Directory

1054 CE

(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). 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. 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.

Conflict & Security

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

Exploration & Expansion

  • 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.source

Religion & Belief

  • 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.source
  • 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.source

Science & Discovery

  • 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

Births

  • September 2 – Sukjong, ruler of Goryeo (d. 1105)source
  • Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona (or 1053)source
  • Langri Tangpa, Tibetan Buddhist master (d. 1123)source
  • Judith of Swabia, queen consort of Hungary (d. 1105)source
  • Al-Hariri of Basra, Abbasid poet and scholar (d. 1122)source
  • Judith of Lens, niece of William the Conqueror (or 1055)source
  • Tong Guan, Chinese general and adviser (d. 1126)source
  • George II (Giorgi), king of Georgia (approximate date)source
  • Bohemond I of Antioch, Italo-Norman nobleman (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • February 20 – Yaroslav the Wise, Kievan Rus' grand prince (b. c.978)source
  • March 8 – Azelin (Azellinus), bishop of Hildesheimsource
  • April 19 – Pope Leo IX, German pontiff of the Catholic Church (b. 1002)source
  • July 19 – Bernold (Bernulf), bishop of Utrechtsource
  • August 25 – Fujiwara no Michimasa, Japanese nobleman (b. 992)source
  • August 31 – Kunigunde of Altdorf, German noblewoman (b. c.1020)source
  • September 1 – Fortún Sánchez, Navarrese nobleman (b. c.992)source
  • September 15 – García Sánchez III, king of Pamplona (b. c.1012)source
  • September 24 – Hermann of Reichenau, German music theorist (b. 1013)source
  • Osgod Clapa (Osgot), Anglo-Saxon noblemansource
  • Abu Sahl Zawzani, Persian statesman and chief secretarysource
  • Atiśa, Tibetan Buddhist leader and master (b. c.980)source
  • Osbern Pentecost, Norman knight and noblemansource
  • Nuño Álvarez de Carazo, Castilian noblemansource