1193
Death of Saladin
The sultan died at Damascus of a fever, less than a year after peace with Richard. His private wealth amounted to forty-seven dirhams and a single gold piece - the rest given away. His empire was immediately divided among his sons and brothers and began its gradual fragmentation. Saladin's generosity became legendary in both the Islamic and Christian worlds, and his chivalry was cited by Dante, who placed him among the virtuous pagans.
Bakhtiyar Khalji sacks Nalanda
A roving Afghan warlord named Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji, in the employ of the Ghurids, descended on the great Buddhist monastic university of Nalanda with a few hundred horsemen, killed the monks, and burned a library so large it was said to have smoked for weeks. Indian Buddhism never recovered. The destruction of Nalanda, which had operated continuously for over seven centuries, effectively ended organized Buddhist scholarship in the Indian subcontinent.
Richard I imprisoned by Henry VI
Leopold of Austria handed Richard over to Henry VI of Germany, who held him in the castle at Trifels in the Palatine forest and demanded a ransom of 150,000 silver marks - about twice the annual income of the English crown. Eleanor of Aquitaine organized its collection. The seventy-year-old queen mother, traveling tirelessly across England, proved herself the most effective administrator in the Plantagenet domains.
Qutb al-Din Aibak takes Delhi
Muhammad of Ghor's Turkic slave-general, left in charge of the newly conquered territories, took Delhi and began converting it into a Muslim capital. The Qutb Minar, a victory tower that still stands, was started under his orders on the site of a demolished Hindu temple complex. The tower's five tapering stories of red sandstone and marble, inscribed with Quranic verses, announced the permanence of Muslim rule in India.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1193?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1193. The most significant is Death of Saladin: The sultan died at Damascus of a fever, less than a year after peace with Richard. His private wealth amounted to forty-seven dirhams and a single gold piece…
What era was 1193 part of?
1193 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1193?
The curated events from 1193 span Middle East, South Asia and Europe.