1227
Genghis Khan dies campaigning against Western Xia
After a fall from his horse and a lingering illness, the founder of the Mongol empire died in Gansu as his armies were completing the extermination of the Tangut kingdom. His body was carried secretly to an unmarked grave in Mongolia. The empire continued to expand. Every person who witnessed the funeral procession was reportedly killed to keep the burial site secret for eternity.
Gregory IX elected pope
A cousin of Innocent III and nearly eighty years old, Ugolino of Ostia took the name Gregory IX and brought the papacy's war with Frederick II to white heat. He would live another fourteen years, long enough to preside over the Inquisition's formalization. His personal friendship with Francis of Assisi had not softened his temper, and he wielded excommunication like a blunt instrument against imperial ambition.
Ogedei Khan elected as successor
At a great kurultai on the Kerulen River, the Mongol princes confirmed Genghis Khan's choice of his third son Ogedei as Great Khan. The new ruler, a gifted administrator and legendary drinker, would expand the empire more efficiently than his father, building Karakorum and authorizing simultaneous campaigns on four fronts.
Want 1227 in context? Print the whole 13th century as a one-sheet timeline chart.
Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1227?
Saeculum lists 3 curated events from 1227. The most significant is Genghis Khan dies campaigning against Western Xia: After a fall from his horse and a lingering illness, the founder of the Mongol empire died in Gansu as his armies were completing the extermination…
What era was 1227 part of?
1227 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1227?
The curated events from 1227 span Central Asia and Europe.