My Cultural Timeline of the World continues:

1201 – 1300 AD

1202 AD — The Fourth Crusade sacks the present-day Croatian city of Zadar.

1204 AD — Constantinople is sacked during the Fourth Crusade. This marks the beginning of the decline of the Byzantine Empire.

1206 AD — Genghis Khan is elected Khagan of the Mongol Empire

1209 AD — The University of Cambridge is founded. This prestigious university has some of the most distinguished alumni in history, such as, Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Charles Darwin, and Stephen Hawking.

1209 AD — St Francis of Assisi founds the Franciscan Order.

1213 AD — St Lawrence Cathedral* is built in Trogir, Croatia. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Trogir, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1215 AD — The Magna Carta is sealed by King John of England.

1215 AD — Construction begins on the Duomo (Cathedral) in Siena*, Italy. This magnificent church was built to rival the Duomo of Florence. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Siena, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1220 AD — Chartres Cathedral* is built. This cathedral has become the epitome of Medieval cathedrals. *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1220 AD — The Bern Glockenspiel* is constructed. This model of precision and imagination has delighted tourists for centuries. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Bern, available for sale on the website for just $1.49. *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1220 AD — The York Minster* is built in Northern England. It is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Europe. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of York, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1220 AD — The Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold) is built as part of the fortifications of Seville, Spain. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Seville, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.

1227 AD — Genghis Khan dies.

1227 AD — The Cathedral of Toledo* is built in Spain. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Toledo, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1245 AD — Westminster Abbey* is constructed in London, England. Its hallowed interior contains the remains of many English monarchs as well as some of England’s greatest literati. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of London, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1246 AD — The Oude Kerk (Old Church) in Delft, Netherlands is built. It houses the tombs of many notables, including Vermeer, the painter, and van Leeuwenhoek, the biologist. It also contains the tomb of William the Silent, an extremely elaborately decorated final resting place. This sight and many others have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Delft, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.

1252 AD — The Buddha of Kamakura is erected south of Tokyo, Japan.

1253 AD — The Basilica of St Francis* is constructed in Assisi, Italy, to commemorate the achievements of St Francis of Assisi. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Assisi, available for sale on the website for just $1.49. *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1267 AD — Construction begins on Blair Castle, a white fortress in Scotland.

1270 AD — The Old-New Synagogue in Prague*, Czech Republic is erected. It is the oldest active synagogue in Europe. This sight and many others have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Prague, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1272 AD — The last (9th) Crusade occurs.

1273 AD — Rudolph I of Germany is named Holy Roman Emperor. He represents the beginning of the Hapsburg dynasty.

1274 AD — Publication of St Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica.  

1279 AD — The Battle of Yamen signals the end of the Song Dynasty and the emergence of Kubla Khan as Chinese emperor.

1280 AD — The Piazza del Campo*, the main square of Siena, is completed. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Siena, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1290 AD — Akershus Fortress is constructed in Oslo, Norway. This “castle” was built to protect the city of Oslo. It has also been used as a prison over the years. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Oslo, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.

1294 AD — Construction begins on the Basilica of Santa Croce*, Florence, Italy. This church has become a mausoleum of sorts, being the final resting place of many Florence notables, including Galileo, Machiavelli, Marconi, and Enrico Fermi. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Florence, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1296 AD — Construction begins on the Duomo of Florence* (the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore), one of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals. Its Brunelleschi Dome was the largest in the world at the time. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Florence, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.  *= UNESCO World Heritage Site

1297 AD — Battle of Stirling Bridge takes place. It marks the emergence of William Wallace as the leader of the Scottish resistance. Today a much revered monument commemorates Wallace’s contribution.

1299 AD — The Ottoman Empire is founded by Osman I.

1300 AD — Aarhus Cathedral is built in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the largest cathedral in the country. This and many other major tourist attractions have been incorporated into Gary’s Walking Tour of Aarhus, available for sale on the website for just $1.49.