1255. Bills of exchange in favor of Italian merchants drawn at Rome on the English bishops and abbots, which they are compelled to pay.
1256. Death of William of Holland in battle against the Frisians.
1257. Rival election in Germany of Richard, Earl of Cornwall, and Alfonso of Castile as kings of the Romans. The reign of both is only nominal.
1258. In England the barons form a council to advise or command the King. See "THE MAD PARLIAMENT," vi, 246.
Genoa and Venice engage in their first great conflict; the combined fleets of Venice and Pisa defeat the Genoese.
Manfred is crowned king of the Two Sicilies.
Hulaku Khan founds the Mongol empire of the Ilkhans and ends the caliphate of Bagdad.
1259. Treaty of Abbeville between Henry III, King of England, and Louis IX (St. Louis) of France.
1260. Ottocar II of Bohemia secures Styria by defeating Bela IV of Hungary.
1261. Overthrow of the Latin Empire of the East; Michael Palaeologus, assisted by Genoese forces, instals the Palaeologi dynasty on the Eastern throne; recovery of Constantinople by the Greeks. The Genoese are given important naval stations, and the Venetians are excluded from the Black Sea.