text: In China, the statesmen Ouyang Xiu and Fan Zhongyan put forth the Qingli Reforms during the Song dynasty, which are halted by 1045.


section: Crime & Justice

text: Spring – Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos sends a Byzantine expeditionary force to the Balkans against the rebellious George Maniakes, governor of the Catepanate of Italy. The two armies meet near Thessaloniki in northern Greece. The rebel army – better organized, seasoned and with superior leadership – is initially successful, but Maniakes is killed by an arrow at the moment of his triumph. After this, his army is routed.

source_section: Events › By place › Byzantine Empire


section: Culture & Society

text: Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev makes an agreement with Duke Casimir I the Restorer of Poland that recognizes Chervyen as part of Kiev. The agreement is sealed with a double marriage – Casimir to Maria Dobroniega (a daughter of Vladimir the Great), and Iziaslav to Gertrude, Casimir's sister.

source_section: Events › By place › Europe


section: Births

text: Áurea of San Millán, Spanish anchorite and saint (d. 1070)

source_section: Births


text: Fulk IV ("the Quarreller"), French nobleman (d. 1109)


text: Isaac ben Reuben Albargeloni, Spanish Jewish rabbi


text: Abu Muhammad al-Baghawi, Persian hadith scholar (d. 1122)


text: El Cid (Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar), Spanish nobleman (d. 1099)


text: Furong Daokai, Chinese Zen Buddhist monk (d. 1118)


date: February 14

section: Deaths

text: February 14 – Gisela of Swabia, Holy Roman Empress (b. 990)

source_section: Deaths


date: February 20

text: February 20 – Alexios Stoudites, patriarch of Constantinople


date: June 26

text: June 26 – Gonzalo Sánchez, Spanish nobleman (b. 1020)


date: July 26

text: July 26 – Moses the Hungarian, Kievan Russian monk


date: November 21

text: November 21 – King Henry III ("the Black") marries Agnes of Poitou (daughter of William V of Aquitaine) at the Imperial Palace at Ingelheim am Rhein. She is his second wife after the death of Gunhilda from malaria in 1038.


text: George Maniakes, Byzantine general and governor


text: Al-Muqtana Baha'uddin, Druze religious leader (b. 979)


text: Hallvard Vebjørnsson, Norwegian patron saint


text: Hywel ab Owain, king of Glywysing (Wales)


text: Cathal mac Ruaidhri, king of Maigh Seóla (Ireland)


date: July 6

section: Conflict & Security

text: July 6 – Battle of Ménfő: German troops under King Henry III ("the Black") defeat the Hungarian army, led by King Samuel Aba, who flees the field but is captured and killed. Peter Orseolo ("the Venetian") becomes (for the second time) king of Hungary, and a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire.


text: Summer – Geoffrey II ("the Hammer"), count of Anjou, captures the city of Tours, and takes control of the county of Touraine.


date: September

section: Religion & Belief

text: September – A second Roman uprising forces Pope Benedict IX out of Rome. He is succeeded by the new elected (anti)-Pope Sylvester III (until 1045).

source_section: Events › By topic › Religion


date: August 11

text: August 11 – King Anawrahta seizes the throne of the Pagan Empire at Bagan in Burma (modern Myanmar).

source_section: Events › By place › Asia


text: Władysław I Herman, duke of Poland (d. 1102)


text: Trahaearn ap Caradog, Welsh king of Gwynedd (d. 1081)


text: Abelard of Hauteville, Italo-Norman nobleman (d. 1081)


date: January 14

text: January 14 – Adelaide I, abbess of Quedlinburg


date: February 13

text: February 13 – Zhao Yuanyan, Chinese prince of the Song dynasty (b. 985)


date: April 19

text: April 19 – Gothelo I (or Gozelo), duke of Lorraine


text: July 6 – Samuel Aba, palatine and king of Hungary


text: August 11 – Sokkate, last king of the Pagan Kingdom, killed in combat (b. 1001)


date: November 14

text: November 14 – Thietmar of Hildesheim, German bishop


text: Abu'l-Husayn al-Basri, Mu'tazilite faqih and theologian


text: Sharif al-Murtaza, Buyid Shia scholar (b. 965)


text: Rajendra Chola I, emperor of the Chola dynasty


text: The Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia is surrendered to the Byzantine Empire, ending the Kingdom.

source_section: Events


section: Exploration & Expansion

text: Harald Hardrada returns to Scandinavia through Sigtuna in Sweden, after escaping from the Byzantine Empire with a fortune.


date: January 20

text: January 20 – Pope Sylvester III becomes the 146th pope, succeeding Benedict IX, who abdicated during the previous year.


date: January 23

text: January 23 – Edward the Confessor, King of England, marries Edith of Wessex (daughter of Earl Godwin) and she is crowned queen consort at Winchester. This year also in England, Edward begins construction of Westminster Abbey.


date: February

text: February – Pope Sylvester III is deposed (election deemed invalid); Pope Benedict IX is elected once more, becoming the 147th pope.


date: May 5

text: May 5 – Pope Gregory VI becomes the 148th pope, following the resignation of Pope Benedict IX in exchange for money. There are growing allegations that simony is taking place during Gregory VI's reign.


section: Economy & Finance

text: The Qingli Reforms, put forth by the Chinese statesman Fan Zhongyan in 1043, are halted by their conservative ministerial peers, but will later influence reform efforts under Wang Anshi.


section: Science & Discovery

text: Movable type printing is invented by Bi Sheng in China.


date: February 5

text: February 5 – Emperor Go-Reizei ascends the throne of Japan.


text: Robert of Arbrissel (d. 1116), Bretonic preacher and founder of Fontevraud Abbey


text: Huang Tingjian, famous Chinese calligrapher, painter and poet (d. 1105)


text: Margaret, queen consort of Scotland (d. 1093)


text: Stephen, Count of Blois (d. 1102)


date: February 7

text: February 7 – Emperor Go-Suzaku of Japan (b. 1009)


date: May 27

text: May 27 – Bruno of Würzburg, imperial chancellor of Italy (b. c. 1005)


date: June 27

text: June 27 – Hemma of Gurk, Austrian religious founder and countess (b. 980)


text: Radbot, Count of Habsburg (b. 985)


text: Approximate date – Maria Skleraina, Byzantine Imperial political adviser


text: Vata pagan uprising in the Kingdom of Hungary: Peter, King of Hungary ("the Venetian"), is overthrown after a 2-year reign and perhaps executed. Bishops Gerard of Csanád and Bystrík (or Bestricus) are stoned to death in Budapest.


date: March 5

text: March 5 – Nasir Khusraw begins his 7-year Middle Eastern (19,000-kilometre) journey, which he later describes in the book Safarnāmé.

source_section: Events › By topic › Exploration


date: December 20

text: December 20 – Pope Gregory VI is accused of simony at the Council of Sutri, and abdicates as pope of the Catholic Church.


date: December 25

text: December 25 – Pope Clement II succeeds Gregory VI as the 149th pope, and crowns Henry III as Holy Roman Emperor.


text: Summer – Ex-Pope Benedict IX gives up a renewed attempt to reclaim the papal throne in Rome; Sylvester III reasserts his claim.


text: Ealdred, bishop of Worcester, leads troops from England on an unsuccessful punitive raid against the Welsh leaders Gruffydd ap Rhydderch, Rhys ap Rhydderch and Gruffydd ap Llywelyn.

source_section: Events › By place › Britain


text: Hildesheim Cathedral (Germany) is largely destroyed by fire.


text: Autumn – King Henry III ("the Black") travels to Italy to secure the imposition of Guido da Velate, archbishop of Milan, and other similarly loyal candidates in other sees (like Ravenna, Verona and Modena).


text: Bao Zheng (Lord Bao), a Chinese government officer during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, writes a memorial to the throne. He warns about governmental corruption – and a foreseeable bankruptcy of the Chinese iron industry – if increasingly poorer families continued to be listed on the register for iron-smelting households (while rich households avoid being listed for fear of financial calamity). Apparently the government heeds the warning, and produces more iron products by the year 1078 than China ever had before.


text: Munjong is crowned the 11th king of Goryeo (Korea).


date: May 8

text: May 8 – Constance of Burgundy, queen consort of Castile and León (d. 1093)


text: Bernard of Thiron, founder of the Tironensian Order (d. 1117)


text: Ingegerd, queen of Denmark and Sweden (approximate date)


text: Afridun I ("the Martyr"), ruler (shah) of Shirvan (d. 1120)


text: Leo of Ostia ("Marsicanus"), Italian cardinal (d. 1115)


text: Masud Sa'd Salman, Persian poet and writer (d. 1121)


text: Matilda, margravine of Tuscany (d. 1115) (approximate date)


date: January 24

text: January 24 – Eckard II, Margrave of Meissen (or Ekkehard), German nobleman (b. 985)


date: February 26

text: February 26 – Fujiwara no Sanesuke, Japanese nobleman (b. 957)


date: March

text: March – Lyfing of Winchester, English abbot and bishop


date: June 24

text: June 24 – Jeongjong II, king of Goryeo (b. 1018)


date: July 18

text: July 18 – Elijah, bishop of Beth Nuhadra (b. 975)


date: September 24

text: September 24 – Gerard of Csanád, Hungarian missionary bishop, killed


date: September 27

text: September 27 – Bystrík (or Bestricus), Hungarian bishop, killed


text: Geoffrey II, count of Gâtinais (approximate date)


text: Oliba, Spanish count, abbot and bishop


text: Gothelo II, duke of Lower Lorraine (b. 1008)


text: Richard of Verdun, French abbot (b. 970)


text: William Iron Arm, Norman nobleman


text: Eido II (or Egidius), bishop of Meissen (or 1045)


text: Art Uallach Ua Ruairc, Irish king of Connacht


date: August 10

text: August 10 – Battle of Val-ès-Dunes: Norman duke William I secures control over Normandy with assistance from King Henry I of France by defeating rebel Norman barons at Caen. Later in October, William promulgates the "Truce of God" throughout his duchy.


date: September 25

text: September 25–28 – Rebel general Leo Tornikios (a nephew of Emperor Constantine IX) proclaims himself emperor at Adrianople, and besieges Constantinople. Byzantine troops personally led by Constantine repel him, and re-occupy the walls. Tornikios is forced to withdraw, while his followers start to abandon him. Finally, he is captured at a church in Boulgarophygon (modern Turkey), and is publicly blinded.


text: Winter – Constantine IX allows the Pecheneg tribes to cross the Danube and settle permanently in Byzantine territory. He buys their alliance with presents, using them to attack his enemies (Bulgars and Magyars) in the rear, and so to prevent any southward advance of the Kievan Rus'.


date: November

text: November – Benedict IX, with support of Boniface III, Margrave of Tuscany, seizes the Lateran Palace in Rome.


text: Spring – Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor ("the Black") travels to southern Italy, and deprives Guaimar IV of his title Duke of Apulia and Calabria. He receives homage from Drogo of Hauteville, who becomes "Duke and Master of all Italy".


date: December 28

text: December 28 – Sunjong, ruler of Goryeo (d. 1083)


text: Wyszesława of Kiev, duchess of Poland


text: Cai Jing, Chinese official and calligrapher (d. 1126)


text: Hugh d'Avranches, Norman nobleman (d. 1101)


text: Yizong, Chinese emperor of Western Xia (d. 1068)


text: Simon de Crépy, French nobleman


text: Xiang, Chinese empress regent of the Song dynasty (d. 1102)


text: Qingshui, Chinese Chan Buddhist monk (d. 1101)


date: March 29

text: March 29 (or 1048) – Æthelstan of Abingdon, English abbot (or 1048)


date: June 16

text: June 16 – Poppo, archbishop of Trier


date: August 29

text: August 29 – Ælfwine, bishop of Winchester


date: September 7

text: September 7 – Otto II, duke of Swabia


date: October 9

text: October 9 – Pope Clement II dies suddenly after a 9-month pontificate. Benedict IX usurps the papal throne as the 150th pope of the Catholic Church (his third time in the office).


text: October 9 – Clement II, pope of the Catholic Church


date: October 16

text: October 16 – Henry VII, German nobleman


date: October 25

text: October 25 – Harald Hardrada becomes sole king of Norway on the death of his nephew and co-regent Magnus I ("the Good"). The crown of Denmark passes to Sweyn II.


