1178

By area

Europe

• July 17 - Provence: Saracen pirates, from the Balearic Islands, raid the Benedictine monastery of Saint Honorat on the Lérins Islands, and the city of Toulon, killing an estimated 300 and taking captives. The surviving captives are freed from the Balearic Islands in 1185.
• George III of Georgia defeats a nobles' revolt, and proclaims his daughter Tamar coregent.
• The Portuguese troops conquer Beja from the Almohads.

  Moon

• June 18 - Five Canterbury monks see what is possibly the Giordano Bruno crater being formed.

  By topic

Art and science

• The Sung Document is written, detailing the discovery of "Mu-Lan-Pi" by Muslim sailors.
• The Chronicle of Gervase of Canterbury is written.
• The Leaning Tower of Pisa begins to lean, as the third level is completed.

  Births

• December 22 - Emperor Antoku of Japan
• Armand de Périgord, Grand Master of the Knights Templar
• Snorri Sturluson, Icelandic historian and politician
• Theresa of Portugal, Queen of León
• Thomas I of Savoy, Count of Savoy
• Wei Liaoweng, Chinese scholar, philosopher and politician
• Wuzhun Shifan, Chinese Zen Buddhist monk

  Deaths

• February 17 - Evermode of Ratzeburg, bishop of Ratzeburg
• May 27 - Godfrey van Rhenen, bishop of Utrecht
• Kristin Sigurdsdatter, Norwegian princess