unbearable, their power and will to resist much reduced, so that it was essential to ask Baldwin III for terms. There were cries of assent. Baldwin received a deputation offering surrender in return for safe departure. He listened, paused to consult, then accepted with tears of joy. Oaths were sworn: the people were to leave the city safely in three days with all their possessions. Baldwin's standard was raised over the city. The people left after two days: the Christians entered and gave thanks in the main mosque, which became the church of St Paul. The patriarch organised canons with set incomes, and chose Absalom as bishop, to the protests of Gerald, bishop of Bethlehem (the pope later upheld the protest, removed Absalom and awarded the church of Askalon to Bethlehem). Baldwin gave Askalon to his brother Amalric, and on the advice of Melisende distributed other possessions and lands, some on merit, some for payment. The people of Askalon had Latin guides to al-Arish, but were later attacked and robbed by a faithless Turkish comrade Nocquinus, who had served them for pay. He pretended to act as their escort but left them wandering in the desert
Certainty: 2 From Nis, Andronikos (I) began to conspire with Frederick Barbarossa & Geza II.
Certainty: 2 Strife in Egypt leading to the death of Ibn al-Sallar.
Certainty: 3 Makarios of Kalyka renounced in favour of Lavra his property at Karyes. Makarios, hegoumenos of Kalyka on Athos, was getting too old to run his monastery. He therefore made a written statement renouncing his rights in favour of Nikephoros the hegoumenos of Lavra, and the two of them presented the document to the current protos Gabriel, who signed it. Six other hegoumenoi signed to approve the decision. Makarios' rights at the Protaton and the assembly of hegoumenoi were to be maintained, but transferred to another (unnamed) monk
Certainty: 3 Christmas Gospel teaching given by Georgios Tornikes when his successor was away. Georgios Tornikes, who had just left the post of didaskalos, returned unexpectedly to give Gospel teaching at Christmas. He explained to his old audience that his successor, Michael, nephew of the archbishop of Thessalonike, had been summoned away by the emperor Manuel, and so Theodotos II, the patriarch, sollicitous for the welfare of his flock, brought Georgios back for Christmas
Certainty: 1 Death of an unidentified general fighting on the eastern frontier. After fighting many successful battles, especially at Philomelion, Sozopolis, in Serbia, at Kodrai and Philadelphia, he had met death, an enemy he could not defeat. He died (probably of sickness) and was mourned by his wife and children