Bulgaria and Serbia become independent of Constantinople around 1188.

Nizami Ganjavi, an erudite recluse, draws on such earlier Persian poets as Firdawsi without imitating them.

A writer of both odes and romantic lyrics, Nezami's poems convey originality of thought as well as clarity of style.

Considered the greatest romantic epic poet in Persian literature, he is celebrated for his longer poems, including the philosophical “Treasury of Mysteries,” written in 1174-75, the romantic “Khusrau and Shirin,” written in 1180, and “Laila and Majnun,” written in 1188.

Croatia and parts of Dalmatia fall in 1188 to the Hungarians after seven years of war with Venice.

Hungary and Venice cease hostilities in 1188.

The Hungarians have been only partly successful, managing to retake Zadar and a few other Venetian-held cities along the coast.

The Birth and Struggles of Alfonso IX of León (1171–1188)

Alfonso IX of León was born in 1171 in Zamora, the only son of King Ferdinand II of León and Urraca of Portugal. His father, Ferdinand II, was the younger son of Alfonso VII of León and Castile, who had divided his vast realm between his sons—a decision that sowed long-standing conflicts between León and Castile. These rivalries persisted for decades, until the eventual reunification of the kingdoms under Alfonso IX’s son, Ferdinand III of Castile.

Upon Ferdinand II’s death in 1188, Alfonso IX faced significant obstacles in securing his throne. His cousin, Alfonso VIII of Castile, sought to assert dominance over the newly crowned monarch, demanding that the young king recognize Castile’s overlordship in exchange for being recognized as the rightful ruler of León. Pressured by Castile’s superior military and political power, Alfonso IX was forced to accept this arrangement in July 1188.

Economic Struggles and the Cortes of León (1188)

At the start of his reign, Alfonso IX faced severe economic difficulties, which led him to increase taxes on the lower classes. The resulting social unrest triggered protests and urban revolts, pushing the young king to seek a political solution.

In response, Alfonso IX convened the Cortes of León at the Basilica of San Isidoro in 1188, bringing together an assembly of nobles, clergy, and representatives from various cities. This Cortes was unprecedented in medieval Europe, as it provided a framework for greater oversight of royal expenditures and citizen representation in governance.

The First Parliament in Western Europe

The 1188 Cortes of León is widely regarded as the first parliamentary body in Western Europe to include full representation of the citizenry, preceding the first session of the English Parliament, which would not be convened until the 13th century. The principles established in this early Cortes influenced the development of representative institutions across the Iberian Peninsula and beyond, shaping the political evolution of medieval Spain.

The Cathedral of Tournai and the City’s Transition to Royal Authority (1187–1188 CE)

By 1187, the city of Tournai had successfully asserted its independence from its former feudal overlords, becoming directly subordinated to the French Crown as the Seigneurie de Tournaisis. This transition strengthened Capetian control in the region, making Tournai a key royal stronghold in Flanders.

At the same time, the city's ambitious architectural projects—including the ongoing construction of the Cathedral of Our Lady and the beginning of the belfry in 1188—reflected its growing autonomy and civic identity.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Tournai

• Construction on Tournai’s cathedral began in the 12th century, built on the foundations of earlier religious structures.
• It occupies rising ground near the south bank of the Scheldt, a river that divides Tournai into two equal parts, reinforcing its central presence in the city.
• The nave, constructed primarily in the first third of the 12th century, features a heavy Romanesque style using local blue-gray stone, giving it a severe, fortress-like appearance.
• It incorporates a second-tier gallery between the ground-floor arcade and the triforium, prefiguring Early Gothic architecture.

The Transept and Towers

• The transept arms, built around the mid-12th century, end in apses, a design likely influenced by Rhenish (German) churches.
• This feature later influenced northeast French cathedrals, such as Noyon and Soissons.
• The massive square towers that flank the transept arms rise 83 meters (272 feet) high.
• Architectural details blend round-arched Romanesque and early pointed Gothic elements, showing stylistic transition during construction.

Construction of the Belfry (1188)

• In 1188, King Philip II Augustus granted Tournai its town charter, recognizing the city’s newly won independence.
• Among the privileges granted was the right to mount a communal bell, marking the beginning of the belfry’s construction.
• The belfry’s original form resembled a feudal keep, featuring:
  • A square cross-section.
  • A crenelated parapet.
  • Use as a watchtower for spotting fires and enemy movements.

Significance of These Developments

• Tournai’s transition to direct Capetian rule (1187) strengthened French influence in northern Flanders, an area historically contested with the Counts of Flanders and the Holy Roman Empire.
• The Cathedral of Our Lady and the belfry’s construction reinforced Tournai’s status as a major religious and civic center in medieval France.
• The evolution of Tournai’s cathedral mirrored broader architectural shifts from Romanesque to Gothic, marking it as a pioneering structure in northern France.

Through these political and architectural transformations, Tournai emerged as a key royal and religious stronghold, bridging the artistic, cultural, and military dynamics of 12th-century France and Flanders.

Richard FitzNeal, named Treasurer of the Exchequer of England, begins writing a handbook for the division, his Dialogus de Scaccario.

It will describe the organization of personnel, the duties of each, how to audit sheriff's accounts at Easter and Michaelmas, how to value coinage, and how to draw up receipts.

Gregory VIII had meanwhile sent a legation to the emperor, who is now nearly in his mid-sixties and approaching the end of an eventful career, which has included a protracted controversy with the papacy.

Nevertheless, Frederick has made peace with the church, had participated in the Second Crusade, and for some time has been genuinely desirous of taking the cross again.