Events

• The town of Riga is chartered as a city by Bishop Albert, who landed on the site of the town with 1,500 crusaders earlier that year.

• Boniface of Montferrat is elected leader of the Fourth Crusade, after the death of Theobald III of Champagne.

• Innocent III supports Otto IV as Holy Roman Emperor, against Philip of Swabia.

Births

• August 9—Arnold Fitz Thedmar, English chronicler (d. 1274)

• October 9—Robert de Sorbon, French theologian and founder of the Sorbonne (d. 1274)

• May 30—Theobald IV of Champagne, Count of Champagne (d. 1253)

• Ladislaus III of Hungary, King of Hungary (d. 1205)

• Danylo King of Rus, 1st king of Halych-Volhynia (d. 1264)

• Alix of Thouars, Duchess of Brittany (d. 1221)

Deaths

• March 21—Absalon, Danish archbishop (b. c. 1128)

• May 24—Theobald III, Count of Champagne (b. 1179)

• July 29—Agnes of Merania, queen of France and wife of king Philip II of France

• September 5—Constance, Duchess of Brittany (b. 1161)

• Bohemund III of Antioch (b. 1144)

Heads of states

• England—John I, King of England (reigned 1199–1216)

• France—Philippe II, Auguste King of France (reigned 1180–1223)

• Pope—Innocent III (pope 1198–1216)