Editing 1208 (section)

==== Europe ====
* [[January 15]] &ndash; [[Pierre de Castelnau]] is murdered by heretics supported by [[Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse|Raymond VI]], count of [[County of Toulouse|Toulouse]]. He is held responsible and excommunicated by Pope [[Pope Innocent III|Innocent III]], leading to the [[Albigensian Crusade]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sumption |first=Jonathan |date=1978 |title=The Albigensian Crusade |publisher=Faber |location=London, England |isbn=0-571-11064-9 |author-link=Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/albigensiancrusa00jona }}</ref>
* [[January 31]] &ndash; [[Battle of Lena]]: Swedish forces under King [[Eric X of Sweden|Eric X]] defeat the invading Danish army (some 12,000 men). King [[Sverker II of Sweden|Sverker II]] ("the Younger") is deposed as king of [[Sweden]] and is succeeded by Eric X.
* [[Livonian Crusade]]: The Crusader [[Livonian Brothers of the Sword]], supported by tribes of [[Livonians|Livs]] and [[Latvians|Letts]], initiate raids into [[Ugandi County]] in southern [[Estonia]], resulting in the Estonian fight for independence.
* [[March 24]] &ndash; Innocent III places [[Kingdom of England|England]] under [[Papal Interdict of 1208|a Papal Interdict]], as punishment for [[John, King of England]] ("Lackland")'s refusal to accept [[Stephen Langton]] as archbishop of [[Diocese of Canterbury|Canterbury]]. During the interdict, religious services as [[marriage]]s, burials, or baptisms cannot be performed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Church history: Pope Innocent III and the interdict - Our Sunday Visitor |url=https://osvnews.com/2019/07/12/church-history-pope-innocent-iii-and-the-interdict/ |website=osvnews.com |date=July 12, 2019 |access-date=10 June 2021}}</ref> John confiscates church property of clergy who are unwilling to conduct services. Many bishops in the country flee abroad to the [[Continental Europe|Continent]].<ref>''King John'' by Warren. Published by University of California Press in 1961. p. 171</ref>
* Autumn &ndash; [[William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke|William Marshal]] is recalled and humiliated by King John at court in [[London]], while John gives his [[justiciar]] in [[Ireland]], [[Meiler Fitzhenry]] the order to invade Marshal's lands there, burning the town of [[New Ross]].
* [[June 21]] &ndash; [[Philip of Swabia]], king of [[Kingdom of Germany|Germany]], is assassinated in [[Bamberg]] by the German count [[Otto VIII, Count Palatine of Bavaria|Otto of Wittelsbach]], because Philip has refused to give him his 10-year-old daughter [[Beatrice of Swabia|Beatrice]] in marriage.
* [[June 30]] &ndash; [[Battle of Philippopolis (1208)|Battle of Philippopolis]]: Bulgarian forces under Emperor (''[[tsar]]'') [[Boril of Bulgaria|Boril]] are defeated by the Latin army (some 30,000 men) led by Emperor [[Henry of Flanders]], near modern-day [[Plovdiv]], [[Bulgaria]].
* [[August 27]] &ndash; Queen [[Irene Angelina]] dies in childbirth after the death of her husband Philip of Swabia at [[Hohenstaufen Castle]], leaving four daughters: Beatrice, [[Maria of Swabia|Maria]], [[Kunigunde of Hohenstaufen|Kunigunde]] and [[Elisabeth of Swabia|Elisabeth]].<ref>Ciggaar, Krijna Nelly (1996). ''Western Travellers to Constantinople: The West and Byzantium, 962–1204'', p. 240. Brill.</ref>
* [[November 11]] &ndash; [[Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto IV]] is elected by the German nobles as king of Germany at [[Frankfurt]]. He is engaged to Beatrice and travels to [[Milan]] where he receives the [[Iron Crown of Lombardy|Iron Crown]] and the title of [[King of Italy]], which continues until the end of [[World War I]] in [[1918]].<ref>Dunham, S. A. (1835). ''A History of the Germanic Empire, Vol I'', p. 195.</ref>