1260s

The 1260s is a decade. It started on 1 January 1260 and ended on 31 December 1269. It is distinct from the decade known as the 127th decade which began on January 1, 1261. and ended on December 31, 1270.

Kublai Khan became the supreme leader (a title for their leader) of the Mongol Empire and moved his capital to Beijing. He was at war with the southern Chinese Song Dynasty. The Mongol Empire lost some of its battles. The first time it lost a battle with Kublai Khan as the leader was in Palestine when fighting the Mamluks of Egypt. The Empire also lost in the Caucasus. The Mamluks were led by their new sultan Baibars. The Mamluks were soon were more in control in the Middle East because they took control of a number of crusader states and also stopped the Mongol attacks from happening as much. The Empire of Nicaea took control of Constantinople and also the Latin Empire so it again became the Byzantine Empire.

In Europe there was problems in politics. Arguments about who was the owner of what land let to many wars in the continent. In England there was the Second Barons' War. This was a civil war between the aristocracy who did not like how the King named Henry III behaved. This was because the King wanted absolute monarchy. King Otakar II of Bohemia became the most important prince in Europe. He got more land by fighting wars and also when his family died some of their land became his. Iceland and Greenland knew of and recognised the overlordship of Norway but when the Norse invaded Scotland the Scottish were able to stop them and they made peace. In Spain the Reconquista was still happening and several important cities were captured again from the Moors. The way the pope was elected was made better. The parliaments of Ireland and England met for the first time.

Several important cultural achievements were made in the decade. Roger Bacon published important scientific work named Opus Majus. Also, Thomas Aquinas published Summa contra Gentiles. Important pices of architecture and sculptures were made in cathedrals in Europe. These include the Cathedral of Chartres and Nicola Pisano's pulpits for the Duomo di Siena and Pisa's Baptistery. In religion, the Sukhothai kingdom in Thailand adopted Buddhism as its official religion. In Europe anti-Semitism became worse because several authorities made laws which said that Jewish people must wear yellow badges so people knew who they were. Many Jewish people were killed in England and the Talmud was attacked and censored by the Catholic Church.