text: October 25 – Magnus the Good, king of Norway


text: Rodulfus Glaber, French Benedictine chronicler (b. 985)


text: Eustace I, count of Boulogne (House of Flanders)


text: Grimketel, English clergyman and bishop


text: Raymond III, count of Pallars Jussà


text: Levente, Hungarian nobleman (House of Árpád)


date: September 18

text: September 18 – Battle of Kapetron: A combined Byzantine-Georgian army, under Byzantine generals Aaronios and Katakalon Kekaumenos (supported by the Georgian duke Liparit IV), confronts the invading Seljuk Turks, led by Ibrahim Inal (a half-brother of Sultan Tughril), at Kapetron (near modern-day Pasinler). The Byzantines defeat their opposing Turkish forces in the flanks, but in the centre Ibrahim Inal captures Liparit, and can safely withdraw from Byzantine territory, laden with spoils and captives, including Liparit.


text: 1048 or 1066 – End of the Viking Age: Vikings make an unsuccessful raid on the Kingdom of England; The raiders flee to Flanders (modern Belgium).

source_section: Events › By place › England


text: King Edward the Confessor goes to war against Flanders, blockading the English Channel with a fleet based at Sandwich, Kent.


text: Winter – Emperor Constantine IX sends an embassy with gifts and a ransom, to release Liparit IV to Tughril. However, the sultan sets Liparit free, on the condition that he will never again fight the Seljuks.


date: July 16

text: July 16 – At orders of Henry III, German troops under Boniface III, Margrave of Tuscany ("of Canossa"), enter Rome and expel Pope Benedict IX.


date: December

text: December – Bruno von Egisheim-Dagsburg, bishop of Toul, is selected as the new pope by an assembly at Worms - after canonical election in Rome next February, he assumes the name Pope Leo IX.


text: Winter – Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor appoints his cousin, Bishop Bruno of Toul (related to the counts of Egisheim-Dagsburg in Upper Alsace) as successor of Damasus II at an assembly at Worms.


section: Climate & Environment

text: Catastrophic Yellow River flood in Northern Song China; the river changes its course until 1194.

source_section: Events › By place › China


text: The city of Oslo is founded by King Harald Hardrada of Norway (approximate date).


date: May 18

text: May 18 – Omar Khayyam, Persian mathematician and poet (d. 1131)


date: May 25

text: May 25 – Shenzong, emperor of the Song dynasty (d. 1085)


date: October

text: October – Matilda of Germany, duchess of Swabia (d. 1060)


text: Harding of Bristol, English sheriff reeve (approximate date)


text: Peter I, Italian nobleman (House of Savoy) (d. 1078) (approximate date)


text: Domnall Ua Lochlainn, High King of Ireland (d. 1121)


text: Magnus II (Haraldsson), king of Norway (approximate date)


text: Sheikh Ahmad-e Jami, Persian Sufi writer and poet (d. 1141)


text: Arwa al-Sulayhi, queen and co-ruler of Yemen (d. 1138)


text: Turgot of Durham, Scottish bishop (approximate date)


date: January 19

text: January 19 – Jingzong, Chinese founding emperor of Western Xia (b. 1003)


date: January 25

text: January 25 – Poppo, abbot of Stavelot-Malmedy (b. 977)


text: March 29 (or 1047) – Æthelstan of Abingdon, English abbot (or 1047)


date: June 1

text: June 1 – Minamoto no Yorinobu, Japanese samurai (b. 968)


date: June 7

text: June 7 – Berno of Reichenau, German abbot


date: July 17

text: July 17 – Pope Damasus II succeeds Benedict IX as the 151st pope of the Catholic Church, but dies after 23 days.


date: August 9

text: August 9 – Damasus II, pope of the Catholic Church


date: November 11

text: November 11 – Adalbert, duke of Upper Lorraine (b. 1000)


date: December 9

text: December 9 – Al-Biruni, Persian scholar and polymath (b. 973)


text: Mael Fabhaill Ua hEidhin, Irish king of Uí Fiachrach Aidhne


text: Cenn Fáelad Ua Cúill, Irish poet and Chief Ollam


text: Humbert I, founder of the House of Savoy (or 1047)


text: Rainulf Trincanocte, Italo-Norman nobleman


section: Geopolitics & Diplomacy

text: The Republic of Pisa successfully completes the conquest of Sardinia, from the Andalusian occupiers. [Dubious claim; since Sardinia was already governed by the Giudici by this time]


text: The Banu Hilal, a confederation of tribes of Arabia, begin their invasion in the Maghreb (North Africa). They are organized by the Egyptian Fatimid Caliphate to punish their former Zirid vassals.

source_section: Events › By place › Africa


text: Spring – Pecheneg Revolt: Emperor Constantine IX decides to transfer 15,000 Pecheneg warriors from their positions in the Balkans to the eastern front. Upon approaching the Bosporus, the Pechenegs decide to turn back, and march through Bulgaria, until they reach the Byzantine city of Serdia. Later, joined by followers, the Pecheneg tribes raise the banner of revolt in Thrace.


text: Viking Irish raiders ally with King Gruffydd ap Rhydderch of Gwent in raiding along the River Severn.

source_section: Events › By place › British Isles


date: January 13

text: January 13 – Theodwin, prince-bishop of Liège, defeats Count Dirk IV of West Frisia near Dordrecht and restores imperial authority in the Rhine Delta.


date: February 12

text: February 12 – Pope Leo IX succeeds Damasus II, as the 152nd pope of the Catholic Church. He goes on a one-year trip to promote the cause of the reformist program among the European prelates.


section: Technology & Infrastructure

text: The Iron Pagoda in Kaifeng is constructed, during the Chinese Song dynasty.


date: October 9

text: October 9 – Seonjong, king of Goryeo (d. 1094)


text: Rhiryd ap Bleddyn, king of Powys (d. 1088)


text: Saw Lu, king of the Pagan Kingdom (d. 1084)


text: Peter de Honestis, Italian monk (approximate date)


text: John Theristus, Italian Benedictine monk (d. 1129)


text: Hermann II, count palatine of Lotharingia (d. 1085)


text: Godelieve, Flemish saint (approximate date)


text: Li Gonglin, Chinese painter and antiquarian (d. 1106)


date: January 1

text: January 1 – Odilo of Cluny, French Benedictine abbot


date: January 12

text: January 12 – Abū-Sa'īd Abul-Khayr, Persian Sufi poet (b. 967)


text: January 13 – Dirk IV, count of Friesland west of the Vlie


date: December 1

text: December 1 – Ermesinda of Bigorre, queen of Aragon (b. 1015)


text: Airlangga, Indonesian ruler (raja) of Kahuripan


text: A peace treaty is signed between Baekje and Silla in the Korean peninsula (the war started in AD 85).


text: The Romans conquer Kerak from the Nabateans.

source_section: Events › By place › Roman Empire


text: Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix and II Traiana Fortis are created by Trajan.


text: Emperor Trajan starts the second expedition against Dacia; he leaves with the Imperial Roman fleet from Brundusium.


text: Permanent castrum of Legio II Adiutrix at Aquincum (modern Budapest) in Pannonia.


text: Pope Alexander I succeeds Pope Evaristus as the sixth pope according to Roman Catholic tradition (approximate date).


text: Change of Patriarch of Constantinople from Patriarch Plutarch to Patriarch Sedecion.


text: The Trajan Bridge is finished. For more than a thousand years, it is the longest arch bridge in the world to have been built, in terms of both total and span length.

source_section: Events › By topic › Art and Science


text: Last year (17th) of yongyuan era and start of yuanxing era of the Chinese Eastern Han dynasty.


text: Han Shangdi, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (d. 106)


text: Alexander of Abonoteichus, Greek mystic and oracle (d. 170)


text: Marcus Sedatius Severianus, Roman politician (d. 161)


date: June 24

text: June 24 – Gnaeus Afranius Dexter, Roman politician


text: Gnaeus Pompeius Longinus, Roman politician


text: Pacorus II of Parthia dies after a 27-year reign, in which he has reclaimed all of his empire. His successor Vologases III reigns until 147 AD, suppressing brief rebellions, as he battles against the Kushan and Alani.


text: Marcus Valerius Probus, Roman grammarian


text: Emperor He Di dies after a 17-year reign in which court eunuchs and the emperor's in-laws have regained influence. Empress Deng Sui places her son Shang Di (barely 3 months old) on the throne, as the fifth emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han dynasty.


text: Pacorus II, king of the Parthian Empire


text: Aoudaghost, an important Berber trading center and rival of Koumbi Saleh, is captured by the Ghana Empire.


text: Hedeby in Jutland is sacked by King Harald Hardrada of Norway, during the course of a conflict with Sweyn II of Denmark.


text: Macbeth, King of Scotland, makes a pilgrimage to Rome.


text: King Edward the Confessor unites the English dioceses of Devon and Cornwall. He moves the see from Crediton to Exeter and gives the order to build a cathedral. Leofric becomes the first bishop of Exeter.


text: The brewery of Weltenburg Abbey (modern Germany) is first mentioned, thus making it one of the oldest still operating breweries in the world (approximate date).


text: Liutold of Eppenstein, German nobleman (approximate date)


text: Osbern of Canterbury, English hagiographer (d. 1090)


text: Olaf III ("the Peaceful"), king of Norway (approximate date)


text: Vidyakara, Indian Buddhist scholar (d. 1130)


text: Muirchertach Ua Briain, king of Munster (approximate date)


text: Leopold II ("the Fair"), margrave of Austria (d. 1095)


text: Sophia of Hungary, duchess of Saxony (approximate date)


text: Lhachen Gyalpo, king of Ladakh (approximate date)


text: Li Tang, Chinese landscape painter (approximate date)


text: Berthold II, duke of Swabia (approximate date)


text: Frederick I, duke of Swabia (approximate date)


text: Lope Íñiguez, lord of Biscay (approximate date)


text: Amadeus II, count of Savoy (approximate date)


text: Olaf I ("Hunger"), king of Denmark (approximate date)


date: February 10

text: February 10 – Anna, Grand Princess of Kiev (b. 1001)


date: October 29

text: October 29 – Eadsige, archbishop of Canterbury


text: Michael Dokeianos, Byzantine general


text: Casilda of Toledo, Spanish saint (approximate date)


text: Constantine Arianites, Byzantine general


text: Einar Thambarskelfir, Norwegian nobleman


text: Hugh of Langres, French bishop and theologian


text: King Anund Jacob dies after a 28-year reign. He is succeeded by his elder half-brother Emund the Old as king of Sweden.


text: Alferius (or Alferio), Italian abbot and saint (b. 930)


text: Anund Jacob (or James), king of Sweden (b. 1008)


text: Wifred II, count of Cerdanya and Berga


text: Herleva, Norman noblewoman (approximate date)


text: Suryavarman I, king of the Khmer Empire


text: Humphrey de Vieilles, Norman nobleman


text: Heregeld, commonly known as Danegeld, is abolished by Edward the Confessor. It has been collected for many years to provide funds for defending the country from Viking raiders.


text: Summer – Drogo of Hauteville, count of Apulia and Calabria, meets Pope Leo IX in southern Italy – who has been sent by Emperor Henry III (the Black) to re-establish the "freedom of the Catholic Church". Drogo is forced to promise Pope Leo to stop the Normans from pillaging the Lombard countryside. On his way back (August 10), Drogo is assassinated near Bovino by a Byzantine conspiracy.

source_section: Events › By place › Continental Europe


text: Autumn – Battle of Vértes: Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor invades the Kingdom of Hungary, and is utterly defeated by Andrew I of Hungary.


date: May 19

text: May 19 – King Henry I of France marries Anne of Kiev at the cathedral of Reims. William of Normandy marries Matilda of Flanders, daughter of Count Baldwin V, which Henry sees as a threat to his throne.


text: Hilarion of Kiev (or Ilarion) becomes the first non-Greek metropolitan bishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church, in Kiev.


text: Edward the Confessor invites William of Normandy to England. It is at this point that it is thought that Edward promises the English throne to William in the event of his death.


