968 CE

Battle of Silistra: A Kievan army (60,000 men) led by Sviatoslav I crosses the Lower Danube and defeats the Bulgarians at Silistra. He occupies most of the Dobruja by seizing 80 fortresses in northeastern Bulgaria. They are looted and destroyed but not permanently occupied. During the winter, Sviatoslav transfers the capital from Kiev to Pereyaslavets. Mieszko I, duke and prince of Poland, constructs Poznań Cathedral within the fortified stronghold (gord) of Poznań. The settlement becomes a bishopric, Mieszko appoints Jordan as the first bishop. Battle of Sulcoit in Ireland: The Irish of the Dál gCais led by Brian Boru defeats the Viking forces of Limerick. After the battle the Dál gCais seize and burn the Viking stronghold of Limerick. Ending of Norse expansion in Ireland.

In the 960s, the 10th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • In Vietnam, after ending the anarchy of the 12 warlords, Đinh Bộ Lĩnh declared himself emperor, marking the beginning of the Đinh dynasty.source

Conflict & Security

  • Spring – Emperor Otto I (the Great) travels to Capua to meet there with ambassadors of Nikephoros II, who again reiterate their friendship, but refuse to consent to his dowry demands (see 967). Otto invades the Byzantine Theme of Langobardia with a Lombard expeditionary force. With the assistance of Benevento-Capua and naval support from Pisa, Otto attempts to take Bari by assault, but Byzantine resistance is stiff, and Otto withdraws back to Ravenna.source
  • Battle of Silistra: A Kievan army (60,000 men) led by Sviatoslav I crosses the Lower Danube and defeats the Bulgarians at Silistra. He occupies most of the Dobruja by seizing 80 fortresses in northeastern Bulgaria. They are looted and destroyed but not permanently occupied. During the winter, Sviatoslav transfers the capital from Kiev to Pereyaslavets.source
  • Pandulf I (Ironhead), a Lombard prince, takes over the territory of Benevento and Capua after the death of his brother Landulf III. He appoints his son Landulf IV as co-prince of Benevento, and disinherits Pandulf II (a son of Landulf III) as lord of Sant'Agata (located northeast of Naples).source
  • Emperor Nikephoros II receives a Bulgarian embassy led by Prince Boris (the son of Tsar Peter I of Bulgaria), with a plea for help against the invading Kievan Rus'. Nikephoros, occupied in the East, is unable to support him. Instead he sends envoys to summon the Pechenegs to aid Boris. They besiege Kiev, but Grand Prince Sviatoslav I (on campaign in Bulgaria) returns with a Kievan relief force, and defeats the Pechenegs. He drives them out into the Steppe, and sets up viceroys to rule his Rus' territory.source
  • Battle of Sulcoit in Ireland: The Irish of the Dál gCais led by Brian Boru defeats the Viking forces of Limerick. After the battle the Dál gCais seize and burn the Viking stronghold of Limerick. Ending of Norse expansion in Ireland.source

Religion & Belief

  • Mieszko I, duke and prince of Poland, constructs Poznań Cathedral within the fortified stronghold (gord) of Poznań. The settlement becomes a bishopric, Mieszko appoints Jordan as the first bishop.source
  • Otto I founds the Archbishopric of Magdeburg at the synod of Ravenna. He appoints Adalbert as the archbishop of Magdeburg. The archbishopric under Adalbert includes the bishoprics of Brandenburg and Havelberg — as well as the newly erected sees of Meissen, Merseburg and Naumburg-Zeitz.source

Births

  • November 29 – Kazan, emperor of Japan (died 1008)source
  • December 21 – Minamoto no Yorinobu, Japanese samurai (died 1048)source
  • December 23 – Zhenzong, emperor of the Song Dynasty (died 1022)source
  • Romanos III Argyros, emperor of the Byzantine Empire (died 1034)source
  • Pan, Chinese princess and wife of Zhen Zong (died 989)source
  • Gisela of France, Countess of Ponthieu, French princess and daughter of Hugh Capet (died 1002)source
  • Æthelred the Unready, king of England (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • March 2 – William, archbishop of Mainz (born 929)source
  • March 14 – Matilda of Ringelheim, Frankish queensource
  • March 19 – Emma of Paris, duchess of Normandy (born 943)source
  • April 2 – Yuan Dezhao, Chinese chancellor (born 891)source
  • April 4 – Abu Firas al-Hamdani, Arab prince and poet (born 932)source
  • Mumadona Dias, countess of Portugalsource
  • Abu al-Misk Kafur, Ikhshidid vizier of Egypt (born 905)source
  • Sun Guangxian, Chinese chief strategistsource
  • Bardas Phokas (the Elder), Byzantine generalsource
  • Al-Muttaqi, Abbasid caliph (born 908)source
  • John III, duke of Naples (approximate date)source
  • Mord Fiddle, Icelandic farmer and law expertsource
  • Eadgifu, wife of Edward the Elder (approximate date)source
  • Rajendravarman II, ruler of the Khmer Empiresource