Death of Thomas Aquinas, the “Angelic Doctor,” while on his way to attend the council of Lyons.

1275.  Edward I persecutes the Jews in England.

Marriage between the doges and foreigners prohibited by the Venetians.

1276.  Ottocar II, of Bohemia, is vanquished by Rudolph of Hapsburg.  See “FOUNDING OF THE HOUSE OF HAPSBURG,” vi, 298.

Lombardy distracted by civil wars, earthquakes, floods, famine, and pestilence, followed by a severe winter of four months.

Death of Beibars, Sultan of Egypt and Syria; succession of Kaldoun.

Edward I subdues Wales as far as Snowdon.  See “EDWARD I CONQUERS WALES,” vi, 316.

1278.  Prussia submits to the Teutonic Knights.

Ghibellines allowed to return to Florence.

Rudolph defeats Ottocar II at Marchfeld; he is slain.  See “FOUNDING OF
THE HOUSE OF HAPSBURG,” vi, 298.

1279.  Edward I, of England, gives up Normandy to Philip III of France.  The English Parliament passes the first statute of mortmain; it forbids the alienation in mortmain of real property to religious houses or other corporations.

1280.  Kublai Khan, grandson of Ghengis Khan, completes the Mongol conquest of China.

1281.  Tartars attempt the conquest of Japan.  See “JAPANESE REPEL THE TARTARS,” vi, 327.

A vacancy of six months in the papal chair; Martin IV ultimately elected pope.

Edward I further extends his conquest in Wales.  See “EDWARD I CONQUERS WALES,” vi, 316.

1282.  Rudolph of Hapsburg invests his sons, Albert and Rudolph, with the duchies of Austria, Styria, and Carniola, founding the house of Austria.  See “FOUNDING OF THE HOUSE OF HAPSBURG,” vi, 298.

A great inundation of the sea forms the Zuyder Zee, a large gulf in the Netherlands, formerly covered with forests and towns; thousands of lives are lost and all the towns and villages submerged.

Massacre of the French in Sicily.  See “THE SICILIAN VESPERS,” vi, 340,

1283.  After a struggle of fifty years the Teutonic Knights complete their power over the Prussians.

1284.  Naval battle of Meloria; the Genoese crush the power of the Pisans.

Queen Eleanora gives birth to a son at Carnarvon castle, Wales, afterward Edward II, from whom the eldest son of the King of England takes the title of Prince of Wales.  See “EDWARD I CONQUERS WALES,” vi, 316.

1285.  Death of Philip III of France; his son, Philip IV, succeeds.  Florence is appealed to for protection by the citizens of Pisa.

1286.  First introduction of the gabelle, or salt duty, in France.

1287.  Destruction of the shipping and magazines in the harbor of Pisa by the Genoese.

1288.  Othman, from whose name are derived the terms Ottoman and Osmanli, lays the foundation of the Turkish empire in Asia Minor.

1289.  The Ghibellines of Arezzo and their allies are defeated by the Florentines at Campaldino.