by Pope Honorius III. He makes Sicily an absolute monarchy and adopts Palermo as its principal seat. Dordrecht is granted city rights by William I, Count of Holland, making it the oldest city in present-day Netherlands. Polish forces under Konrad I drive out the heathen Prussians, from the Masovian territory of Chełmno Land. Levant Summer – Raymond-Roupen, prince of Antioch, invades Armenian Cilicia, together with his mother, Alice, and establishes himself at Tarsus. There he waits for help from the Knights Hospitaller. Constantine of Baberon, a powerful Armenian nobleman and regent for Queen Isabella, marches with his forces to the Tarsus stronghold. By topic Religion Gothic architecture becomes increasingly popular in Europe: The rebuilding of Cathedral of Chartres, which had been destroyed by a fire in 1194, is completed. Early part of Toulouse Cathedral is completed. The rebuilding of Amiens Cathedral begins. The rebuilding of Oxford Cathedral begins. The building of Salisbury Cathedral begins. The rebuilding of York Minster begins. Education In France the medical school of the University of Montpellier is granted its first statutes by the German cardinal-bishop Conrad of Urach. Births March 7 – Giacomo Bianconi, Italian priest (d. 1301) April 1 – Go-Saga, Japanese emperor (d. 1272) April 16 – Ambrose of Sienna, Italian missionary (d. 1286) November 11 – Alphonse II, count of Poitiers (d. 1271) Adolf VII, German nobleman and knight (d. 1259) Bertold of Regensburg, German preacher (d. 1272) Bonagiunta Orbicciani, Italian judge and poet (d. 1290) Brunetto Latini, Italian notary and philosopher (d. 1294) Campanus of Novara, Italian astronomer (d. 1296) Elisenda de Sant Climent, Catalan slave (d. 1275) Frederick III, burgrave of Nuremberg (d. 1297) Gerard of Abbeville, French theologian (d. 1272) Guido Guerra V, Italian knight and politician (d. 1272) Hillel ben Samuel, Italian philosopher (d. 1295) Hugh III, French nobleman and knight (d. 1266) James Audley, English chief governor (d. 1272) Joan, French noblewoman and co-ruler (d. 1271) Joan of Dammartin, French noblewoman (d. 1279) Margaret of Bar, countess of Luxembourg (d. 1275) Mieszko II (the Fat), duke of Kalisz-Wieluń (d. 1246) Mohammad Rohani, Afghan religious leader (d. 1305) Robert de Vere, English nobleman and knight (d. 1296) Roger Bacon, English philosopher and writer (d. 1292) Tanhum of Jerusalem, Israeli lexicographer (d. 1291) Walram II, German nobleman and knight (d. 1276) Walter Branscombe, bishop of Exeter (d. 1280) Deaths January 23 – Bogislaw II, duke of Pomerania (b. 1177)