May –
September –
Rus'–Byzantine War: The
Rus' and their allies, the
Pechenegs, under the
Varangian prince
Igor I of Kiev, cross the
Black Sea with an invasion fleet of 1,000 ships[2] (40,000 men) and disembark on the northern coast of
Asia Minor. While the
Byzantine fleet is engaged against the
Arabs in the
Mediterranean, the Rus' forces reach the gates of
Constantinople. Emperor
Romanos I organizes the defense of the capital and assembles 15 old ships (equipped with throwers of
Greek fire) under the chamberlain (protovestiarios)
Theophanes. The Byzantines repel the Rus' fleet (nearly annihilating the entire fleet) but can not prevent the invaders from pillaging the hinterland of Constantinople, venturing as far south as
Nicomedia (modern-day
İzmit). In September,
John Kourkouas and
Bardas Phokas ("the Elder"), two leading generals, destroy the Rus' forces in
Thrace. Igor manages, with only a handful of boats, to escape to the
Caspian Sea.
Fall –
Hugh of Provence, king of
Italy, leads a fourth expedition to
Rome to dislodge
Alberic II. He proceeds to
Lazio, preparing a campaign to capture the papal capital. Again the attacks fail and Hugh retreats to
Milan.
Fall – Hugh of Provence makes a truce with the Moors of Fraxinet, after hearing the news that a
Swabian army is about to descend on
Italy. He allows the Moors to attack the
Alpine passes for his own political ends in his struggle with
Berengar of Ivrea.[4] The Byzantines cry foul and end their
alliance with Hugh.
December 17 –
William I ("Longsword"), duke of
Normandy, is ambushed and assassinated by supporters of
Arnulf I ("the Great"), count of
Flanders, while the two are at a peace conference at
Picquigny (on an island on the
Somme) to settle their differences.[5] William is succeeded by his 9-year-old son
Richard.
Winter – The Hungarians raid
Friuli and descend into central Italy. Hugh of Provence grants them a large sum of
tribute if they return to the Gothic March or Spain. The Hungarians refuse the offer and raid the countryside of
Lazio, destroying the region of
Sabina.
Idwal Foel, king of
Gwynedd, openly rebels against the overlordship of Edmund I. He and
Llywelyn ap Merfyn, king of
Pows, are killed fighting the English forces.
Hywel Dda, king of
Deheubarth, annexes Gwynedd and Powys, to become the sole ruler of most of
Wales.
Fall – Pope
Stephen VIII tries to negotiate a peace that will end the
feud between
Alberic II, de facto ruler of
Rome, and Hugh of Provence (his stepfather) but he dies after a 3-year reign. Stephen is succeeded by
Marinus II as the 128th
pope of the
Catholic Church.
King
Edmund I ravages
Strathclyde and defeats the Scottish king
Constantine II, who has reigned as king of
Alba since
900. Constantine, ruler of the 'Picts and Scots', abdicates to enter a
monastery and yields control of his realm to his cousin
Malcolm I.[9]
Raymond III (or Pons I), count of
Toulouse, travels to
Nevers (southeast of
Paris) to declare his
fidelity to king
Louis IV ("d'Outremer"). He is granted the title 'prince of the Aquitanians' by the king.[12]
The largest recorded epidemic of
ergotism, also known as "Saint Anthony's Fire, kills 40,000 people in France. [13]
January 27 – The co-emperors
Stephen and
Constantine are overthrown barely a month after deposing their father,
Romanos I. With the help of his wife,
Constantine VII becomes sole emperor of the
Byzantine Empire. He appoints to the highest army commands four members of the
Phokas family, which have been in disgrace under Romanos.
Spring –
Berengar of Ivrea invades
Italy with hired
Lombard troops and takes up residence in
Milan. Berengar proceeds to
Verona, where he is joined by forces of Count
Milo and other partisans.
King
Hugh of Provence lays
siege to
Vignola to put an end to Berengar's advance. But to no avail, as Berengar of Ivrea is hailed throughout northern Italy as a liberator, and Hugh flees to
Provence.
April 13 – Hugh of Provence abdicates the throne in favor of his son
Lothair II (who has been co-ruler since
931) and is acclaimed as sole king of
Lombardia. Hugh is allowed to retire in
Pavia.
Summer – King
Louis IV ("d'Outremer") is captured by the
Normans and handed over to
Hugh the Great. In return for the release of Louis,
Laon surrenders to him in compensation.[16]
Autumn – The
Min Kingdom is destroyed by the
Southern Tang. Emperor
Yuan Zong expands its domains beyond those of the former
Wu Kingdom. He annexes Min territory into its own boundaries.
