Overview
The entry 1138 can refer either to the natural number that follows 1137 or to the calendar year AD 1138 in the High Middle Ages. As a year it is remembered for military conflict in the British Isles, a catastrophic earthquake in the Levant, and a significant change in German royal politics. As a number, 1138 is even and composite, equal to 2 × 569; in Roman numerals it appears as MCXXXVIII.
Events of the year AD 1138
In England the year fell within the civil war known as the Anarchy (a dynastic struggle after King Henry I's death). In August 1138 the Battle of the Standard took place in northern England when a Scottish army under King David I invaded across the border and met English forces. The engagement left a strong mark on Anglo-Scottish relations and on local power structures along the border.
Aleppo earthquake
Also commonly dated to November 1138 was a major earthquake centred in the region of Aleppo. Contemporary accounts from Christian and Muslim writers describe extensive destruction of towns and fortifications and a very large number of casualties. The disaster affected both urban life and military plans in an area already affected by Crusader and local rivalries.
Hohenstaufen ascendancy
In central Europe the princes elected Conrad III of the Hohenstaufen dynasty as King of Germany in 1138. His elevation marked an important moment in the shifting balance of power among noble houses and would influence imperial politics through the mid-12th century.
Mathematical and historical notes
As an integer, 1138 has the prime factorization 2 × 569 and is classified as a composite even number. As a historical label it belongs to the 12th century; surviving records for many events of the era are fragmentary, so dates are sometimes given with caution when sources disagree.
Legacy
- The Battle of the Standard is remembered for its role in border warfare and medieval military practice.
- The Aleppo earthquake of 1138 ranks among the most destructive medieval earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean.
- The election of a Hohenstaufen king initiated a period of renewed imperial ambition and dynastic rivalry in Germany.