date: September 21

text: September 21 – Bertha of Savoy, Holy Roman Empress consort (d. 1087)


text: Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, Welsh prince of Powys (d. 1111)


text: Mi Fu, Chinese painter, poet and calligrapher (d. 1107)


text: Approximate date – Robert Curthose, duke of Normandy (d. 1134)


date: January 22

text: January 22 – Ælfric Puttoc, archbishop of York


date: February 28

text: February 28 – Humfrid, archbishop of Magdeburg


date: March 14

text: March 14 – Gerard I, bishop of Cambrai


date: March 25

text: March 25 – Hugh IV, count of Maine


date: April 27

text: April 27 – Fulk Bertrand I, count of Provence


date: June 10

text: June 10/11 – Bardo, German abbot and archbishop


date: August 10

text: August 10 – Drogo of Hauteville, Norman nobleman, assassinated


date: November 7

text: November 7 – Rotho, bishop of Paderborn


text: Eustace II, count of Boulogne, visits England and is received with honour at the court by King Edward the Confessor. In Dover a fight breaks out between the Norman visitors and the locals, resulting in the deaths of several people. Edward blames the people of Dover and orders Godwin, earl of Wessex, to deal with them. Godwin refuses to obey Edward's order, and in response Edward raises an army and forces the Godwin family into exile.


text: Jordan of Laron, bishop of Limoges


text: Spring – William of Normandy consolidates his power in Normandy. He fights over the control of Maine (after the death of Count Hugh IV), and lays siege to the fortresses of Alençon and Domfront (Western France).


text: Ralph de Gacé, Norman nobleman


text: Bernard, margrave of the Nordmark


text: Kálfr Árnason, Norwegian chieftain


text: Battle of Haydaran: The Zirid dynasty is defeated by the invading Bedouin Arab tribes of the Banu Hilal.


text: Summer – Godwin, Earl of Wessex, sails with a large fleet up the Thames to London, forcing King Edward the Confessor to reinstate him into his previous position of power.


text: Byōdō-in, a Japanese Buddhist temple (located in the Kyoto Prefecture), changes its name by order of Fujiwara no Yorimichi.


date: May 23

text: May 23 – Philip I ("the Amorous"), king of France (d. 1108)


date: September

text: September/October – Conrad II ("the Child"), duke of Bavaria (d. 1055)


text: Roman Svyatoslavich, Kievan prince (approximate date)


text: Jón Ögmundsson, Icelandic bishop and saint (d. 1121)


text: Agnes of Aquitaine, countess of Savoy (approximate date)


text: Edgar Ætheling, uncrowned king of England (d. c. 1126) (approximate date)


text: Dirk V, count of Friesland (west of the Vlie) (d. 1091)


text: Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, Norman nobleman (approximate date)


text: Gleb Svyatoslavich, Kievan prince (approximate date)


date: March 6

text: March 6 – Emma of Normandy, queen consort of England (twice), Denmark and Norway (b. 984)


date: May 6

text: May 6 – Boniface III, Italian prince and margrave (assassinated)


date: June 19

text: June 19 – Fan Zhongyan, chancellor of the Song dynasty (b. 989)


date: October 4

text: October 4 – Vladimir Yaroslavich, Grand Prince of Kiev (b. 1020)


date: October 27

text: October 27 – Qirwash ibn al-Muqallad, Uqaylid emir


date: December 14

text: December 14 – Aaron Scotus, Irish abbot and musician


text: Halinard, French archbishop (approximate date)


text: Hugh II, count of Ponthieu (also lord of Abbeville)


text: Sweyn Godwinson (or Swein), English nobleman


text: Pandulf of Capaccio, Lombard nobleman


text: Amadeus I, count of Savoy (approximate date)


text: Pandulf III of Salerno, Lombard prince


text: Xuedou Chongxian, Chinese Buddhist monk


text: Rodulf, Norman missionary bishop and abbot


date: June 18

text: June 18 – Battle of Civitate: Norman horsemen (3,000 men), led by Humphrey of Hauteville, count of Apulia and Calabria, rout the combined forces under Pope Leo IX, in Southern Italy. The Normans destroy the allied Papal army and capture Leo, who is imprisoned (as a hostage for 8 months) in Benevento.


text: End of the Pecheneg Revolt: Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos makes peace with the Pechenegs. However, Pecheneg raids do not cease; they not only damage the economy by plundering, but Constantine is also forced to buy protection or peace from them by gifts, land grants, privileges and titles.


text: Jōchō sculpts Amida Buddha for the Byōdō-in Temple in Japan during the Heian period (approximate date).


date: April

text: April – Harold Godwinson succeeds his father Godwin as earl of Wessex. He invites the exiled Edward the Exile, son of Edmund II, to return in the hope that he can claim the English throne from King Edward the Confessor.


date: December

text: December – Conrad I, duke of Bavaria, is summoned to a Christmas court at Merseburg, and deposed by Emperor Henry III. He flees to King Andrew I in Hungary, and joins a coalition with the rebellious Welf III, duke of Carinthia. Henry's 4-year-old son Henry becomes the new duke of Bavaria.


date: May 26

text: May 26 – Vladimir II, Grand Prince of Kiev (d. 1125)


date: July 7

text: July 7 – Shirakawa, emperor of Japan (d. 1129)


text: Toba Sōjō, Japanese artist-monk (d. 1140)


text: Hugh of Châteauneuf, bishop of Grenoble (d. 1132)


text: Maria of Alania, Byzantine empress consort (d. 1118)


text: Ramon Berenguer II, count of Barcelona (or 1054)


text: Guibert of Nogent, French historian and theologian (d. 1124) (approximate date)


text: Solomon (or Salomon), king of Hungary (d. 1087)


text: Berenguer Ramon II, count of Barcelona (approximate date)


text: Iorwerth ap Bleddyn, Welsh prince of Powys (d. 1111)


date: March 25

text: March 25 – Procopius of Sázava, Czech hermit


date: April 15

text: April 15 – Godwin of Wessex, English nobleman


date: October 25

text: October 25 – Enguerrand II, count of Ponthieu


date: November 7

text: November 7 – Lazaros, Byzantine monk and stylite


text: Cormac O'Ruadrach, Irish priest and archdeacon


text: Wulfsige (or Wulsy), English bishop of Lichfield


text: Chananel ben Chushiel, Tunisian Jewish rabbi (b. 990)


text: Murchadh Ua Beolláin, Irish priest and archdeacon


text: Liu Yong, Chinese poet of the Song dynasty (b. 987)


text: Abu'l-Fath an-Nasir ad-Dailami, imam of Yemen, killed


text: by January 5 – Rhys ap Rhydderch, Welsh co-ruler of Morgannwg, killed


date: July 27

text: July 27 – Siward, earl of Northumbria, invades Scotland, to support King Malcolm III against Macbeth, who has usurped the Scottish throne from Malcolm's father, Duncan I. Macbeth is defeated at Dunsinane.

source_section: Events › By place › Scotland


text: Battle of Mortemer: The Normans, led by Duke William the Conqueror, defeat a French army (near Mortemer), as it is caught pillaging and plundering. King Henry I of France withdraws his main army from the Duchy of Normandy as a result. Guy I, Count of Ponthieu, is captured during the course of the battle.


text: Sultan Tughril leads a large Seljuk army out of Azerbaijan into Armenia, possibly to consolidate his frontier, while providing an incentive to his Turkoman allies in the form of plunder. Tughril divides his army into four columns, ordering three to veer off to the north to raid into central and northern Armenia, while he takes the fourth column towards Lake Van. The Seljuk Turks capture and sack the fortress city of Artchesh, after an 8-day siege.

source_section: Events › By place › Byzantine Empire


text: Lý Nhật Tôn, third king of the Lý Dynasty, begins to rule in Vietnam, and changes the country's official name to Đại Việt.


text: The Almoravids retake the trading center of Aoudaghost from the Ghana Empire. Repeated Almoravid incursions, aimed at seizing control of the trans-Saharan gold trade, disrupt Ghana's dominance of the trade routes.


date: July 16

text: July 16 – East-West Schism: Humbert of Silva Candida, representative of the newly deceased Leo IX, breaks the relations between Western and Eastern Churches, through the act of placing an invalidly-issued Papal Bull of excommunication during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.


text: Spring – Pope Leo IX sends a legatine mission, under Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, to Constantinople, to negotiate with Patriarch Michael I Cerularius, in response to his actions concerning the church in Constantinople. Leo becomes the first pope directly to invoke the forged Donation of Constantine, citing a large portion in a letter to Michael, believing it genuine.


date: July 4

text: July 4 (approx.) – SN 1054, a supernova, is first observed by the Chinese, Arabs and possibly Native Americans, near the star Zeta Tauri. For 23 days it remains bright enough to be seen in daylight. Its remnants form the Crab Nebula (NGC 1952).

source_section: Events › By topic › Astronomy


date: September 2

text: September 2 – Sukjong, ruler of Goryeo (d. 1105)

source_section: Births


text: Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona (or 1053)


text: Langri Tangpa, Tibetan Buddhist master (d. 1123)


text: Judith of Swabia, queen consort of Hungary (d. 1105)


text: Al-Hariri of Basra, Abbasid poet and scholar (d. 1122)


text: Judith of Lens, niece of William the Conqueror (or 1055)


text: Tong Guan, Chinese general and adviser (d. 1126)


text: George II (Giorgi), king of Georgia (approximate date)


text: Bohemond I of Antioch, Italo-Norman nobleman (approximate date)


date: February 20

text: February 20 – Yaroslav the Wise, Kievan Rus' grand prince (b. c.978)

source_section: Deaths


date: March 8

text: March 8 – Azelin (Azellinus), bishop of Hildesheim


date: April 19

text: April 19 – Pope Leo IX, German pontiff of the Catholic Church (b. 1002)


date: July 19

text: July 19 – Bernold (Bernulf), bishop of Utrecht


date: August 25

text: August 25 – Fujiwara no Michimasa, Japanese nobleman (b. 992)


date: August 31

text: August 31 – Kunigunde of Altdorf, German noblewoman (b. c.1020)


date: September 1

text: September 1 – Fortún Sánchez, Navarrese nobleman (b. c.992)


date: September 15

text: September 15 – García Sánchez III, king of Pamplona (b. c.1012)


date: September 24

text: September 24 – Hermann of Reichenau, German music theorist (b. 1013)


text: Osgod Clapa (Osgot), Anglo-Saxon nobleman


text: Abu Sahl Zawzani, Persian statesman and chief secretary


text: Atiśa, Tibetan Buddhist leader and master (b. c.980)


text: Osbern Pentecost, Norman knight and nobleman


text: Nuño Álvarez de Carazo, Castilian nobleman


text: King Ferdinand I of León ("the Great") begins his campaign against al-Andalus. He conquers Seia from the Christian allies of the Muslim taifas. In a drive to consolidate his southern border in Portugal he re-populates the city of Zamora with some of his Cantabrian (montañeses) subjects.

source_section: Events › By place › Europe


date: October 24

text: October 24 – Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia, is outlawed by the witan ("meeting of wise men"). In revenge he builds a force and allies himself with the Welsh king Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. After defeating Ralph the Timid (a nephew of King Edward the Confessor), they attack Hereford and raid the church – taking everything of value, leaving the building on fire. The rebels also attack Leominster.


text: Winter – The Seljuk Turks led by Sultan Tughril capture Baghdad and enter the city in a Roman-styled triumph. Al-Malik al-Rahim, the last Buyid emir in Iraq, is taken prisoner.

source_section: Events › By place › Arabian Empire


date: April 13

text: April 13 – Pope Victor II succeeds Leo IX as the 153rd pope of the Catholic Church in Rome (until 1057).

source_section: Events › By topic › Religion


text: King Andrew I of Hungary ("the Catholic") establishes the Benedictine Tihany Abbey. Its foundation charter is the earliest written record extant in the Hungarian language.


text: Construction on the Liaodi Pagoda in Hebei is completed (the tallest pagoda in Chinese history, standing at a height of 84 m (275 ft) tall).

source_section: Events › By topic › Architecture


date: August 16

text: August 16 – Malik-Shah I, sultan of the Seljuk Empire (d. 1092)


date: September 28

text: September 28 – Uicheon, Korean Buddhist monk (d. 1101)


text: Bertha of Holland, French queen consort (d. 1094)


text: Vigrahapala III, ruler of the Pala Empire (d. 1070)


text: Alger of Liège, French clergyman and priest (d. 1131)


text: Minamoto no Shunrai, Japanese poet (d. 1129)


text: Gilbert Crispin, Norman abbot and theologian (d. 1117)


text: Gruffudd ap Cynan, king of Gwynedd (approximate date)


text: Ida of Austria, German duchess and crusader (d. 1101)


text: Judith of Lens, niece of William the Conqueror (or 1054)


text: Fujiwara no Akisue, Japanese nobleman (d. 1123)


text: Adelaide of Weimar-Orlamünde, German noblewoman (d. 1100)


text: Machig Labdrön, Tibetan Buddhist teacher (d. 1149)


text: Terken Khatun, Seljuk empress (approximate date)


date: January 10

text: January 10 – Bretislav I, duke of Bohemia


date: January 11

text: January 11 – Constantine IX, Byzantine emperor


text: January 11 – Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos dies after a 12½-year reign at Constantinople. He is succeeded by Theodora (a sister of the former Empress Zoë), who is proclaimed by the imperial guard (with strong opposition from the council) as empress of the Byzantine Empire.