Summer – King
Otto I invades the
West Frankish Kingdom with an expeditionary force, but his armies are not strong enough to take the key cities of
Laon,
Reims and
Paris. After three months, Otto ends his campaign without defeating his rival
Hugh the Great. He manages to depose
Hugh of Vermandois from his position as archbishop of Reims, restoring
Artald of Reims to his former office.[17]
Battle of Baghdad: Along the banks of the
Tigris, Buyid forces under Mu'izz al-Dawla defeat the
Hamdanids for control of the city. They are forced to pay
tax revenues and agree to recognize Al-Muti as the legitimate caliph.
Japan
May 16 –
Emperor Suzaku abdicates the
throne after a 16-year reign. He is succeeded by his brother
Murakami, who becomes the 62nd emperor of Japan.
Summer – A
Hungarian army led by Grand Prince
Taksony campaigns in
Italy, heading southwards on the eastern shore of the peninsula. It besieges
Larino and reaches
Otranto, plundering
Apulia for three months.[19]Berengar of Ivrea negotiates a truce and offers them a massive
tribute (for which he imposes a special
tax).
March 10 – The
Later Han is founded by
Liu Zhiyuan, the military governor (jiedushi) of
Bingzhou. He declares himself emperor (formally called Gaozu) and establishes the capital in Bian, present-day
Kaifeng.
King
Eadred ravages
Northumbria and burns down
St. Wilfrid's church at
Ripon. On his way home, he sustains heavy losses at
Castleford. Eadred manages to check his rivals, and the Northumbrians are forced to pay him compensation.[22]
A Byzantine expeditionary force under
Constantine Gongyles attempts to re-conquer the
Emirate of Crete from the
Saracens. The expedition ends in a disastrous failure; the Byzantine camp is destroyed in a surprise attack. Gongyles himself barely escapes on his flagship.[25]
^Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 199.
ISBN1854095234.
^Sources give varying figures for the size of the Russian fleet. The number 10,000 ships appears in the
Primary Chronicle and in Greek sources, some of which put the figure as high as 15,000 ships.
Liutprand of Cremona wrote that the fleet numbered only 1,000 ships; Liutprand's report is based on the account of his step-father who witnessed the attack while serving as envoy in Constantinople. Modern historians find the latter estimate to be the most credible. Runciman (1988), p. 111.
^Martínez Díez, Gonzalo (2005). El condado de Castilla, 711–1038: la historia frente a la leyenda. Marcial Pons Historia. pp. 372–73.
^Liudprand, V, 16–17; R. Hitchcock, Mozarabs in Medieval and Early Modern Spain (Franham: Ashgate, 2008), p. 42.
^David Nicholas, Medieval Flanders (Longman Group UK Limited, London, 1992), p. 40.
^Edmund I (king of England),
"Edmund-I"Encyclopædia Britannica.
^Brian Todd Cary (2012). Road to Manzikert – Byanztine and Islamic Warfare (527–1071), p. 81.
ISBN978-184884-215-1.
^Charles R. Bowlus. The Battle of Lechfield and his Aftermath, August 955: The End of the Age of Migrations in the Latin West. Ashgate (2006), p. 145.
^Woolf, Pictland to Alba, p. 175; Anderson, Early Sources, pp. 444-448; Broun, "Constantine II".
^Quoted in Wheeler, W.H. (1896). A history of the fens of South Lincolnshire (2 ed.). Boston: J.M.Newcomb. p. 313.
^K. Halloran, "A Murder at Pucklechurch: The Death of King Edmund I, 26 May 946". Midland History, Volume 40. Issue 1 (Spring 2015), pp. 120–129.
^Bóna, István (2000). The Hungarians and Europe in the 9th-10th centuries. Budapest: Historia - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, p. 26.
ISBN963-8312-67-X.
^Bóna, István (2000). The Hungarians and Europe in the 9th-10th centuries. Budapest: Historia - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, p. 27.
ISBN963-8312-67-X.
^Anglo-Saxon Chronicle MS D, 948, but the Historia Regum gives 950.
^F.I. Kilvington, A Short History of St Albans School (1986)
^Bóna, István (2000). The Hungarians and Europe in the 9th-10th centuries. Budapest: Historia - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, p. 27.
ISBN963-8312-67-X.
