Timeline ~ Chapter One

Here is the timeline that we will be following for Chapter One. Since our dating follows real time, the chapter will start off in 1185 and then once we hit January 1st, we will start writing for 1186.

1185
November:

• November 7: Byzantine general Alexios Branas defeats the Normans at the Battle of Demetritzes.
  
• November 15: Umberto Crivelli replaces Lucius III as Pope Urban III.

December:

• Prince John summoned back home to England (he was antagonizing both English Lords and Irish chiefs).

• Isaac II becomes the Byzantine Emperor.

1186
January:

• January 27: Constance of Sicily marries Henry (the future Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor).

March:

• March 3: The city of Mosul, Iraq, submits to Saladin.

July:

• After the death of Geoffrey of Brittany, Philip II of France claims control over Brittany.

August

• Baldwin V, young king of Jerusalem. dies of an illness. His mother, Sibylla, sister of King Baldwin IV, is crowned Queen of Jerusalem by Joscelin of Courtenay and her husband, Guy of Lusignan, is crowned King. This is contrary to the previous king's will. The forces of Raymond of Tripoli are based in Nablus and Raymond himself is in Tiberias; as a consequence, the entire kingdom is effectively split in two and chaos reigns.

October

• October 5: John the Chanter is made Bishop of Exeter.

November

• November 23: Joscius becomes Archbishop of Acre.

• Henry II of England restores Edinburgh back to William I of Scotland.

• The Byzantine Empire recognizes the independence of Bulgaria and Serbia.

• Reynald of Chantillon breaks a truce with Saladin by attacking a Muslim caravan and taking several prisoners, including a sister of Saladin. This infuriates the Muslim leader who vows to kill Reynald with his own hands.