take on secular roles. By the end of the century, at least a third of England's bishops also act as royal judges in secular matters. The Ars antiqua period in the history of the medieval music of Western Europe begins. The earliest recorded miracle play is performed in Dunstable, England. Gothic architecture and trouvère music begin in France. During the middle of the century, the Cappella Palatina is built in Palermo, Sicily, and the Madrid Skylitzes manuscript illustrates the Synopsis of Histories by John Skylitzes. Fire and plague insurance first become available in Iceland, and the first documented outbreaks of influenza there happens. The medieval state of Serbia is formed by Stefan Nemanja and then continued by the Nemanjić dynasty. By the end of the century, both the Capetian Dynasty and the House of Anjou are relying primarily on mercenaries in their militaries. Paid soldiers are available year-round, unlike knights who expected certain periods off to maintain their manor lifestyles. In India, Hoysala architecture reaches its peak. In the Middle East, the icon of Theotokos of Vladimir is painted probably in Constantinople. Everything but the faces will later be retouched, and the icon will go to the Tretyakov Gallery of Moscow. The Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli composes his epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi founds his "school of illumination". In North Africa, the kasbah of Marrakesh is built, including the city gate Bab Agnaou and the Koutoubia mosque. In sub-Saharan Africa, Kente cloth is first woven. In France, the first piedfort coins were minted. The city of Tula burns down, marking the end of the Toltec Empire Inventions, discoveries and introductions by year 1104: The Venice Arsenal of Venice, Italy, is founded. It employed some 16,000 people for the mass production of sailing ships in large assembly lines, hundreds of years before the Industrial Revolution. 1106: Finished building of Gelati. 1107: The Chinese engineer Wu Deren combines the mechanical compass vehicle of the south-pointing chariot with the distance-measuring odometer device. 1111: The Chinese Donglin Academy is founded. 1165: The Liuhe Pagoda of Hangzhou, China, is built. 1170: The Roman Catholic notion of Purgatory is defined. 1185: First record of windmills. References Bibliography 2nd millennium Centuries