date: April 10

text: April 10 – Conrad II, duke of Bavaria (b. 1052)


date: May 26

text: May 26 – Adalbert, margrave of Austria


date: August 28

text: August 28 – Xing Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 1016)


date: November 13

text: November 13 – Welf III, duke of Carinthia


date: December 5

text: December 5 – Conrad I, duke of Bavaria


text: Nong Zhigao, Vietnamese chieftain of Nong


text: Gruffydd ap Rhydderch, king of Deheubarth


text: A Nong, Chinese shamaness, matriarch and warrior


text: Yan Shu, Chinese statesman and poet (b. 991)


text: Edward the Confessor gives Tostig Godwinson (upon the death of Earl Siward) the important position as earl of Northumbria and the difficult mission of bringing the northern state under control.


text: Siward (or Sigurd), earl of Northumbria


text: Ottokar I, count of Steyr, becomes margrave of the Karantanian March (later known as Styria).


text: Yahya ibn Umar al-Lamtuni falls.

source_section: Events › By place › Northern Africa


text: Theodosius, a nephew of the former Emperor Constantine IX, tries to usurp the Byzantine throne, and liberates all the prisoners who flock to his banner. With their support, he marches through the streets of Constantinople to the Palace. There, the Varangian Guard forms outside to stop him. Theodosius loses heart and heads for Hagia Sophia. Later he is captured, and exiled to Pergamon.


text: Battle of Tabfarilla in modern day Mauritania: The Almoravids are crushed by the Godala and their Emir.


date: June 16

text: June 16 – In response to the attack on Hereford Cathedral in 1055, Leofgar the bishop of Hereford takes an army into Wales to deal with the Welsh prince Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. He along with a large number of English troops is killed in battle at Glasbury-on-Wye by the Welsh. Earl Harold Godwinson raises an army to take revenge, but comes to peaceful terms with Gruffydd.

source_section: Events › By place › Britain


text: Dromtön, an Atiśa chief disciple, founds Reting Monastery in the Reting Tsangpo Valley (north of Lhasa) as the seat of Kadam lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.


text: The Pagoda of Fogong Temple at Shanxi in northern China is built during the Liao dynasty. Work begins on the Pizhi Pagoda of Lingyan Temple at Shandong under the opposing Song dynasty.


section: Disasters & Accidents

text: The Muslims expel 300 Christians from Jerusalem, and European Christians are forbidden to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.


date: July 24

text: July 24 – Al-Muqtadi, caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate (d. 1094)


text: Zhou Bangyan, Chinese bureaucrat and ci poet (d. 1121)


text: Ermengol IV, Count of Urgell (or Armengol), Spanish nobleman (d. 1092)


text: Baldwin II of Mons, count of Hainaut (approximate date)


text: Abdallah ibn Buluggin ("the Conqueror"), emir of Granada


text: Fujiwara no Kiyohira, Japanese nobleman and samurai (d. 1128)


text: Sæmundr fróði (Sæmundur Sigfússon), Icelandic priest and scholar (d. 1133)


text: Hildegarde of Burgundy, French noblewoman (approximate date)


text: Nestor the Chronicler, Russian monk and historian (d. 1114) (approximate date)


date: February 10

text: February 10 – Æthelstan, English bishop of Hereford


date: February 11

text: February 11 – Herman II (or Heriman), archbishop of Cologne


text: June 16 – Leofgar (or Leovegard), English bishop of Hereford, killed in battle


date: August 31

text: August 31 – Empress Theodora (a sister of the former Empress Zoë) dies after a 18-month reign, by a sudden illness at Constantinople. She is succeeded by Michael VI Bringas ("the Old"), who had served as military finance minister under the former Emperor Romanos III. Michael is appointed through the influence of Leo Paraspondylos, Theodora's most trusted adviser. This ends the Macedonian dynasty.


text: August 31 – Theodora, empress regnant of the Byzantine Empire


date: September 10

text: September 10 – William, margrave of the Nordmark


date: October 5

text: October 5 – Henry III ("the Black"), Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1017)


text: October 5 – Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor ("the Black") dies after a 10-year reign at Bodfeld, an imperial hunting lodge (Königspfalz) in the Harz Mountains. He is succeeded by his 5-year-old only son Henry IV as "king of the Germans" and enthroned by Pope Victor II (also a German) at Aachen – while his mother, Empress Agnes of Poitou, becomes co-regent.


date: November 25

text: November 25 – Flann Mainistreach, Irish poet and historian


text: Yahya ibn Umar al-Lamtuni, Almoravid chieftain


text: Leo of Ohrid, Byzantine archbishop and theologian


text: Ekkehard IV, Swiss monk and chronicler (approximate date)


text: Hilal al-Sabi', Buyid historian, bureaucrat and writer


text: Áed Ua Forréid, bishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)


date: September 1

text: September 1 – A riot in favor of Isaac Komnenos breaks out in Constantinople. Patriarch Michael I convinces Michael VI to abdicate the throne, and Isaac is crowned as emperor of the Byzantine Empire.


date: June 8

text: June 8 – General Isaac Komnenos proclaims himself emperor in Paphlagonia (modern Turkey), and starts a civil war against Emperor Michael VI. He advances with a Byzantine expeditionary force towards Constantinople. At the same time, Michael sends an army against the rebels – western regiments and eastern ones (those from the Anatolic Theme and Charsianon) – to stop him.


date: August 15

text: August 15 – Battle of Lumphanan: Macbeth, King of Scotland ("the Red King") is killed by Malcolm ("Canmore"). Macbeth is succeeded by his stepson Lulach, who is crowned (probably on September 8) as king of Scotland at Scone.


date: August 20

text: August 20 – Battle of Hades: Rebel forces under Isaac Komnenos defeat the Byzantines on the plains of Hades (near Nicaea). General Katakalon Kekaumenos routs the imperial right flank, and reaches the enemy's camp. He destroys the tents and supplies, which leaves the way open to Constantinople.


date: August

text: August – Battle of Varaville: Norman forces under William the Conqueror defeat a Franco-Angevin army at the mouth of the Dives. King Henry I of France on campaign in Normandy is forced to retreat his army.


text: King Ferdinand I of León ("the Great") takes the cities of Lamego and Viseu (modern Portugal) from Christian lords allied to the Muslim Taifa of Silves.


text: King Anawrahta captures Thaton, the capital of the Thaton Kingdom, strengthening Theravada Buddhism in Burma.

source_section: Events › By place › Asia


text: The Banu Hilal razes Kairouan (in modern Tunisia). The Zirid dynasty has to re-settle to Mahdia (approximate date).

source_section: Events › By place › Africa


text: Fujiwara no Nakazane, Japanese nobleman (d. 1118)


text: Fujiwara no Kenshi, Japanese empress (d. 1084)


text: William II (William Rufus), king of England (d. 1100) (approximate date)


text: Hugh I, Duke of Burgundy, French nobleman (House of Burgundy) (d. 1093)


text: Ibn Tahir of Caesarea, Arab scholar and historian (d. 1113) (approximate date)


text: Hugh, Count of Vermandois ("the Great"), French nobleman (d. 1101)


text: Rhygyfarch, Welsh bishop of St. David's (d. 1099)


date: April 19

text: April 19 – Edward the Exile, son of Edmund II (Ironside)


date: June 1

text: June 1 – Íñigo of Oña, Spanish Benedictine abbot


date: June 26

text: June 26 – Otto, margrave of the Nordmark


date: July 28

text: July 28 – Victor II, pope of the Catholic Church


text: July 28 – Pope Victor II dies after a 15-month pontificate at Arezzo. He is succeeded by Stephen IX as the 154th pope of the Catholic Church.


text: August 15 – Macbeth, king of Scotland (b. before 1040)


date: August 28

text: August 28 – Abe no Yoritoki, Japanese samurai


text: August 31 – Michael VI, Byzantine emperor


date: September 28

text: September 28 – Otto III, duke of Swabia


date: November 7

text: November 7 – Lothair Udo I, German nobleman (b. 994)


text: William fitz Giroie, Norman nobleman


text: Abul 'Ala Al-Ma'arri, Arabian philosopher (b. 973)


text: Leofric, English earl and peerage


text: Humphrey of Hauteville, Norman nobleman


text: The Almoravids conquer the Barghawata, a group of Berber tribes, who have established an independent state in modern-day Morocco.


date: March 17

text: March 17 – King Lulach ("the Unfortunate") of Scotland is killed in battle against his cousin and rival Malcolm III ("Canmore") who becomes king of the Scots.


text: Norman conquest of southern Italy: Norman forces under Richard Drengot besiege and capture Capua. He takes the princely title from Prince Landulf VIII.


date: September 20

text: September 20 – Empress Agnes de Poitou and King Andrew I ("the White") of Hungary meet to negotiate about the border zone in Burgenland (modern Austria).


date: November 6

text: November 6 – Byzantine Emperor Isaac I Komnenos deposes Michael I Cerularius, patriarch of Constantinople, and has him exiled to Prokonnessos (until 1059).


text: Bolesław II the Generous, eldest son of Casimir I the Restorer, succeeds his father after his death in Poznań and becomes duke of Poland.


text: Ealdred, archbishop of York, becomes the first English bishop to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.


text: Spring – Pope Stephen IX pronounces on the authenticity of the relics of Mary Magdalene at Vézelay Abbey in Burgundy, making it a major centre of pilgrimage.


text: 4-year-old Judith of Swabia, youngest daughter of the late Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor, is engaged to Prince Solomon of Hungary at Regensburg.


text: Ibn Bassam, Andalusian poet and historian (d. 1147)


text: Wynebald de Ballon, Norman nobleman (approximate date)


text: Al-Ghazali, Persian theologian and jurist (approximate date)


text: Theodora Anna Doukaina Selvo, Venetian dogaressa (d. 1083)


text: Synadene, queen consort of Hungary (approximate date)


date: March 1

text: March 1 – Ermesinde, countess and regent of Barcelona


text: March 17 – Lulach ("the Unfortunate"), king of Scotland


date: March 29

text: March 29 – Stephen IX, pope of the Catholic Church


text: March 29 – Stephen IX dies of a severe illness after a pontificate of 7 months at Florence. He is succeeded by Nicholas II who will be installed the following year.


date: August 2

text: August 2 – Judith of Schweinfurt, duchess of Bohemia


date: November 28

text: November 28 – Casimir I the Restorer, duke of Poland (b. 1016)


text: Grigor Magistros, Armenian prince and governor


text: Ælfwold II, bishop of Sherborne (approximate date)


text: Centule IV Gaston ("the Old"), viscount of Béarn


text: Abu Muhammad al-Yazuri, vizier of the Fatimid Caliphate


text: Al-Mawardi, Abbasid jurist and diplomat (b. 972)


text: Theophanu, abbess of Essen and Gerresheim


text: William VII ("the Bold"), duke of Aquitaine (b. 1023)


text: Egbert of Fulda, German Benedictine abbot


date: August 23

text: August 23 – Robert Guiscard, count of Apulia and Calabria, signs the Treaty of Melfi with Pope Nicholas II. Nicholas recognises the Norman conquest of southern Italy, and accepts the titles of Guiscard as duke of Sicily.


text: Fall – The Magyars cross the Danube River, together with several Pecheneg tribes, but are halted by Byzantine forces (approximate date).


text: Alp Arslan succeeds his father Chaghri Beg as governor of Khorasan. He crosses with a Seljuk expeditionary force the upper Halys River and plunders the Theme of Sebasteia (modern Turkey).

source_section: Events › By place › Seljuk Empire


date: January 24

text: January 24 – Pope Nicholas II succeeds Stephen IX as the 155th pope of the Catholic Church. He is installed in Rome in opposition to Antipope Benedict X – the brother of the late Pope Benedict IX (deposed in 1048).


date: April 13

text: April 13 – Nicholas II, with the agreement of the Lateran Council, issues the papal bull In nomine Domini, making the College of Cardinals the sole voters in the papal conclave for the election of popes.


