Editing 1168 (section)

== Events ==

=== By place ===

==== Levant ====
* Summer &ndash; King [[Amalric of Jerusalem|Amalric I]] of [[Kingdom of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]] and Byzantine emperor [[Manuel I Komnenos]] negotiate an alliance against Fatimid-[[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]]. Archbishop [[William of Tyre]] is among the ambassadors sent to [[Constantinople]] to finalize the treaty. 
* Autumn &ndash; [[William IV, Count of Nevers]], arrives in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] with a contingent of elite knights. In Jerusalem he is present during a council with Amalric and other nobles to decide on an expedition to Egypt.
* [[October 20]] &ndash; Amalric I invades Egypt again from [[Ascalon]], sacking [[Bilbeis]] and threatening Cairo. In November, a Crusader fleet sails up the [[Nile]] and arrives in [[Lake Manzala]], sacking the town of [[Tanis]].<ref name=Runciman1168>[[Steven Runciman|Runciman, Steven]] (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem'', pp. 309–311. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29876-3}}.</ref>
* [[Nur ad-Din (died 1174)|Nur al-Din]], Zangid ruler (''[[atabeg]]'') of [[Aleppo]], sends an expedition under General [[Shirkuh]] to Egypt on request of the Fatimid caliph [[Al-Adid]]. He offers him a third of the land, and fiefs for his generals.<ref name=Runciman1168/>

==== Egypt ====
* [[December 22]] &ndash; Afraid that the Egyptian capital [[Fustat]] (modern-day [[Old Cairo]]) will be captured by Crusader forces, its Fatimid vizier, [[Shawar]], orders the city set afire. The capital burns for 54 days.

==== Europe ====
* [[March 27]] &ndash; [[Patrick, 1st Earl of Salisbury|Patrick of Salisbury]], Angevin governor of [[Poitou]], is killed in an ambush at [[Poitiers]] by French forces under [[Guy of Lusignan]]. He is escorting Queen [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]] on a journey near the border of [[Duchy of Aquitaine|Aquitaine]]. Patrick's nephew, [[William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke|William Marshal]], is part of the royal escort and is taken prisoner. Later he is ransomed and becomes a member of Eleanor's household.<ref>Asbridge, Thomas (2015). ''The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal, Power Behind Five English Thrones'', p. 87. London: Simon & Schuster.</ref>
* King [[Valdemar I of Denmark|Valdemar I]] ("the Great") of [[Denmark]] [[Siege of Arkona|conquers the Wendish capital at Arkona]] on the island of [[Rügen]] (modern [[Germany]]). The [[Wends]] become Christians and subject to Danish suzerainty.
* [[Henry the Lion]], duke of [[Duchy of Saxony|Saxony]], marries the 12-year-old [[Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony|Matilda]] (or Maud), daughter of King [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] of [[Kingdom of England|England]].<ref>Hywell Williams (2005). ''Cassell's Chronology of World History'', p. 126. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. {{ISBN|0-304-35730-8}}.</ref>
* The newly born [[Commune of Rome]] conquers and destroys the rival neighboring city of [[Albano Laziale|Albano]] (modern [[Italy]]).<ref>{{cite book|first=Jean-Claude Maire|last=Vigueur|year=2010|title=L'autre Rome: Une histoire des Romains à l'époque communale (XIIe-XIVe siècle)|location=Paris|publisher=Tallandier|page=314}}</ref>
* [[Stephen du Perche]], Sicilian chancellor, is accused of plotting to claim the throne and is forced to flee.

==== Asia ====
* [[April 9]] &ndash; [[Emperor Rokujō]] of [[Japan]] is deposed by his grandfather, retired-[[Emperor Go-Shirakawa]], after an 8-month reign. He is succeeded by his 6-year-old uncle, [[Emperor Takakura|Takakura]], as the 80th emperor.
* [[Yuanqu County (Shandong)|Yuanqu County]] (also known as Wanting County) in [[China]] is destroyed by a flood of the [[Yellow River]].

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* [[September 20]] &ndash; Antipope [[Antipope Paschal III|Paschal III]] dies at [[Rome]] after a 4-year reign. Giovanni di Struma is elected as his successor and will reign as Antipope [[Antipope Callixtus III|Callixtus III]] with support from Emperor [[Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick I]].