May –
September –
Rus'–Byzantine War: The
Rus' and their allies, the
Pechenegs, under the
Varangian prince
Igor I of Kiev, cross the
Black Sea with an invasion fleet of 1,000 ships[2] (40,000 men) and disembark on the northern coast of
Asia Minor. While the
Byzantine fleet is engaged against the
Arabs in the
Mediterranean, the Rus' forces reach the gates of
Constantinople. Emperor
Romanos I organizes the defense of the capital and assembles 15 old ships (equipped with throwers of
Greek fire) under the chamberlain (protovestiarios)
Theophanes. The Byzantines repel the Rus' fleet (nearly annihilating the entire fleet) but can not prevent the invaders from pillaging the hinterland of Constantinople, venturing as far south as
Nicomedia (modern-day
İzmit). In September,
John Kourkouas and
Bardas Phokas ("the Elder"), two leading generals, destroy the Rus' forces in
Thrace. Igor manages, with only a handful of boats, to escape to the
Caspian Sea.
Fall –
Hugh of Provence, king of
Italy, leads a fourth expedition to
Rome to dislodge
Alberic II. He proceeds to
Lazio, preparing a campaign to capture the papal capital. Again the attacks fail and Hugh retreats to
Milan.
Fall – Hugh of Provence makes a truce with the Moors of Fraxinet, after hearing the news that a
Swabian army is about to descend on
Italy. He allows the Moors to attack the
Alpine passes for his own political ends in his struggle with
Berengar of Ivrea.[4] The Byzantines cry foul and end their
alliance with Hugh.
December 17 –
William I ("Longsword"), duke of
Normandy, is ambushed and assassinated by supporters of
Arnulf I ("the Great"), count of
Flanders, while the two are at a peace conference at
Picquigny (on an island on the
Somme) to settle their differences.[5] William is succeeded by his 9-year-old son
Richard.
Winter – The Hungarians raid
Friuli and descend into central Italy. Hugh of Provence grants them a large sum of
tribute if they return to the Gothic March or Spain. The Hungarians refuse the offer and raid the countryside of
Lazio, destroying the region of
Sabina.
Idwal Foel, king of
Gwynedd, openly rebels against the overlordship of Edmund I. He and
Llywelyn ap Merfyn, king of
Pows, are killed fighting the English forces.
Hywel Dda, king of
Deheubarth, annexes Gwynedd and Powys, to become the sole ruler of most of
Wales.
Fall – Pope
Stephen VIII tries to negotiate a peace that will end the
feud between
Alberic II, de facto ruler of
Rome, and Hugh of Provence (his stepfather) but he dies after a 3-year reign. Stephen is succeeded by
Marinus II as the 128th
pope of the
Catholic Church.
King
Edmund I ravages
Strathclyde and defeats the Scottish king
Constantine II, who has reigned as king of
Alba since
900. Constantine, ruler of the 'Picts and Scots', abdicates to enter a
monastery and yields control of his realm to his cousin
Malcolm I.[9]
Raymond III (or Pons I), count of
Toulouse, travels to
Nevers (southeast of
Paris) to declare his
fidelity to king
Louis IV ("d'Outremer"). He is granted the title 'prince of the Aquitanians' by the king.[12]
The largest recorded epidemic of
ergotism, also known as "Saint Anthony's Fire, kills 40,000 people in France. [13]
January 27 – The co-emperors
Stephen and
Constantine are overthrown barely a month after deposing their father,
Romanos I. With the help of his wife,
Constantine VII becomes sole emperor of the
Byzantine Empire. He appoints to the highest army commands four members of the
Phokas family, which have been in disgrace under Romanos.
Spring –
Berengar of Ivrea invades
Italy with hired
Lombard troops and takes up residence in
Milan. Berengar proceeds to
Verona, where he is joined by forces of Count
Milo and other partisans.
King
Hugh of Provence lays
siege to
Vignola to put an end to Berengar's advance. But to no avail, as Berengar of Ivrea is hailed throughout northern Italy as a liberator, and Hugh flees to
Provence.
April 13 – Hugh of Provence abdicates the throne in favor of his son
Lothair II (who has been co-ruler since
931) and is acclaimed as sole king of
Lombardia. Hugh is allowed to retire in
Pavia.
Summer – King
Louis IV ("d'Outremer") is captured by the
Normans and handed over to
Hugh the Great. In return for the release of Louis,
Laon surrenders to him in compensation.[16]
Autumn – The
Min Kingdom is destroyed by the
Southern Tang. Emperor
Yuan Zong expands its domains beyond those of the former
Wu Kingdom. He annexes Min territory into its own boundaries.