date: November 22

text: November 22 – Emperor Isaac I Komnenos falls ill on a hunt and retires to a monastery after a 2-year reign. He abdicates the Byzantine throne and appoints Constantine X, a Paphlagonian nobleman, as his successor.


text: Peter Krešimir IV is crowned king of Croatia and Dalmatia. His coronation is recognised by the Byzantine Empire who confirm him as the supreme ruler of the Dalmatian cities, i.e. over the Theme of Dalmatia – excluding the theme of Ragusa and the Duchy of Durazzo.


text: Raynald I, French nobleman and abbot (d. 1090)


text: Robert of Burgundy, bishop of Langres (d. 1111)


text: Fujiwara no Akinaka, Japanese nobleman (d. 1129)


text: At-Turtushi, Andalusian political philosopher (d. 1126)


text: Fulcher of Chartres, French priest and chronicler (approximate date)


text: Henry I, count of Limburg and Arlon (approximate date)


text: Ngok Loden Sherab, Tibetan Buddhist monk (d. 1109)


date: January 21

text: January 21 – Michael I Cerularius, Byzantine patriarch


date: April 4

text: April 4 – Farrukh-Zad, Ghaznavid sultan (b. 1025)


date: June 29

text: June 29 – Bernard II, German nobleman


date: July 7

text: July 7 – Abdallah ibn Yasin, Almoravid ruler


date: August 14

text: August 14 – Giselbert, count of Luxembourg


text: Cathal mac Tigernán, Irish king of Iar Connacht


text: Peter Orseolo ("the Venetian"), king of Hungary (possible date)


text: Vyacheslav Yaroslavich, prince of Smolensk


text: Michael VI Bringas, Byzantine emperor


text: Eilika of Schweinfurt, German noblewoman (after December 10)


date: August 11

text: August 11 – The south-eastern part of Dacia (modern Romania) becomes a Roman province: Roman Dacia. The veterans of the legions are given land in the new province for their service in the Roman army.

source_section: Events › By place › Roman Empire


text: Trajan annexes the Nabataean Kingdom (with its capital Petra) as the Roman province of Arabia Petraea. The epoch of the calendar of the province of Arabia begins on March 22.


text: Emperor Trajan conquers the Dacian Fortresses of the Orăştie Mountains, and surrounds the capital, Sarmizegetusa.


text: Battle of Sarmizegetusa: The Dacians are defeated with 50,000 captured. King Decebalus flees and commits suicide.


text: Romans construct a road between Eilat and Damascus.


text: Ignatius writes a letter to Christians in Smyrna, using the term Catholic Church (approximate date). This is the earliest surviving witness to the use of the term "Catholic Church".


text: Aelianus Tacticus (or Aelian) writes his Taktike Theoria (approximate date).

source_section: Events › By topic › Literature


date: February 13

text: February 13 – He of Han, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (b. AD 79)


text: February 13 – Emperor He of Han dies after an 18-year reign. Empress Dowager Deng places her infant son Han Shangdi on the Chinese throne. First and the only year of yanping era.

source_section: Events › By place › China


date: September 21

text: September 21 – Han Shangdi dies after a 7-month reign and is succeeded by his 12-year-old cousin Han Andi as ruler of the Chinese Eastern Han dynasty (until 125).


text: September 21 – Han Shangdi, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (b. 105)


text: Decebalus, king of Dacia (suicide, being pursued by the Romans) (b. AD 87)


text: Rabbel II Soter, ruler of the Nabataean Kingdom


text: Liu Qing, Chinese prince of the Han dynasty (b. AD 78)


date: August 30

text: August 30 — The Mirdasids under Mahmud ibn Nasr defeat the Fatimid Caliphate's army under Nasir al-Dawla Ibn Hamdan at the Battle of al-Funaydiq, leading to the definitive loss of Aleppo for the Fatimids.

source_section: Events › By place › Middle East


text: Summer – Norman forces under Duke Robert Guiscard invade Apulia, and capture the cities of Taranto and Brindisi (under control of the Byzantine Empire). Guiscard prepares a Sicilian expedition against the Saracens and returns to Calabria (Southern Italy), where his brother Roger Bosso waits with siege engines.


text: The compilation of the New Book of Tang is completed, under a team of scholars led by Ouyang Xiu.


text: Anselm enters the Benedictine Bec Abbey in Normandy, as a novice (approximate date).


date: December 6

text: December 6 – Béla I ("the Champion") is crowned king of Hungary after his nephew, Solomon is deprived of the crown. He is supported by Duke Bolesław II the Generous – who helps him (with Polish troops) to obtain the Hungarian throne.


date: February 9

text: February 9 – Honorius II, pope of the Catholic Church (d. 1130)


date: September 18

text: September 18 – Godfrey of Bouillon, French nobleman (d. 1100)


date: September 22

text: September 22 – Vitalis of Savigny, Catholic saint and itinerant preacher (d. 1122)


text: Hui Zong, Chinese emperor (Western Xia) (d. 1086)


text: Constantius Ducas, Byzantine emperor (d. 1081)


text: Berthold of Garsten, German priest and abbot (d. 1142)


text: Duncan II, king of Scotland (approximate date)


text: Ranulf Flambard, bishop of Durham (d. 1128)


text: Bernard degli Uberti, bishop of Parma (approximate date)


text: Godfrey I, count of Louvain (approximate date)


text: Stephen Harding, English abbot (approximate date)


text: Aibert (or Aybert), French monk and hermit (d. 1140)


text: Odo I (the Red), duke of Burgundy (d. 1102)


text: Gregory of Catino, Italian monk and historian


date: January 18

text: January 18 – Duduc (or Dudoc), bishop of Wells


date: May 12

text: May 12 – Matilda, duchess of Swabia (d. 1048)


date: August 4

text: August 4 – King Henry I of France (of the House of Capet) dies after a 29-year reign in Vitry-aux-Loges. He is succeeded by his 8-year-old son Philip I ("the Amorous") as king of France. Philip is too young to rule, and his mother, Queen Anne of Kiev becomes regent. France is administered by Count Baldwin V (one of Philip's uncles) who acts as co-regent.


text: August 4 – Henry I, king of France (b. 1008)


date: October 2

text: October 2 – Everelmus, French hermit


date: October 8

text: October 8 – Hugh V, French nobleman


date: October 15

text: October 15 – Luka Zhidiata, bishop of Novgorod


date: November 14

text: November 14 – Geoffrey II, count of Anjou


date: December 2

text: December 2 – Gebhard III, bishop of Regensburg


date: December 22

text: December 22 – Cynesige, archbishop of York


text: Emund the Old, king of Sweden (approximate date)


text: Ahimaaz ben Paltiel, Italian-Jewish liturgical poet (b. 1017)


text: Chaghri Beg, co-ruler of the Seljuk Empire (b. 989)


text: Mei Yaochen, poet of the Song Dynasty (b. 1002)


text: Abu Bakr ibn Umar of Almoravids, appoints Yusuf ibn Tashfin as steward of Sous and northern provinces, while campaigning in the southern provinces. Upon his return, daunted by Yusuf's new-found power, Abu Bakr sees any attempts at recapturing his post as politically unfeasible and returns to the fringes of the Sahara to settle the unrest of the southern frontier.


text: Sosols (a tribe in Estonia) destroy the Kievan Rus' fortification of Yuryev in Tartu, and carry out a raid on Pskov.


text: Summer – Norman forces led by Duke Robert Guiscard and his brother Roger I invade Sicily. They land unseen during the night and surprise the Saracen army. Guiscard conquers Messina and marches into central Sicily.


text: The Speyer Cathedral is consecrated in Speyer (modern Germany).


text: Spring – Robert de Grandmesnil, his nephew Berengar, half-sister Judith (future wife of Roger I), and eleven monks of the Abbey of Saint-Evroul, are banished by Duke William II ("the Bastard") of Normandy for violence, and travel to Southern Italy.


date: June 28

text: June 28 – Count Floris I is ambushed on a retreat from Zaltbommel and killed by German troops at Nederhemert. Most of West Frisia (later part of the County of Holland) is conquered and annexed by the Holy Roman Empire.


text: Wuyashu, chieftain of the Wanyan tribe (d. 1113)


text: Al-Tughrai, Persian poet and alchemist (d. 1121)


text: Al-Maziri, Zirid imam, jurist and scholar (d. 1141)


text: Roger Borsa, duke of Apulia and Calabria (or 1060)


date: January 28

text: January 28 – Spytihněv II, duke of Bohemia (b. 1031)


date: May 5

text: May 5 – Humbert of Moyenmoutier, French cardinal


text: June 28 – Floris I, count of Friesland (west of the Vlie)


date: July 13

text: July 13 – Beatrice I, German abbess of Quedlinburg (b. 1037)


date: July 27

text: July 27 – Nicholas II, pope of the Catholic Church


text: July 27 – Pope Nicholas II dies after a 2-year pontificate at Florence. He is succeeded by Alexander II as the 156th pope of the Catholic Church in Rome.


text: Song Qi (Zijing), Chinese statesman and historian (b. 998)


text: Adelmann, bishop of Brescia (approximate date)


text: Rajaraja Narendra, Indian ruler (b. 1022)


text: Ali ibn Ridwan, Arab physician and astronomer (approximate date)


text: Gardizi, Persian geographer and historian


text: Henry I, Count Palatine of Lotharingia (or Heinrich), German nobleman


text: Rúaidhri Ua Flaithbheartaigh, Irish king of Iar Connacht, killed


text: Burkhard I, Lord of Zollern (or Burchardus), German nobleman, killed


text: Winter – Harold Godwinson leads a successful campaign against King Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. He attacks and captures Rhuddlan Castle in northern Wales, but Gruffydd manages to escape.


text: The Almoravids overrun modern-day Morocco, and establish an intercontinental kingdom, stretching from Spain to Senegal.


text: The Banu Khurasan, a vassal of the Hammdid Dynasty, begin to rule the north of Ifriqiya (modern Tunisia).


text: Spring – Coup of Kaiserswerth: The 11-year-old King Henry IV is abducted, as a result of a conspiracy of German nobles led by Anno II, archbishop of Cologne. Henry's education and training is supervised by Anno, who acts as his regent and is called his magister (his "master" or "teacher"). Empress Agnes of Poitou (Henry's mother) resigns the throne, and Anno with the archbishops Siegfried I and Adalbert of Hamburg takes her place.


text: Affligem Abbey, of the Order of St. Benedict, is founded in Affligem (modern Belgium).


text: Marrakesh is founded by the Almoravids which becomes their capital.


text: Bjørn Svendsen, Danish nobleman (approximate date)


text: Nicephorus Bryennius, Byzantine statesman (d. 1137)


text: Fujiwara no Moromichi, Japanese nobleman (d. 1099)


text: Nicephorus Komnenos, Byzantine aristocrat


date: January 27

text: January 27 – Adelaide of Hungary, German duchess


date: February 2

text: February 2 – Atenulf I, Lombard nobleman


date: March 9

text: March 9 – Herbert II, French nobleman


date: May 20

text: May 20 – Bao Zheng, Chinese politician (b. 999)


date: October 22

text: October 22 – Fujiwara no Tsunekiyo, Japanese nobleman


text: Abu Mansur Fulad Sutun, Buyid emir of Fars


text: William IV, count of Weimar and Orlamünde


text: Mu'izz al-Dawla Thimal, Mirdasid emir of Aleppo


text: Nissim ben Jacob, Tunisian Jewish rabbi (b. 990)


text: Emma of Provence, French noblewoman


text: Ibn al-Timnah, Emir of Syracuse


text: Geoffrey I, French nobleman (approximate date)


text: Al-Mu'izz ibn Badis, Zirid ruler of Ifriqiya (b. 1008)


text: Al-Quda'i, Fatimid preacher and historian


text: Duke William I (the Bastard) claims the province of Maine and betroths his son Robert to Margaret, daughter of late Count Herbert II.


date: May 8

text: May 8 – Battle of Graus: Allied Muslim and Christian troops, under King Sancho II (the Strong) and Emir Ahmad al-Muqtadir (maybe led by El Cid), defeat the Aragonese army. King Ramiro I is killed and succeeded by his son Sancho V, as ruler of Aragon.


date: August

text: August–September: The Holy Roman Empire invades Hungary and installs Solomon as their proxy ruler.


text: Battle of Cerami: Duke Roger I leads a small Norman force (supported by 136 mounted knights), and defeats a much larger Saracen army (35,000 men) at Cerami (near Troina) in Sicily.


