1187

Events

* May 1 — Battle of Cresson: Saladin defeats the crusaders.
* July 4 — Battle of Hattin: Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem.
* September 20 — October 2 — Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem.
* October 21 — Pope Gregory VIII succeeds Pope Urban III as the 173rd pope.
* October 29 — Pope Gregory VIII issues the bull "Audita tremendi", proposing the Third Crusade.
* December 19 — Pope Clement III succeeds Pope Gregory VIII as the 174th pope.
* Alexius Branas attempts to seize Constantinople in defiance of his master Isaac II Angelus.
* The Cathedral of St. Jacob is consecrated in Szczecin, Pomerania.
* Estonians, Curonians and Karelians destroy Sigtuna and kill the archbishop.
* Knut Eriksson builds a castle in the island of Stockholm.
* The Toltecs are deposed at Chichen Itza.
* Zen Buddhism comes to Japan.
* King Jayavarman VII of Ankor Vat defeats the Cham conquerors.
* Ghorin Muhammed conquers Punjab.
* Genoa takes Bonifacio (in Corsica) from Pisa.
* Glanvill, an official of King Henry II, describes how villeins can be free (approximate date).

Births

* September 5 — King Louis VIII of France (d. 1226)
* Arthur I, Duke of Brittany (d. 1203)
* Vladimir III Rurikovich, Grand Prince of Kiev (d. 1239)

Deaths

* July 4 — Raynald of Chatillon, Prince of Antioch (executed) (b. c. 1125)
* October 19 — Pope Urban III
* November 9 — Emperor Gaozong of China (b. 1107)
* December 17 — Pope Gregory VIII (b. c. 1100)
* Gerard of Cremona, Italian translator of scientific works (b. c. 1114)
* Roger de Moulins, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller
* Count Raymond III of Tripoli (b. 1140)