1281

Europe

 * succeeds as the 189th.
 * authorizes a against the newly re-established  in ;  and  expeditions set out toward Constantinople but are forced to turn back in the following year.

Middle East

 * - sultan  defeats an invasion of  by    at the.
 * , founder of the, becomes  of the tribe in central ; in  he will declare independence from the , marking the birth of the Ottoman Empire.
 * An offensive by the significantly reduces the size of the, as it recaptures land seized from the  by  ten years earlier.

Asia

 * - The second  is foiled at the  (or Battle of Hakata Bay) as a large  &mdash; famously called a , or divine wind &mdash; destroys much of the combined  and n fleet and forces, numbering over 140,000 men and 4,000 ships.
 * orders the burning of sacred texts, resulting in the reduction in number of volumes of the  (Taoist Canon) from 4,565 to 1,120.
 * The kingdom of  falls as its capital  (in present-day ) is captured by King 's  kingdom.

Births

 * , English statesman (died )
 * , duke of (died )
 * , Grand Prince of Russia (died )
 * (died )
 * , Ilkhanid Iranian historian (died )
 * (died )

Deaths

 * , father of (born )
 * , of