text: Summer – The Pisan fleet assaults and sacks Palermo (controlled by the Saracens) – this in support of the Norman forces of Roger I.


text: Battle of Damghan: Seljuk forces under Alp Arslan defeat his brother Qutalmish who claims the throne of late Tughril, founder of the Seljuk Empire. Qutalmish flees from the battle, but his son Suleiman is taken prisoner.


text: Doge Domenico I orders the construction of the present building of St Mark's Basilica at Venice (approximate date).


text: Anselm, later to become archbishop of Canterbury, becomes prior at the Abbey of Bec (approximate date).


text: The bishopric of Olomouc (located on the River Morava) is founded (modern Czech Republic).


text: The Pizhi Pagoda located at Lingyan Temple (Shandong province) in China is completed, standing at a height of 54 m (177 ft) tall.


text: Eight Deer Jaguar Claw (or 8 Deer), Mixtec ruler (d. 1115)


text: Yuanwu Keqin, Chinese Chan Buddhist monk (d. 1135)


date: March 21

text: March 21 – Richeza of Lotharingia, queen of Poland


date: April 30

text: April 30 – Ren Zong, emperor of the Song Dynasty (b. 1010)


text: May 8 – Ramiro I, king of Aragon (House of Jiménez)


date: August 5

text: August 5 – Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, king of Gwynedd


date: August 9

text: August 9 – Constantine III, Byzantine patriarch


date: September 3

text: September 3 – Henry II, archbishop of Augsburg


date: September 4

text: September 4 – Tughril, sultan of the Seljuk Empire (b. 990)


date: September 11

text: September 11 – Béla I (the Champion), king of Hungary


date: December 7

text: December 7 – Qutalmish, prince of the Seljuk Empire


text: Pang Ji, Chinese official and chancellor (b. 988)


text: Sylvester III, pope of the Catholic Church


text: Hilduin IV, count of Montdidier and Roucy


text: Gotebald (or Gotebold), patriarch of Aquileia


text: Sudislav Vladimirovich, prins of Pskov


date: January 4

text: January 4 – The Aztecs migrate from Aztlán to the southern lands in central Mexico.

source_section: Events › By place › Mesoamerica


date: April 27

text: April 27 – Alp Arslan succeeds to the throne, as sultan of the Seljuk Empire. He becomes sole ruler of Persia from the river Oxus to the Tigris.


text: Summer – King Ferdinand I (the Great) conquers more territory in modern-day Portugal and captures Coimbra. He appoints Sisnando Davides to reorganise the economy and administer the lands encircling the city.


text: Kings Harald Hardrada of Norway and Sweyn II of Denmark agree to a peace agreement. Harald turns his attentions to England where he believes he has a right to the throne.


text: European warriors go to Spain, to participate in the siege of Barbastro. This expedition is sanctioned by Pope Alexander II – and is now regarded as an early form of Crusade.


text: The Seljuk Turks under Alp Arslan invade Anatolia, and capture Ani after a siege of 25-days. He sacks the city and slaughters its citizens.


text: Badr al-Jamali, Fatimid governor of Syria, tries to engineer a pro-Fatimid coup in Aleppo; but the rebellion is suppressed by Musa Yabgu.


text: King Bagrat IV of Georgia captures the fortress city of Samshvilde, the capital of the neighboring Tashir-Dzoraget.


text: Michaelsberg Abbey at Siegburg (modern Germany) is founded by Anno II, archbishop of Cologne.


text: Winter – Great German Pilgrimage: Archbishop Siegfried I of Mainz leads a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Either during this pilgrimage or shortly before it, the Ezzolied; a High German poem on the life of Jesus, is composed.


text: Construction of the Piazza dei Miracoli (known as Piazza del Duomo) at Pisa in Tuscany begins.


text: Duke William I (the Bastard) demands the release of Harold Godwinson from Guy I (after a ransom being paid). Harold must swear an oath to aid William to the throne of England.


text: Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, is shipwrecked on the shores of Ponthieu (Normandy). He is captured by Count Guy I who takes him as hostage to his castle of Beaurian.


text: Sunset Crater Volcano (modern-day Arizona) first erupts (approximate date)

source_section: Events › By topic › Volcanology


text: Bořivoj II (or Borivoi), duke of Bohemia (approximate date)

source_section: Births


text: Beatrice I, countess of Bigorre (approximate date)


text: Hugh of Flavigny, French abbot (approximate date)


text: Robert Fitz Richard, English nobleman (d. 1136)


text: Danxia Zichun, Chinese Zen Buddhist monk (d. 1117)


text: Adela of Flanders, queen of Denmark (approximate date)


date: August 15

text: August 15 – Ibn Hazm, Andalusian historian and poet (b. 994)

source_section: Deaths


date: November 29

text: November 29 – Al-Kunduri, vizier of the Seljuk Empire (b. 1024)


date: December 19

text: December 19 – Fujiwara no Nagaie, Japanese nobleman (b. 1005)


text: Yi Yuanji, Chinese painter (approximate date)


text: Yaakov ben Yakar, German Jewish rabbi (b. 990)


text: Dromtön, Tibetan monk and founder of Reting Monastery


text: Llywelyn Aurdorchog, Welsh nobleman (approximate date)


text: Akkadevi, princess of the Chalukya dynasty (b. 1010)


text: Dub dá Leithe (or Dubhdalethe), Irish abbot


text: Gozelo I (or Gozelon), count of Montaigu


date: October 3

text: October 3 – Northumbria revolts against Tostig Godwinson, who is exiled. He takes refuge with his brother-in-law, Count Baldwin V in Flanders (modern Belgium). The Northumbrian nobles choose Morcar (or Morkere) as earl at York.

source_section: Events › By place › England


text: Alp Arslan, leader of the Seljuk Turks, campaigns against the Kipchaks and the Türkmen in Central Asia. He captures the city of Kars and plunders the western provinces of Georgia.


date: December 28

text: December 28 – Westminster Abbey is consecrated by King Edward the Confessor.


text: Gregory II the Martyrophile is consecrated as catholicos of the Armenian church in Tzamandos


text: Great German Pilgrimage of 1064–65: A large pilgrimage led by Siegfried I (archbishop of Mainz) arrives in Jerusalem after having been attacked by Bedouin bandits. Two weeks later (in April) they return to Ramla and take ships back to Latakia.


text: Sima Guang, chancellor of the Song dynasty, heads a team of scholars in initiating the compilation of an enormous written universal history of China, known as the Zizhi Tongjian.


text: A "guest star" (i.e. a nova of some kind) is observed from China. It may be related to the Strottner-Drechsler Object 20 nebula.

source_section: Events › By topic › Astronomy


text: Henry I (the Long), German nobleman (d. 1087)


text: Stephen I, count palatine of Burgundy (d. 1102)


text: Humbert II (the Fat), count of Savoy (d. 1103)


text: Richard de Montfort, French nobleman (d. 1092)


text: Vladislaus I, duke of Bohemia (approximate date)


text: Hugh VII of Lusignan, count of La Marche (d. 1151)


text: Callixtus II, pope of the Catholic Church (d. 1124)


text: Walter Tirel (or William Rufus), English nobleman


text: Niels (or Nicholas), king of Denmark (d. 1134)


text: Robert II, count of Flanders (approximate date)


text: Guarinus of Sitten, bishop of Sion (approximate date)


text: Agnes of Rheinfelden, duchess of Swabia (d. 1111)


text: Li Jie, Chinese writer of the Song Dynasty (d. 1110)


text: Sibylla of Burgundy, duchess of Burgundy (approximate date)


date: February 7

text: February 7 – Siegfried I, count of Sponheim


date: May 17

text: May 17 – Egilbert (or Engelbert), bishop of Passau


date: May 18

text: May 18 – Frederick, duke of Lower Lorraine


date: June 27

text: June 27 – George the Hagiorite, Georgian calligrapher (b. 1009)


date: July 22

text: July 22 – Ibn Abi Hasina, Arab poet and panegyrist (b. 998)


date: July 23

text: July 23 – Gunther of Bamberg, German nobleman


date: December 24

text: December 24 – King Ferdinand I of León ("the Great") dies in León, Spain, after an 11-year reign as Emperor of All Spain. His kingdom is divided among his three sons: the eldest Sancho II, the second Alfonso VI and the youngest García II. The kingdoms of Galicia and Portugal become independent under the rule of García.

source_section: Events › By place › Europe


text: December 24 – Ferdinand I (the Great), king of León and Castile


text: Ermengol III (or Armengol), count of Urgell (b. 1032)


text: Diarmaid mac Tadgh Ua Ceallaigh, king of Uí Maine


text: Llywelyn Aurdorchog, Welsh nobleman (approximate date)


text: Thorfinn (the Mighty), Norse nobleman (approximate date)


text: Gusiluo, Tibetan religious leader of Buddhism (b. 997)


text: Gisela (or Gizella), queen consort of Hungary (b. 985)


date: October 15

text: October 15 – Edgar Ætheling is proclaimed king of England (but is never crowned). He is soon forced to submit to the rule of William the Conqueror.

source_section: Events › Europe › England and Scotland


date: June

text: June–November – Obodrite revolt

source_section: Events › Europe


date: September 12

text: September 12 – William, Duke of Normandy, assembles a fleet (around 700 warships) at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, in readiness for an invasion of England.


date: September 18

text: September 18 – Harald Hardrada of Norway lands on the beaches of Scarborough, North Yorkshire and begins his invasion of England.


date: September 20

text: September 20 – Battle of Fulford: Norwegian forces under Harald Hardrada defeat the English earls Edwin and Morcar.


date: September 25

text: September 25 – Battle of Stamford Bridge: Harold II defeats the forces of Harald Hardrada and his own brother Tostig Godwinson.


date: October 6

text: October 6 – Harold II marches south from Stamford Bridge (near York) to counter the threat of the invasion by William. Reaching London within five days, he leaves a short time later. After a two-day march he and his army reach Caldbec Hill.


date: October 14

text: October 14 – Battle of Hastings: William and Harold II meet in battle at Hastings. Although Harold has the superior position on the battlefield, he is defeated and killed by William, invading England.


date: December 30

text: December 30 – Granada massacre: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in Granada, crucifies the Jewish vizier Yusuf ibn Naghrela, and massacres most of the Jewish population.


text: Huy becomes the first town in the Low Countries to be granted city rights, by Theodwin of Liège.


text: The Republic of Genoa, jealous of the recent successes of its former allies, launches a naval assault on the Republic of Pisa.


text: Fulk IV, Count of Anjou, known as "the Quarreller", is at war with his brother Geoffrey III, contesting the lands of Anjou and Touraine left to them by their uncle Geoffrey II, Count of Anjou (Martel).


date: September 27

text: September 27 – William, Duke of Normandy and his army set sail from the mouth of the River Somme, beginning the Norman conquest of England. The following day he lands on the English coast at Pevensey, splits his forces, and sails with the main army to Hastings.


date: January 6

text: January 6 – Harold Godwinson (now known as Harold II) is crowned king of England, probably in the new Westminster Abbey, where Edward the Confessor's funeral took place not long before the coronation.


date: December

text: December – William the Conqueror moves along the south coast to Dover, and builds fortifications in the existing castle at the top of the cliffs. He moves to Canterbury and finally enters London. Archbishop Stigand and other English leaders submit to William's rule. On December 25, he is crowned as King William I of England in Westminster Abbey over Edward the Confessor's grave.


text: Egyptian military commander Abu Sa'd Mansur ibn Zunbur known as al-sayyid, al-afḍal appointed Vizier in Egypt.

source_section: Events › Africa


text: The Abu Hanifa Mosque is established in Baghdad, when the Grand Vizier of the Seljuk Empire, Abu Saad al-Khwarizmi or al-Mustawfi, builds a shrine for Abu Hanifa near his tomb.

source_section: Events › Asia


text: unknown date – Tain becomes the first town in Scotland to be chartered as a royal burgh by King Malcolm III (Canmore).


date: March 20

text: March 20 – Halley's Comet reaches perihelion. Its appearance is subsequently recorded in the Bayeux Tapestry.

source_section: Events › Worldwide


text: Chinese imperial official Sima Guang presents the emperor with an eight-volume Tongzhi (通志; "Comprehensive Records"), chronicling Chinese history from 403 BCE to the end of the Qin dynasty in 207 BCE. The emperor then issues an edict for the compilation of Guang's universal history of China, allocating funds for the costs of compilation and research assistants such as Liu Ban, Liu Shu and Fan Zuyu.


