Directory

1071 CE

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

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • 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

Conflict & Security

  • 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
  • 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.source
  • 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.source
  • 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.source

Religion & Belief

  • 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.source

Culture & Society

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

Births

  • October 22 – William IX ("the Troubador"), duke of Aquitaine (d. 1127)source
  • Ibn al-Qalanisi, Arab politician and chronicler (d. 1160)source

Deaths

  • January 26 – Adelaide of Eilenburg, German noblewomansource
  • February 17 – Frozza Orseolo, German noblewoman (b. 1015)source
  • February 22 (killed at the Battle of Cassel):source
  • April 17 – Manuel Komnenos, Byzantine aristocratsource
  • May 24 – Wulfhild of Norway, duchess of Saxony (b. 1020)source
  • August 22 – Lambert II Suła, archbishop of Krakówsource
  • September 5 – Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Arab scholar (b. 1002)source
  • October 16 – Almodis de la Marche, French noblemansource
  • December 2 – Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, Moorish judge (b. 978)source
  • William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Herefordsource
  • Arnulf III, count of Flanders (House of Flanders)source
  • William Malet, Norman nobleman (approximate date)source
  • Domenico I Contarini, doge of Venicesource
  • Durand de Bredons, French abbot and bishopsource