985 CE

Anti-Pope Boniface VII dies under suspicious circumstances at Rome. He is succeeded by John XV as the 137th pope of the Catholic Church. Greenland is colonized by the Icelandic Viking Erik the Red (according to legend, but has been established as approximately correct – see History of Greenland). Lady Wulfrun, an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, is granted land by King Æthelred II (the Unready). She founds Heantune that later becomes the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands.

In the 980s, the 10th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Raja Raja Chola I (considered by many as the greatest emperor of the Chola Empire) becomes ruler of the Chola Dynasty. During his reign he expands his domains beyond South India.source

Conflict & Security

  • July 6 – The city of Barcelona is sacked by Moorish troops under Al-Mansur, the de facto ruler of Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain).source
  • Battle of Fýrisvellir: King Eric the Victorious defeats a Swedish Viking army under Styrbjörn the Strong (his nephew) near Uppsala.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • Greenland is colonized by the Icelandic Viking Erik the Red (according to legend, but has been established as approximately correct – see History of Greenland).source
  • Lady Wulfrun, an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, is granted land by King Æthelred II (the Unready). She founds Heantune that later becomes the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands.source

Religion & Belief

  • Amalfitan Benedictines found the only Latin Christian monastery on Mount Athos with the support of John the Iberian. The monastery will last until 1287.source

Culture & Society

  • Summer – Henry II (the Wrangler) is restored as duke of Bavaria by Empress Theophanu and her mother-in-law Adelaide at an Hoftag assembly in Rohr (Thuringia). King Otto III (5-years old) remains under the regency of the two empresses in the Holy Roman Empire and in the Kingdom of Italy.source

Births

  • August 13 – Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, Fatimid caliph (died 1021)source
  • Hamza ibn 'Ali ibn-Ahmad, founding leader of the Druzesource
  • Pilgrim, archbishop of Cologne (approximate date)source
  • Theobald II, French nobleman (approximate date)source
  • Adalbert, margrave of Austria (approximate date)source
  • Boniface III, margrave of Tuscany (approximate date)source
  • Gilbert Buatère, Norman nobleman (approximate date)source
  • Gisela (or Gizella), queen of Hungary (died 1065)source
  • Wazo, bishop of Liège (approximate date)source
  • John Gualbert, Italian monk and abbot (died 1073)source
  • Rodulfus Glaber, French monk and chronicler (died 1047)source
  • Zhao Yuanyan, prince of the Song Dynasty (died 1044)source
  • Radbot, German nobleman (approximate date)source
  • Maria of Amalfi, Lombard duchess and regentsource

Deaths

  • January 31 – Ryōgen, Japanese monk and abbot (born 912)source
  • June 26 – Ramiro III, king of León (Spain) (born 961)source
  • July 20 – Anti-Pope Boniface VII dies under suspicious circumstances at Rome. He is succeeded by John XV as the 137th pope of the Catholic Church.source
  • July 20 – Boniface VII, antipope of the Catholic Churchsource
  • August 25 – Dietrich of Haldensleben, German margravesource
  • Herbert III (the Old), Frankish nobleman (born 910)source
  • Hywel ap Ieuaf, king of Gwynedd (Wales)source
  • Basil Lekapenos, Byzantine chief minister (born 925)source
  • Kishi Joō, Japanese female waka poet (born 929)source
  • Chen Hongjin, Chinese warlord and general (born 914)source
  • Tornike Eristavi, Georgian general and monksource
  • Judith, duchess regent of Bavaria (born 925)source
  • Harold II (Bluetooth), king of Denmark and Norwaysource
  • Rikdag, margrave of Meissen (Germany)source