text: Hedeby (located on the Jutland Peninsula) is sacked and burned by the West Slavs, after which it is slowly abandoned.


date: January

text: January – Harold Godwinson marries Ealdgyth, daughter of Ælfgar (earl of Mercia), and widow of King Gruffydd ap Llywelyn.


text: Magnus II (Haraldsson), a son of Harald Hardrada, is crowned king of Norway. He unites Western Norway and Northern Norway.


text: City of Šibenik first mentioned under its present name in a Charter of the Croatian King Petar Krešimir IV


date: February 22

text: February 22 – Lý Nhân Tông, Vietnamese emperor (d. 1128)


text: Al-Afdal Shahanshah, vizier of the Fatimid Caliphate (d. 1121)


text: Gilbert Fitz Richard, English nobleman (approximate date)


text: Wang Cha-ji, Korean politician and general (d. 1122)


text: Godfrey of Amiens, French abbot and bishop (d. 1115)


text: Irene Doukaina (or Ducaena), Byzantine empress (d. 1138)


text: Henry, count of Portugal (House of Burgundy) (d. 1112)


date: January 5

text: January 5 – Edward the Confessor dies after a 24-year reign at London. The Witenagemot (or Witan) proclaims Harold Godwinson king of England.


date: February 3

text: February 3 – Rostislav of Tmutarakan, Kievan Rus' prince (b. 1038)


date: March 26

text: March 26 – Ibn Sidah, Moorish linguist and lexicographer (b. 1007)


date: April 9

text: April 9 – Al-Bayhaqi, Persian Sunni hadith scholar (b. 994)


date: May 21

text: May 21 – Su Xun, Chinese scholar and writer (b. 1009)


date: June 6

text: June 6 – Gottschalk (or Godescalc), Obotrite prince


date: June 27

text: June 27 – Arialdo, Italian nobleman and deacon


date: August 15

text: August 15 – Al-Qadi Abu Ya'la, Arab Hanbali scholar (b. 990)


date: September 25

text: September 25 (killed at the Battle of Stamford Bridge):


date: October 14

text: October 14 (killed at the Battle of Hastings):


date: November 10

text: November 10 – John Scotus, bishop of Mecklenburg


date: November 14

text: November 14 – Fujiwara no Akihira, Japanese nobleman


date: December 11

text: December 11 – Conan II, duke of Brittany


text: King Stenkil (or Steinkell) dies after a 6-year reign. Two rivals named Eric battle for power in Sweden, both claiming the throne.


text: Odo of Bayeux, a half-brother of William I, is appointed Earl of Kent and becomes William's deputy (or de facto regent) in England. His wealth and land become considerable.


date: March 3

text: March 3 – Battle on the Nemiga River: The three sons of Grand Prince Yaroslav I (the Wise) – Iziaslav I, Sviatoslav II, and Vsevolod I – defeat the forces under Vseslav of Polotsk.


text: Winter – William I marches on Exeter, which he besieges. The city holds out for 18 days, and after its fall William builds Rougemont Castle there to secure the region.


text: Eric and Eric, two pretenders to the Swedish throne, are both killed during the struggle for power in Sweden. Halsten, son of the late King Stenkil, becomes the new ruler.


text: Spring – The Seljuk Turks make incursions into Mesopotamia, Cilicia and Cappadocia. They sack the Byzantine city of Caesarea, move south through the Cilician Gates and raid the region around Antioch in Syria.

source_section: Events › By place › Seljuk Empire


text: Olaf III returns to Norway with the remaining troops from the Battle of Stamford Bridge. He is proclaimed king and co-ruler with his older brother Magnus II (Haraldsson).


text: Wartburg Castle (near Eisenach) is founded by Louis the Springer, count of Thuringia (modern Germany).


date: December 6

text: December 6 – A fire, the second in as many years, heavily damages Canterbury Cathedral in England.

source_section: Events › By topic › Religion


text: Spring – King William I (the Conqueror) returns to Normandy and takes with him Edgar Ætheling (grandson of Edmund Ironside), Archbishop Stigand, and the brothers Morcar and Edwin.


text: Minsk and Orsha are first mentioned in the chronicles, making them two of the oldest cities in Belarus.


text: Eustace II, count of Boulogne, supports the Kentishmen in an attempt to seize Dover Castle. The conspiracy fails, and Eustace is sentenced to forfeit his English fiefs.


text: Winchester Castle in Hampshire is founded by William I; it is later one of the seats of government of the Norman kings ruling England.


text: Abu Hafs Umar an-Nasafi, Persian scholar and historian (d. 1142)


text: John Taronites, Byzantine governor (approximate date)


text: Ari Thorgilsson, Icelandic chronicler and writer (d. 1148)


text: Adela of Normandy, countess of Blois (approximate date)


date: January 25

text: January 25 – Ying Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 1032)


text: January 25 – Emperor Yingzong (or Zhao Shu) of the Song dynasty dies after a 4-year reign. He is succeeded by his 18-year-old son Shen Zong as emperor of China.


date: February 13

text: February 13 – Geoffrey II, French nobleman


date: April 17

text: April 17 – Robert de Turlande, French priest


date: May 22

text: May 22 – Constantine X, Byzantine emperor (b. 1006)


text: May 22 – Emperor Constantine X dies after a 7-year reign at Constantinople. His wife, Empress Eudocia Macrembolitissa, is crowned Augusta and becomes co-regent for her two sons (Michael VII and Konstantios) along with Constantine's brother John Doukas, who rules as Caesar of the Byzantine Empire.

source_section: Events › By place › Byzantine Empire


date: July 12

text: July 12 – John Komnenos, Byzantine general


date: September 1

text: September 1 – Baldwin V, count of Flanders


date: November 27

text: November 27 – Sancha of León, queen of León


date: December 2

text: December 2 – Shaykh Tusi, Persian Shia scholar (b. 995)


text: Wulfwig (or Wulfinus), bishop of Dorchester


text: Elisaveta Yaroslavna of Kiev, Norwegian queen


text: Richard, French nobleman (House of Normandy)


text: Cai Xiang, Chinese calligrapher and poet (b. 1012)


text: Norman forces under Robert Guiscard and his brother Roger I invade Sicily. Muslim ruler Ayyub ibn Tamim's forces oppose them. The Normans and the Muslim army meet at the Battle of Misilmeri. The Norman forces defeat the Muslim army. Ayyub ibn Tamim flees from Sicily. The Norman conquest of the island continues to expand.


text: Norman conquest of southern Italy: Norman forces under Robert Guiscard (duke of Apulia and Calabria) lay siege to the Byzantine city of Bari.


text: Siege of Exeter: Norman forces under King William I (the Conqueror) take the city of Exeter after a siege of 18-days.


text: Autumn – Romanos IV begins a campaign against the Seljuk Turks, leading a Byzantine expeditionary force (which is in poor condition). He is successful in recapturing the fortress city of Hieropolis (modern-day Manbij) near Aleppo in northern Syria.


text: Kiev Uprising: The city of Kiev rebels against Iziaslav I, in the aftermath of the Kievan Rus' defeat against the Cumans.


text: Winter – Romanos IV leaves a portion of his army as a rearguard at Melitene. The Byzantine garrison fails to check a Seljuk raid that manages to sack Amorium (penetrating deep in Byzantine territory). Romanos winters near Aleppo before returning to Constantinople.


text: William I begins a campaign in the East Midlands to put down the rebellions at Nottingham, Stafford, Lincoln and York.


text: Battle of the Alta River: The Cumans defeat the Kievan Rus' forces of Grand Prince Iziaslav I, and his brothers Sviatoslav II and Vsevolod I.


date: May 11

text: May 11 – William I brings his wife Matilda of Flanders to England. She is crowned queen in Westminster Abbey.


text: Rethra destruction: In the Annals of Augsburg, the Slavic city is mentioned for the last time under the year 1068. It is captured by bishop Burchard, who destroys their temple and abducts the sacred white horse living there.


date: March 18

text: March 18 – An earthquake affects the Near East, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The shock has a magnitude greater than 7, and leaves about 20,000 people dead.

source_section: Events › By topic › Geology


date: January 1

text: January 1 – Empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa, wife of the late Emperor Constantine X, marries General Romanos Diogenes (a member of a prominent Cappadocian family) – who is proclaimed co-emperor as Romanos IV of the Byzantine Empire.


date: September

text: September – Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyah marries Abu Bakr ibn Umar, leader of the Almoravids, and becomes his queen and co-regent.

source_section: Events › By place › Africa


text: Edgar the Ætheling takes refuge with King Malcolm III of Scotland along with Edgar's sister Margaret, who marries King Malcolm.


date: August 1

text: August 1 – Taizu (Aguda), emperor of the Jin Dynasty (d. 1123)


text: Peter I, king of Aragon (approximate date)


text: Henry I, king of England (approximate date) (d. 1135)


text: Haakon Magnusson (Toresfostre), king of Norway (d. 1095)


text: Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl Derby (d. 1139)


text: Ermengarde of Anjou, duchess of Aquitaine and Brittany (d. 1146)


text: Abu al-Salt, Moorish astronomer and polymath (approximate date)


date: January 11

text: January 11 – Egbert I, margrave of Meissen


text: May 22 – Go-Reizei, emperor of Japan (b. 1025)


date: November 10

text: November 10 – Agnes of Burgundy, duchess of Aquitaine


text: Argyrus, Lombard nobleman and general


text: Ralph the Staller, English nobleman


text: Abulchares, Byzantine general and catepan


text: Vijayaditya VI, king of the Eastern Chalukyas (unconfirmed)


text: Böritigin, ruler of Transoxiana (Kara-Khanid Khanate)


text: Ali ibn Yusuf al-Ilaqi, Persian physician


text: William IV (or Guillem), French nobleman


text: Yi Zong, emperor of Western Xia (b. 1047)


text: Choe Chung, Korean Confucian scholar (b. 984)


text: Eadnoth the Constable, English landowner


text: William of Montreuil, Italo-Norman duke


text: At Stafford, William the Conqueror swiftly defeats a rebellion led by Edwin, Earl of Mercia.


text: Seljuk forces under Alp Arslan defeat the Byzantine rear guard and advance deep into Cappadocia and Lycaonia. They plunder at will, but fail to capture the city of Iconium. Romanos retreats and returns to Constantinople. Alp Arslan takes advantage of Romanos' retreat and captures Manzikert. He recaptures the strategical fortress cities of Chliat and Van, consolidating his control over the Lake Van region.


text: Spring – Emperor Romanos IV begins a campaign against the Seljuk Turks, and marches towards the Euphrates via Melitene. He crosses the river at Romanopolis (modern Turkey), and captures the strategic fortress city of Chliat on the north-western shore of Lake Van. Romanos leaves a Byzantine rear guard on the upper Euphrates under General Philaretos Brachamios with orders to defend the Mesopotamian frontier.


text: King Sweyn II of Denmark lands a fleet in the Humber in support of the Northumbrian rebels and they join him to burn York, attacking its two castles and destroying the old Minster.


text: Spring – Romanos IV sends a Byzantine fleet (supported with an army) to relieve the siege of Bari. The Normans under Robert Guiscard defeat the Byzantines, and occupy the cities of Gravina and Obbiano in Apulia.


text: Nam tiến, the southward expansion of the territory of Đại Việt (modern Vietnam), begins when a Lý dynasty army attacks Champa, capturing King Rudravarman III.

source_section: Events › By place › Asia


text: Emperor Shenzong of Song China appoints Wang Anshi as his chief chancellor. He implements the New Policies, which include financial and trade reforms, defense and order, institution of the baojia system, etc.


date: January 28

text: January 28 – Northumbrians kill the new Norman earl of Northumbria, Robert de Comines, at Durham, and attack York.


text: Leo Diogenes, Byzantine co-emperor (d. 1087)


text: Mieszko Bolesławowic, Polish prince (d.1089)


text: Kamakura Gongorō Kagemasa, Japanese samurai


text: Anseau of Garlande, French nobleman (d. 1118)


text: January 28 – Robert de Comines, English nobleman


date: February 28

text: February 28 – Abbad II al-Mu'tadid, Abbadid king


text: February 28 – King Abbad II al-Mu'tadid dies after a 27-year reign. He is succeeded by his son Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, who becomes the ruler of the Taifa of Seville in Al-Andalus (until 1091).


