Directory

1008 CE

Kamo Special Festival: The poet Murasaki Shikibu is given her name from a famous court poet, Fujiwara no Kinto; this year she probably starts to write The Diary of Lady Murasaki. The oldest known mention is made of the city of Gundelfingen (Southern Germany). Olof Skötkonung, king of Sweden, is baptized in Husaby (Västergötland) by missionary Sigfrid, and makes generous donations on the spot.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Unification of the Georgian realm.source
  • In England, King Æthelred the Unready orders a new fleet of warships built, organised on a national scale. It is a huge undertaking, but is completed the following year.source

Conflict & Security

  • Under the Early Lê dynasty, King Lê Long Đĩnh personally marched into battle to defeat the barbarians in Đô Lương and Vị Long provinces.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • The oldest known mention is made of the city of Gundelfingen (Southern Germany).source
  • Battle at Herdaler: Olaf Haraldsson sails to the southern coast of Finland to plunder, where he and his men are ambushed and defeated in the woods.source
  • Olaf Haraldsson, future king of Norway, makes raids in the Baltic Sea. He lands on the Estonian island of Saaremaa, wins a battle there, and forces the inhabitants to pay tribute.source

Religion & Belief

  • Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah sends a tributary mission to Emperor Zhenzong of the Song dynasty in order to reestablish trade relations between the Fatimid Caliphate and China (approximate date).source
  • Autumn – Bruno of Querfurt, a missionary bishop, and 18 companions sets out on a mission to spread Christianity among the Prussians.source
  • Olof Skötkonung, king of Sweden, is baptized in Husaby (Västergötland) by missionary Sigfrid, and makes generous donations on the spot.source

Culture & Society

  • November 13 – Kamo Special Festival: The poet Murasaki Shikibu is given her name from a famous court poet, Fujiwara no Kinto; this year she probably starts to write The Diary of Lady Murasaki.source
  • 42nd Birthday of Fujiwara no Michinaga, father-in-law of the emperor, is celebrated.source

Births

  • May 4 – Henry I, king of France (d. 1060)source
  • October 12 – Atsuhira, future Emperor Go-Ichijō of Japan (d. 1036)source
  • Sugawara no Takasue, Japanese writer (approximate date)source
  • Anselm of Liège, French chronicler and historiansource
  • Di Qing, general of the Song Dynasty (d. 1057)source
  • Al-Mu'izz ibn Badis, Zirid ruler of Ifriqiya (d. 1062)source
  • Wulfstan, bishop of Worcester (approximate date)source
  • Gothelo II (or Gozelo), duke of Lower Lorraine (d. 1046)source

Deaths

  • March 17 – Kazan, emperor of Japan (b. 968)source
  • April 7 – Ludolf (or Liudolf), archbishop of Triersource
  • April 10 – Notker of Liège, French bishop (b. 940)source
  • May 25 – Matilda of Saxony, countess of Flanderssource
  • October 6 – Menendo González, Galician noblemansource
  • November 20 – Geoffrey I, duke of Brittany (b. 980)source
  • Poppo, Polish missionary bishop (approximate date)source
  • Clothna mac Aenghusa, Irish poet (approximate date)source
  • Gurgen II (Magistros), king of Iberia-Kartli (Georgia)source
  • Ibn Zur'a, Abbasid physician and philosopher (b. 943)source
  • Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar, Andalusian court officialsource
  • Madudan mac Gadhra Mór, king of Síol Anmchadhasource
  • Sarolt, Grand Princess of Hungary (b. 950)source
  • Gunnlaugr Ormstunga, Icelandic poet (approximate date)source