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Lotario di Segni elected Pope Innocentius III

Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; born Lotario de' Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Papal States from 8 January 1198...

Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; born Lotario de' Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death in 1216.

Pope Innocent was one of the most powerful and influential of the medieval popes. He exerted a wide influence over the Christian states of Europe, claiming supremacy over all of Europe's kings. He was central in supporting the Catholic Church's reforms of ecclesiastical affairs through his decretals and the Fourth Lateran Council. This resulted in a considerable refinement of Western canon law.

Historical Significance

Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; born Lotario de' Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death in 1216.

Events Before

  1. Alexios III Angelos drives out his brother Isaac II as Byzantine emperor

    Alexios III Angelos drives out his brother Isaac II as Byzantine emperor

  2. Earliest report of ball lightning in London by Benedictine monk Gervase of Christ Church Cathedral Priory, Canterbury [1

    Earliest report of ball lightning in London by Benedictine monk Gervase of Christ Church Cathedral Priory, Canterbury [1]

  3. Battle at Alarcos: Almohads led by Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur defeats army of Alfonso VIII of Castile

    Alfonso VIII (11 November 1155 – 5 October 1214), called the Noble (El Noble) or the one of Las Navas (el de las Navas), was King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo.

  4. Northern Dutch coast flooded, the "Saint-Nicolas Flood"

    Northern Dutch coast flooded, the "Saint-Nicolas Flood"

  5. Crusaders wound Rabbi Elezar ben Judah

    Crusaders wound Rabbi Elezar ben Judah

Events After

  1. Rambam (Maimonides) authorizes Samuel Ibn Tibbon to translate Guide of the Perplexed from Arabic into Hebrew

    Rambam (Maimonides) authorizes Samuel Ibn Tibbon to translate Guide of the Perplexed from Arabic into Hebrew

  2. Richard the Lionheart dies

    Richard the Lionheart dies

  3. Louis of France (Later Louis VIII) (13) marries Blanche of Castile (12), daughter of Alfonso VIII King of Castile at Por

    Louis of France (Later Louis VIII) (13) marries Blanche of Castile (12), daughter of Alfonso VIII King of Castile at Port-Mort

  4. King John of England (32) marries Isabella of Angoulême (12) in Bordeaux, despite her engagement to Hugh de Lusignan, Co

    King John of England (32) marries Isabella of Angoulême (12) in Bordeaux, despite her engagement to Hugh de Lusignan, Count of La Marche, prompting a rebellion

  5. Treaty of Le Goulet signed between France and England

    The Treaty of Le Goulet was a treaty signed by Kings John of England and Philip II of France in May 1200.

More from the 1190s

Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus

Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199), known as Richard the Lionheart or Richard Cœur de Lion (Old Norman French: Quor de Lion) because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior,…

King Richard I of England arrives at Acre in modern-day Israel to join the Siege of Acre during the Third Crusade

Acre ( AH-kər, AY-kər), known in Hebrew as Akko and in Arabic as Akka, is a city in the coastal plain region of the Northern District of Israel. The city occupies a strategic location, sitting in a…

Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa drowns while crossing the Saleph River in modern-day Turkey, leading an army t

Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa drowns while crossing the Saleph River in modern-day Turkey, leading an army to Jerusalem during the Third Crusade

Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Taishōgun, the first ruling shogun in the history of Japan and de facto ruler

Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Taishōgun, the first ruling shogun in the history of Japan and de facto ruler

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 8, 1198?
Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; born Lotario de' Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death in 1216. Pope Innocent was one of the most powerful and influential of the medieval popes. He exerted a wide influence over the Christian states of Europe, claiming supremacy over all of Europe's kings.
Why is Lotario di Segni elected Pope Innocentius III significant?
Pope Innocent III (Latin: Innocentius III; born Lotario de' Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death in 1216.

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January 8 in HistoryYear 1198