1123

By place

Levant

• April 18 - King Baldwin II of Jerusalem is captured by Turkish forces under Belek Ghazi – while preparing to practice falconry near Gargar on the Euphrates. Most of the Crusader army is massacred, and Baldwin is taken to the castle at Kharput. To save the situation the Venetians are asked to help. Doge Domenico Michiel lifts the siege of Corfu and takes his fleet to Acre, arriving at the port in the end of May.
• May - Baldwin II and Joscelin I are rescued by 50 Armenian soldiers at Kharput. They kill the guards and infiltrate the castle where the prisoners are kept. Joscelin escapes to seek help. However, the castle is soon besieged by Turkish forces under Belek Ghazi – and is after some time recaptured. Baldwin and Waleran of Le Puiset are moved for greater safety to the castle of Harran.
• May 29 - Battle of Yibneh: A Crusader army led by Eustace Grenier defeats the Fatimid forces near Ibelin. Despite the numerical superiority, Vizier Al-Ma'mun al-Bata'ihi is forced to withdraw to Egypt while his camp is plundered by the Crusaders. Eustace returns to Jerusalem in triumph, but later dies on June 15.
• May 30 - The Venetian fleet arrives at Ascalon and instantly set about attacking the Fatimid fleet. The Egyptians fall into a trap, caught between two Venetian squadrons, and are destroyed or captured. While sailing back to Acre, the Venetians capture a merchant-fleet of ten richly laden vessels.
• The Pactum Warmundi: A treaty of alliance, is established between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Republic of Venice at Acre. The Venetians receive a street, with a church, baths and a bakery, free of all obligations, in every town of the kingdom. They are also excused of all toll and taxes.

  Europe

• August 29 - King Eystein I dies during a feast at Hustad after a 20-year reign, leaving his brother Sigurd I to rule over Norway.
• Sigurd I performs a Crusade, the Kalmare ledung, to Christianize the Swedish province of Småland. He makes a pact with King Niels of Denmark.

  England

• May 9 - A fire in the city of Lincoln nearly destroys the Lincolnshire town; it is memorialized 600 years later by historian Paul de Rapin.

  Africa

• August 9 - Battle of Al-Dimas: A Norman campaign in North Africa ends with their troops being massacred by Zirid forces near Mahdia.

  Asia

• February 25 - Emperor Toba abdicates in favor of his 3-year-old son Sutoku after a 16-year reign. Retired-Emperor Shirakawa rules as regent over Japan.

  By topic

Religion

• March 18 - First Council of the Lateran convenes in Rome; it confirms the Concordat of Worms and demands clerical celibacy in the Catholic Church.
• Diego Gelmírez, archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, declares an Crusade in Al-Andalus against the Almoravids.
• The priory church of St Bartholomew-the-Great and St Bartholomew's Hospital in London are founded by Rahere.
• Furness Abbey is founded in England by Stephen, count of Boulogne, for the Order of Savigny.