1220
Mongols sack Samarkand
Samarkand's turquoise-domed skyline fell to Genghis Khan after a brief siege.
Frederick II crowned Holy Roman Emperor
Honorius III placed the imperial crown on the polyglot Sicilian king who kept a court of Arab astronomers and Lombard falconers.
Aztec migration enters the Valley of Mexico
Nahua-speaking wanderers called the Mexica reached the freshwater lakes of the central Mexican plateau after generations of migration from the north.
Hoysala Belur temples finished
In the soft soapstone of southern Karnataka, craftsmen of the Hoysala dynasty completed the densely carved Chennakesava temple at Belur.
Snorri Sturluson travels to Norway
The Icelandic chieftain and author visited the court of young Haakon IV and spent years there, drinking mead and memorizing skaldic verse.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1220?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1220. The most significant is Mongols sack Samarkand: Samarkand's turquoise-domed skyline fell to Genghis Khan after a brief siege.
What era was 1220 part of?
1220 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1220?
The events from 1220 span Central Asia, Europe, North America and South Asia.