1161
Song use gunpowder bombs at Caishi
Defending the Yangtze against a Jin invasion, Song admirals fired thunder-crash bombs - iron-cased gunpowder projectiles launched from trebuchets - that tore…
Song navy defeats Jin at Tangdao
Using explosive fire-bombs launched from trebuchets and rammed warships with iron prows, a Song fleet destroyed a much larger Jin invasion flotilla…
Jin emperor Hailingwang assassinated
The ambitious Jin emperor Hailingwang, who had launched a massive invasion fleet to conquer the Southern Song and reunify China by force, was murdered…
Song scholars compile the Taiping Imperial Reader
A fresh edition of the vast Song encyclopedia, commissioned decades earlier, was printed under Emperor Xiaozong.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1161?
Saeculum lists 4 events from 1161. The most significant is Song use gunpowder bombs at Caishi.
What era was 1161 part of?
1161 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1161?
The events from 1161 span East Asia.