1087 CE

Emperor Shirakawa abdicates in favor of his 7-year-old son Horikawa after a 14-year reign. He exerts his personal power to set the cloistered rule system further in motion. The relics of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of seafarers, are stolen by Italian sailors from his church in Myra (modern Turkey) and transported to Bari in southern Italy. Pope Victor III dies after a 1-year pontificate at Monte Cassino. He is buried in the abbey's chapter house.

In the 1080s, the 11th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • January 3 – Emperor Shirakawa abdicates in favor of his 7-year-old son Horikawa after a 14-year reign. He exerts his personal power to set the cloistered rule system further in motion.source
  • Inge the Elder returns to Svealand and kills his brother-in-law Blot-Sweyn after a 3-year reign. Inge again proclaims himself king of Sweden (approximate date).source

Conflict & Security

  • Summer – The Taifa of Valencia falls under the domination of El Cid. He stabilizes the region around Valencia, which has revolted against the Moorish puppet ruler Al-Qadir.source
  • Mahdia campaign: The navies of Genoa and Pisa take the capital of the Zirids, and occupy Mahdia for a year. Subsequently, both republics obtain trading privileges.source

Religion & Belief

  • May 9 – The relics of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of seafarers, are stolen by Italian sailors from his church in Myra (modern Turkey) and transported to Bari in southern Italy.source
  • May: The marriage of Caliph al-Muqtadi and Mah-i Mulk is consummated. This marriage strengthens the political relation of Malik-Shah I and the Caliph.source
  • A fire in London destroys much of the city, including St. Paul's Cathedral. Bishop Maurice starts the rebuilding of a new, much larger cathedral.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Completion of Bab al-Futuh, Cairosource

Births

  • September 13 – John II Komnenos, Byzantine emperor (died 1143)source
  • Reginald III (or Renaud), count of Burgundy (approximate date)source
  • Theoderich van Are (or Dietrich), German nobleman (died 1126)source
  • Ibn Quzman, Andalusian poet and writer (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • June 9 – Otto I ("the Fair"), prince of Olomouc (born 1045)source
  • June 27 – Henry the Long, margrave of the Nordmarksource
  • September 9 – William the Conqueror dies in Rouen after a fall from his horse. He is succeeded as king of England by his third son William II.source
  • September 9 – William the Conqueror, king of Englandsource
  • September 16 – Pope Victor III dies after a 1-year pontificate at Monte Cassino. He is buried in the abbey's chapter house.source
  • September 16 – Victor III, pope of the Catholic Churchsource
  • September 25 – Simon I, French nobleman (born 1025)source
  • November 12 – William I of Burgundy, French nobleman (born 1020)source
  • December 13 – Maria Dobroniega, duchess of Polandsource
  • December 27 – Bertha of Savoy, Holy Roman Empress (born 1051)source
  • Abu Bakr ibn Umar, military leader of the Almoravidssource
  • Yaropolk Izyaslavich, prince of Turov and Volhynsource
  • Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī, Arab astrologer (born 1029)source
  • Solomon (or Salomon), king of Hungary (born 1053)source