Year 1208 (MCCVIII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Asia April 15 – A fire breaks out in the Song Chinese capital city of Hangzhou, raging for four days and nights, destroying 58,097 houses over an area of more than , killing 59 people, and an unrecorded number of other people, who are trampled while attempting to flee. The government provides temporary lodging for 5,345 people, in nearby Buddhist and Taoist monasteries. The collective victims of the disaster are given 160,000 strings of cash, along with 400 tons of rice. Some of the government officials who lost their homes take up residence in rented boathouses, on the nearby West Lake. Europe January 15 – Pierre de Castelnau is murdered by heretics supported by Raymond VI, count of Toulouse. He is held responsible and excommunicated by Pope Innocent III, leading to the Albigensian Crusade. January 31 – Battle of Lena: Swedish forces under King Eric X defeat the invading Danish army (some 12,000 men). King Sverker II (the Younger) is deposed as king of Sweden and is succeeded by Eric X. Livonian Crusade: The Crusader Livonian Brothers of the Sword, supported by tribes of Livs and Letts, initiate raids into Ugandi County in southern Estonia, resulting in the Estonian fight for independence. March 24 – Innocent III places England under an interdict, as punishment for King John (Lackland) for refusing to accept Stephen Langton as archbishop of Canterbury. During the interdict, religious services as marriages, burials, or baptisms cannot be performed. John confiscates church property of clergy who are unwilling to conduct services. Many bishops in the country flee abroad to the Continent. Autumn – William Marshal is recalled and humiliated by John (Lackland) at court in London, while John gives his justiciar in Ireland, Meiler Fitzhenry the order to invade Marshal's lands, burning the town of New Ross. June 21 – Philip of Swabia, king of Germany, is assassinated in Bamberg by the German count Otto of Wittelsbach, because Philip has refused to give him his 10-year-old daughter Beatrice in marriage. June 30 – Battle of Philippopolis: Bulgarian forces under Emperor (tsar) Boril are defeated by the Latin army (some 30,000 men) led by Emperor Henry of Flanders, near modern-day Plovdiv, Bulgaria. August 27 – Queen Irene Angelina dies in childbirth after the death of her