For broader historical context, see 13th century.

Events

Europe

• May 15 - Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad extirpanda, which authorizes the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition. Torture quickly gains widespread usage across Catholic Europe.
• The first European gold coins are minted in the Italian city of Florence, and are known as florins.
• The Swedish city of Stockholm is founded by Birger Jarl.
• The Lithuanian city of Klaipeda is founded by the Teutonic Knights.
• The town and monestary of Orval in Belgium burn to the ground; rebuilding takes 100 years.
• Thomas Aquinas travels to the University of Paris to begin his studies there for a masters degree.
• In astronomy, work begins on the recording of the Alfonsine tables .

Asia

• The classic Japanese text Jikkunsho is completed.
• The Chinese era Chunyou ends.

Births

• March 25 - Conradin
• Eleanor de Montfort
• Safi Al-Din, Persian religious leader (a Sufi Shaikh)

Deaths

• March 6 - Saint Rose of Viterbo
• May 30 - King Ferdinand III of Castile and Leon
• June 29 - King Abel of Denmark
• November 26 - Blanche of Castile
• Queen Isabella of Armenia
• Giovanni da Pian del Carpini, early Western chronicler of the Mongol Empire

See also

List of state leaders in 1252