1008 CE

Kamo Special Festival: The poet Murasaki Shikibu is given her name from a famous court poet, Fujiwara no Kinto; this year she probably starts to write The Diary of Lady Murasaki. Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah sends a tributary mission to Emperor Zhenzong of the Song dynasty in order to reestablish trade relations between the Fatimid Caliphate and China (approximate date). Olof Skötkonung, king of Sweden, is baptized in Husaby (Västergötland) by missionary Sigfrid, and makes generous donations on the spot.

In the 1000s, the 11th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Unification of the Georgian realm.source
  • In England, King Æthelred the Unready orders a new fleet of warships built, organised on a national scale. It is a huge undertaking, but is completed the following year.source

Conflict & Security

  • Under the Early Lê dynasty, King Lê Long Đĩnh personally marched into battle to defeat the barbarians in Đô Lương and Vị Long provinces.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • The oldest known mention is made of the city of Gundelfingen (Southern Germany).source
  • Battle at Herdaler: Olaf Haraldsson sails to the southern coast of Finland to plunder, where he and his men are ambushed and defeated in the woods.source
  • Olaf Haraldsson, future king of Norway, makes raids in the Baltic Sea. He lands on the Estonian island of Saaremaa, wins a battle there, and forces the inhabitants to pay tribute.source

Religion & Belief

  • Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah sends a tributary mission to Emperor Zhenzong of the Song dynasty in order to reestablish trade relations between the Fatimid Caliphate and China (approximate date).source
  • Autumn – Bruno of Querfurt, a missionary bishop, and 18 companions sets out on a mission to spread Christianity among the Prussians.source
  • Olof Skötkonung, king of Sweden, is baptized in Husaby (Västergötland) by missionary Sigfrid, and makes generous donations on the spot.source

Culture & Society

  • November 13 – Kamo Special Festival: The poet Murasaki Shikibu is given her name from a famous court poet, Fujiwara no Kinto; this year she probably starts to write The Diary of Lady Murasaki.source
  • 42nd Birthday of Fujiwara no Michinaga, father-in-law of the emperor, is celebrated.source

Births

  • May 4 – Henry I, king of France (died 1060)source
  • October 12 – Atsuhira, future Emperor Go-Ichijō of Japan (died 1036)source
  • Sugawara no Takasue, Japanese writer (approximate date)source
  • Anselm of Liège, French chronicler and historiansource
  • Di Qing, general of the Song Dynasty (died 1057)source
  • Al-Mu'izz ibn Badis, Zirid ruler of Ifriqiya (died 1062)source
  • Wulfstan, bishop of Worcester (approximate date)source
  • Gothelo II (or Gozelo), duke of Lower Lorraine (died 1046)source

Deaths

  • March 17 – Kazan, emperor of Japan (born 968)source
  • April 7 – Ludolf (or Liudolf), archbishop of Triersource
  • April 10 – Notker of Liège, French bishop (born 940)source
  • May 25 – Matilda of Saxony, countess of Flanderssource
  • October 6 – Menendo González, Galician noblemansource
  • November 20 – Geoffrey I, duke of Brittany (born 980)source
  • Poppo, Polish missionary bishop (approximate date)source
  • Gurgen II (Magistros), king of Iberia-Kartli (Georgia)source
  • Ibn Zur'a, Abbasid physician and philosopher (born 943)source
  • Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar, Andalusian court officialsource
  • Sarolt, Grand Princess of Hungary (born 950)source
  • Rotbold I (or Rotbaud), French noblemansource
  • Raymond III, French nobleman (approximate date)source
  • Gunnlaugr Ormstunga, Icelandic poet (approximate date)source