1198

1198 was a year in the late 12th century. In the Catholic Church, it was marked by a change of papal leadership: Pope Celestine III died early in the year, and Lotario dei Conti di Segni was elected pope as Innocent III, beginning a long and influential papacy. Innocent III would soon move to assert renewed papal authority and oversaw the planning of a new crusade aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land, commonly identified with the Fourth Crusade.

Across Europe, the year is characterized by ongoing feudal and territorial politics, with the Church’s influence expanding in many areas. The Fourth Crusade would later divert from its original mission, leading to the sack of Constantinople in 1204, a development rooted in Innocent III's initial initiative in 1198.

In the realm of numbers, 1198 is an even composite number, equal to 2 × 599.

Notable deaths in 1198 include Celestine III, pope from 1191 to 1198. The year also marked the start of Innocent III’s papacy, which would become a defining feature of medieval Church and European politics for decades.

Overall, 1198 is chiefly remembered for the papal transition and the early stages of the crusading movement that would shape religious and political power in the medieval world.