1055 CE
Pope Victor II succeeds Leo IX as the 153rd pope of the Catholic Church in Rome (until 1057). 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. 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.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
- 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
Conflict & Security
- 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.source
- 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
Religion & Belief
Technology & Infrastructure
- 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
Births
- August 16 – Malik-Shah I, sultan of the Seljuk Empire (d. 1092)source
- September 28 – Uicheon, Korean Buddhist monk (d. 1101)source
- Bertha of Holland, French queen consort (d. 1094)source
- Vigrahapala III, ruler of the Pala Empire (d. 1070)source
- Alger of Liège, French clergyman and priest (d. 1131)source
- Minamoto no Shunrai, Japanese poet (d. 1129)source
- Gilbert Crispin, Norman abbot and theologian (d. 1117)source
- Gruffudd ap Cynan, king of Gwynedd (approximate date)source
- Ida of Austria, German duchess and crusader (d. 1101)source
- Judith of Lens, niece of William the Conqueror (or 1054)source
- Fujiwara no Akisue, Japanese nobleman (d. 1123)source
- Adelaide of Weimar-Orlamünde, German noblewoman (d. 1100)source
- Machig Labdrön, Tibetan Buddhist teacher (d. 1149)source
- Terken Khatun, Seljuk empress (approximate date)source
Deaths
- January 10 – Bretislav I, duke of Bohemiasource
- January 11 – Constantine IX, Byzantine emperorsource
- 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.source
- April 10 – Conrad II, duke of Bavaria (b. 1052)source
- May 26 – Adalbert, margrave of Austriasource
- August 28 – Xing Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 1016)source
- November 13 – Welf III, duke of Carinthiasource
- December 5 – Conrad I, duke of Bavariasource
- Nong Zhigao, Vietnamese chieftain of Nongsource
- Gruffydd ap Rhydderch, king of Deheubarthsource
- A Nong, Chinese shamaness, matriarch and warriorsource
- Yan Shu, Chinese statesman and poet (b. 991)source
- 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.source
- Siward (or Sigurd), earl of Northumbriasource