date: April 28

text: April 28 – Magnus II (Haraldsson), king of Norway


date: August 15

text: August 15 – Ibn Hazm, Moorish historian (b. 994)


date: September 11

text: September 11 – Ealdred, archbishop of York


date: December 24

text: December 24 – Dedi II (the Younger), margrave of Lower Lusatia (b. c.997)


text: Winter of 1069–1070 – Harrying of the North: King William the Conqueror quells rebellions made by his English subjects against his rule, campaigning through the north of England with his forces, burning houses, crops, cattle and land from York to Durham, resulting in the deaths of over 100,000 people, mainly from starvation and winter cold.


text: Approximate date – Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn, Welsh king (b. c.1020)


text: Godfrey III (the Bearded), duke of Lower Lorraine


text: Pedro Seguin (or Seguini), bishop of Ourense


text: Gytha Thorkelsdóttir, Danish noblewoman (b. 997)


text: Tilopa, Indian tantric practitioner (b. 988)


text: An Indian ambassador is received by Emperor Trajan.

source_section: Events › By place › Roman Empire


text: Lucius Licinius Sura and Quintus Sosius Senecio become consuls of Rome.


text: Liu Hu becomes Emperor An of Han.


text: First year of the yongchu era of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty.


text: Titus Avidius Quietus, Roman politician and governor


text: Ignatius of Antioch (possible date)


date: June

text: June – Denmark signs a treaty with England; Sweyn II and his forces leave the country.

source_section: Events


text: Chinese Chancellor Wang Anshi starts the Xining Reforms (which last until 1085).


text: Approximate date – Halsten Stenkilsson is deposed as king of Sweden, with Håkan the Red becoming king in Götaland, and Anund Gårdske being chosen as king of Svealand.


text: Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, the first Marcher Lord, invades Wales, capturing parts of Gwynedd.


text: A successful Byzantine counter-attack drives the Seljuq Turks across the Euphrates.


text: An invasion of England by Malcolm III of Scotland is repelled.


text: Jews from Rouen in Normandy settle in England at the invitation of King William I.


date: April 11

text: April 11 – Stigand is deposed as Archbishop of Canterbury in England by papal legates and imprisoned.


date: April

text: April – Council of Winchester.


date: May 1

text: May 1 – After 353 years of being exiled to Lugo due to the Muslim occupation of the city of Braga, the Diocese of Braga is restored by order of Ferdinand I of León under Archbishop Pedro of Braga thanks to the advancing Christian forces during the Reconquista.


text: August 15 – The Pavian-born Benedictine Lanfranc is appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury in England.


text: Spring – King Sweyn II of Denmark joins rebels in England led by Hereward the Wake and captures the Isle of Ely in The Fens of East Anglia. On June 1 Hereward sacks Peterborough Abbey with support from Sweyn's Danes.


text: The rebuilding of Canterbury Cathedral in England following a fire begins.


text: Uyghur poet Yusuf Khass Hajib of Balasagun, in the Kara-Khanid Khanate, completes the Kutadgu Bilig ("The Wisdom Which Brings Good Fortune"), and presents it to the prince of Kashgar.


text: The rebuilding of York Minster in England begins.


text: Construction of Richmond Castle in North Yorkshire, England, by Alan Rufus begins.


text: Song dynasty Chinese astronomer, engineer and statesman Su Song completes the compilation of the Ben Cao Tu Jing, a pharmaceutical treatise with related subjects of botany, zoology, mineralogy and metallurgy.


text: Harrying of the North: William the Conqueror quells rebellions in the north of his Kingdom of England following the invasion by Sweyn II. Widespread famine follows the devastation wrought.


date: June 9

text: June 9 – Kulottunga I begins his reign as Chola emperor in South India.


text: Bergen is founded by King Olaf III of Norway; it will function as the main city and capital of Norway, until it is replaced by Oslo in 1314.


text: The Temple of Literature, Hanoi, is established in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam.


text: Ranulf le Meschin, 3rd Earl of Chester (d. 1129)

source_section: Births


text: Eupraxia of Kiev, Holy Roman Empress (d. 1109)


text: Guerric of Igny, French abbot (approximate date)


text: Hugues de Payens, French knight (approximate date)


text: Bertrade de Montfort, queen of France (d. 1117)


text: William of Champeaux, French philosopher (d. 1121)


text: Giso IV, count of Gudensberg (approximate date)


text: Tescelin le Roux, Burgundian knight (approximate date)


text: William de Corbeil, archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1136)


text: Ramiro Sánchez, Spanish nobleman (approximate date)


text: Thurstan, archbishop of York (approximate date)


text: Henry I (the Elder), German nobleman (d. 1103)


text: Gualfardo of Verona, Italian trader and hermit (d. 1127)


text: Gertrude of Flanders, duchess of Lorraine (d. 1117)


date: March 6

text: March 6 – Ulric I (or Oldaric), margrave of Carniola

source_section: Deaths


date: April 14

text: April 14 – Gerard (the Great), duke of Lorraine


date: June 12

text: June 12 – Guido of Acqui (or Wido), Italian bishop


date: July 6

text: July 6 – Godelieve, Flemish saint (approximate date)


text: July 6 – Said al-Andalusi, Taghlib Arab astronomer (b. 1029)


date: July 17

text: July 17 – Baldwin VI (the Good), count of Flanders


text: Bisantius Guirdeliku, Italian nobleman (patrikios)


text: Vigrahapala III, Indian ruler of the Pala Empire


text: Hārūn ibn Malik al-Turk, Turkic military leader


text: Athirajendra Chola, Indian ruler of the Chola Empire


text: Áurea of San Millán, Spanish anchorite (b. 1043)


text: Filarete of Calabria, Sicilian monk and saint


text: Abu 'Ubayd al-Juzjani, Persian physician and chronicler


text: Theobald of Dorat, French monk and saint (b. 990)


text: The English rebels under Hereward the Wake and Morcar, Saxon former earl of Northumbria, are forced to retreat to their stronghold on the Isle of Ely in The Fens. They make a desperate stand against the Norman forces led by King William the Conqueror, but are defeated.

source_section: Events › By place › England


date: February 22

text: February 22 – Battle of Cassel: Robert I ("the Frisian") defeats his sister-in-law Richilde (widow of Baldwin VI) and her nephew Arnulf III, in a succession struggle for the County of Flanders. Robert is appointed count by King Philip I of France.

source_section: Events › By place › Europe


date: April 15

text: April 15 – Siege of Bari: The capital of Bari, the last Byzantine-controlled city in the Catepanate of Italy, is captured by Italo-Norman forces under Duke Robert Guiscard after a 32-month siege.


text: The Kingdom of Hungary launches a campaign against the Byzantine Empire. They besiege and capture the border fortress of Belgrade, along with Sirmium and Taurunum.


text: Edwin, earl of Mercia, rebels against William I, but is betrayed and killed. His castle and lands at Dudley (located in the West Midlands) are given to William's Norman subjects.


date: October 24

text: October 24 – Romanos IV is deposed by John Doukas (Caesar) and his political advisor Michael Psellos after his return to Constantinople. Michael VII Doukas is crowned co-emperor and his mother Eudokia is forced to retire to a monastery.


date: May

text: May – Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyah marries Yusuf ibn Tashfin, leader of the Almoravids, and becomes his queen and co-regent.


date: October 22

text: October 22 – William IX ("the Troubador"), duke of Aquitaine (d. 1127)


text: Ibn al-Qalanisi, Arab politician and chronicler (d. 1160)


date: January 26

text: January 26 – Adelaide of Eilenburg, German noblewoman


date: February 17

text: February 17 – Frozza Orseolo, German noblewoman (b. 1015)


text: February 22 (killed at the Battle of Cassel):


date: April 17

text: April 17 – Manuel Komnenos, Byzantine aristocrat


date: May 24

text: May 24 – Wulfhild of Norway, duchess of Saxony (b. 1020)


date: August 22

text: August 22 – Lambert II Suła, archbishop of Kraków


date: September 5

text: September 5 – Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Arab scholar (b. 1002)


date: October 16

text: October 16 – Almodis de la Marche, French nobleman


date: December 2

text: December 2 – Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Moorish judge (b. 978)


text: William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford


text: Arnulf III, count of Flanders (House of Flanders)


text: William Malet, Norman nobleman (approximate date)


text: Domenico I Contarini, doge of Venice


text: Durand de Bredons, French abbot and bishop


date: January 10

text: January 10 – The Normans under Robert Guiscard and his brother Roger I ("Boso") conquer Palermo (after a one year siege). Roger receives the keys of the city, and Robert invests him with the title of Count of Sicily. The Emirate of Sicily rules only the southern part of the island, with Syracuse as the capital (until 1091).


date: January

text: January – Battle of Golpejera: King Sancho II ("the Strong") defeats the Castilian forces of his brother Alfonso VI ("the Brave") near Carrión de los Condes. Alfonso is captured, but released into exile, where he seeks refuge in the Taifa of Toledo (under the protection of his vassal, Emir Al-Mamun).


date: October 7

text: October 7 – Alfonso VI becomes king of León and Castile, following the assassination of Sancho II. He is bestowed with the title of "Emperor of Spain", and is forced by El Cid (Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar), the standard-bearer of Sancho, to take an oath denying any involvement in his brother's death.


text: William the Conqueror, King of England, invades Scotland and receives the submission of King Malcolm III. He agrees to sign the Treaty of Abernethy.

source_section: Events › By place › Britain


text: Byzantine–Hungarian War (1071–1072): the Hungarians plunders the Balkans on their route to Niš. The war ends with the emerging internal conflict between Solomon, King of Hungary and his cousin, Duke Géza.


date: May 27

text: May 27 – The Accord of Winchester establishes the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Archbishop of York, in the Church of England.


date: June 29

text: June 29 – Romanos IV Diogenes, deposed ruler of the Byzantine Empire, is blinded and sent into exile to the island of Proti (in the Sea of Marmara) at the Monastery of Transfiguration. A few days before his death, he receives a letter from Michael Psellos (his political advisor), congratulating him on the loss of his eyes.


text: Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, an informative book written by Mahmud al-Kashgari about the Turks, is presented to the ruler of the Kara-Khanid Khanate.

source_section: Events › By topic › Literature


text: Fall – Shen Kuo is sent to supervise Wang Anshi's program of surveying the buildup of silt deposits in the Grand Canal, outside the capital city of Kaifeng. Using an original technique, Shen successfully dredges the canal and demonstrates the formidable value of the silt gathered as a fertilizer.

source_section: Events › By place › China


text: Shen Kuo, Chinese polymathic scientist and statesman, is appointed as the head official for the Bureau of Astronomy – where he begins his work with the colleague Wei Pu on accurately plotting the orbital paths of the stars, planets, and moon three times a night for a continuum of five years.


text: Agnes of Aquitaine, queen of Aragon and Navarre (d. 1097)


text: Welf II (or Welfhard), duke of Bavaria (d. 1120)


text: Agnes of Waiblingen, daughter of Henry IV (or 1073)


text: Wulfhilde of Saxony, German noblewoman (d. 1126)


date: February 1

text: February 1 – Lý Thánh Tông, Vietnamese emperor (b. 1023)


date: February 7

text: February 7 – Diarmait mac Máel na mBó, Irish king of Leinster


date: February 22

text: February 22 – Stigand, Anglo-Saxon archbishop of Canterbury


text: February 22 – Peter Damian, cardinal-bishop of Ostia (or 1073)


date: March 16

text: March 16 – Adalbert, archbishop of Hamburg


date: March 28

text: March 28 – Ordulf (or Otto), duke of Saxony


date: August 19

text: August 19 – Hawise, duchess of Brittany


date: September 22

text: September 22 – Ouyang Xiu, Chinese historian and poet (b. 1007)


text: October 7 – Sancho II, king of Castile and León


date: October 15

text: October 15 – Æthelric, bishop of Durham


date: November 24

text: November 24 – Bagrat IV, king of Georgia (b. 1018)


date: December 15

text: December 15 – Sultan Alp Arslan ("Heroic Lion") dies after a 9-year reign, during his campaign in Transoxiana. He is succeeded by his 17-year-old son Malik-Shah I, who is declared new ruler of the Seljuk Empire. Qavurt, a brother of Alp Arslan, claims the Seljuk throne for himself and occupies the capital of Isfahan.


date: December 30

text: December 30 – Al-Qushayri, Persian Sufi scholar and theologian (b. 986)


text: Honorius II, antipope of the Catholic Church