Summer – King
Otto I invades the
West Frankish Kingdom with an expeditionary force, but his armies are not strong enough to take the key cities of
Laon,
Reims and
Paris. After three months, Otto ends his campaign without defeating his rival
Hugh the Great. He manages to depose
Hugh of Vermandois from his position as archbishop of Reims, restoring
Artald of Reims to his former office.[17]
Battle of Baghdad: Along the banks of the
Tigris, Buyid forces under Mu'izz al-Dawla defeat the
Hamdanids for control of the city. They are forced to pay
tax revenues and agree to recognize Al-Muti as the legitimate caliph.
Japan
May 16 –
Emperor Suzaku abdicates the
throne after a 16-year reign. He is succeeded by his brother
Murakami, who becomes the 62nd emperor of Japan.
Summer – A
Hungarian army led by Grand Prince
Taksony campaigns in
Italy, heading southwards on the eastern shore of the peninsula. It besieges
Larino and reaches
Otranto, plundering
Apulia for three months.[19]Berengar of Ivrea negotiates a truce and offers them a massive
tribute (for which he imposes a special
tax).
March 10 – The
Later Han is founded by
Liu Zhiyuan, the military governor (jiedushi) of
Bingzhou. He declares himself emperor (formally called Gaozu) and establishes the capital in Bian, present-day
Kaifeng.
King
Eadred ravages
Northumbria and burns down
St. Wilfrid's church at
Ripon. On his way home, he sustains heavy losses at
Castleford. Eadred manages to check his rivals, and the Northumbrians are forced to pay him compensation.[22]
A Byzantine expeditionary force under
Constantine Gongyles attempts to re-conquer the
Emirate of Crete from the
Saracens. The expedition ends in a disastrous failure; the Byzantine camp is destroyed in a surprise attack. Gongyles himself barely escapes on his flagship.[25]
^Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. Cassell & Co. p. 199.
ISBN1854095234.
^Sources give varying figures for the size of the Russian fleet. The number 10,000 ships appears in the
Primary Chronicle and in Greek sources, some of which put the figure as high as 15,000 ships.
Liutprand of Cremona wrote that the fleet numbered only 1,000 ships; Liutprand's report is based on the account of his step-father who witnessed the attack while serving as envoy in Constantinople. Modern historians find the latter estimate to be the most credible. Runciman (1988), p. 111.
^Martínez Díez, Gonzalo (2005). El condado de Castilla, 711–1038: la historia frente a la leyenda. Marcial Pons Historia. pp. 372–73.
^Liudprand, V, 16–17; R. Hitchcock, Mozarabs in Medieval and Early Modern Spain (Franham: Ashgate, 2008), p. 42.
^David Nicholas, Medieval Flanders (Longman Group UK Limited, London, 1992), p. 40.
^Edmund I (king of England),
"Edmund-I"Encyclopædia Britannica.
^Brian Todd Cary (2012). Road to Manzikert – Byanztine and Islamic Warfare (527–1071), p. 81.
ISBN978-184884-215-1.
^Charles R. Bowlus. The Battle of Lechfield and his Aftermath, August 955: The End of the Age of Migrations in the Latin West. Ashgate (2006), p. 145.
^Woolf, Pictland to Alba, p. 175; Anderson, Early Sources, pp. 444-448; Broun, "Constantine II".
^Quoted in Wheeler, W.H. (1896). A history of the fens of South Lincolnshire (2 ed.). Boston: J.M.Newcomb. p. 313.
^K. Halloran, "A Murder at Pucklechurch: The Death of King Edmund I, 26 May 946". Midland History, Volume 40. Issue 1 (Spring 2015), pp. 120–129.
^Bóna, István (2000). The Hungarians and Europe in the 9th-10th centuries. Budapest: Historia - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, p. 26.
ISBN963-8312-67-X.
^Bóna, István (2000). The Hungarians and Europe in the 9th-10th centuries. Budapest: Historia - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, p. 27.
ISBN963-8312-67-X.
^Anglo-Saxon Chronicle MS D, 948, but the Historia Regum gives 950.
^F.I. Kilvington, A Short History of St Albans School (1986)
^Bóna, István (2000). The Hungarians and Europe in the 9th-10th centuries. Budapest: Historia - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, p. 27.
ISBN963-8312-67-X.