breaks through the crusader blockade at Acre and reinforces the port-city with some 10,000 men, as well as food and weapons. December – An Egyptian fleet reopens communications with Acre. The rest of the winter passes without major incidents, but the supply situation is poor in the besieged city. Asia February 18 – Emperor Xiao Zong abdicates in favour of his son, Guang Zong, as ruler of the Song Dynasty. Xiao Zong becomes a Taishang Huang ("Retired Emperor") and remains as the de facto ruler of China. By topic Literature August 29 – Ban Kulin, Bosnian ruler, writes the Charter of Ban Kulin, which becomes a symbolic "birth certificate" of Bosnian language and statehood. Births Al-Mansur Nasir al-Din Muhammad, Ayyubid sultan (d. 1217) Archambaud VIII (the Great), French nobleman (d. 1242) Ferdinand of Castile, Spanish prince (infante) (d. 1211) Pietro Pettinaio, Italian comb-maker and saint (d. 1289) Peter Nolasco, French religious leader (d. 1256) Skule Bårdsson, Norwegian nobleman (d. 1240) Sukaphaa, founder of the Ahom Kingdom (d. 1268) Yuri II of Vladimir, Kievan Grand Prince (d. 1238) Deaths January 1 – Henry of Marcy, French cardinal-bishop (b. 1136) January 20 – Shi Zong (or Wulu), Chinese emperor (b. 1123) February 4 – Gilbert of Sempringham, English priest (b. 1085) March 4 – Humbert III (the Blessed), count of Savoy (b. 1136) March 25 – Frederick, duke of Bohemia (House of Přemyslid) June 15 – Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Japanese general (b. 1159) June 28 – Matilda of England, duchess of Saxony (b. 1156) July 6 – Henry II (Curtmantle), king of England (b. 1133) July 20 – Muneko, Japanese princess and empress (b. 1126) September 3 – Jacob of Orléans, French Jewish scholar October 4 André of Brienne, French nobleman and knight (b. 1135) Gerard de Ridefort, Flemish Grand Master (b. 1140) October 14 – Fujiwara no Yasuhira, Japanese nobleman (b. 1155) November 11 – William II (the Good), king of Sicily (b. 1153) November 14 – William de Mandeville, English nobleman Anvari, Persian astronomer, poet and writer (b. 1126) Benedict of York, English banker and moneylender Benkei, Japanese warrior monk (sōhei) (b. 1155) Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Conchobair, Irish king Conon II (or Cono), count of Montaigu and Duras Elizabeth of Hungary, German duchess (b. 1145) Folmar of Karden, German archbishop (b. 1135) Geoffrey Ridel, English bishop and Lord Chancellor Hugh de Cressy, Norman nobleman and constable Hugh de Paduinan, Scoto-Norman