1262

By area

Asia

• King Mangrai of the Lanna Kingdom founds the city of Chiang Rai, as the kingdom's capital.

  Europe

• King Mindaugas of Lithuania renounces Christianity, returning to his pagan roots, and reverting to Grand Duke of Lithuania.
• The Icelandic Commonwealth enters into the Old Covenant, establishing a union with Norway, and acknowledges King Haakon IV of Norway as its ruler.
• March 8 - Battle of Hausbergen. Strasbourg becomes an Imperial Free City of the Holy Roman Empire.

  By topic

Arts and culture

• Adam de la Halle writes the first operetta, "Le Jeu de la Feuillee".

  Markets

• The Venetian Senate starts consolidating all of the city's outstanding debt into a single fund, later known as the Monte Vecchio. The holders of the newly created prestiti are promised a 5% annual coupon. These claims can be sold, and quickly give rise to the first recorded secondary market for financial assets, in medieval Europe.

  Religion

• Richard of Chichester is canonized as a saint; he is best known for authoring the prayer later adapted into the song Day by Day, in the musical Godspell.