Directory

945 CE

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. Caliph Abd-al-Rahman III occupies the palace of Medina Azahara (called "the shining city") as the new capital of the Caliphate of Córdoba (modern Spain). Dunstan becomes abbot of Glastonbury Abbey in England. He re-creates monastic life by establishing Benedictine monasticism in the monastery.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • 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.source
  • Constantine VII concludes a Rus'–Byzantine treaty in which Rus' merchants are to conduct their trade in Constantinople. While many Rus' make their fortunes in trade with the Arab Muslims, the Rurik Dynasty of Kiev grows rich from Byzantine commerce.source
  • King Edmund I conquers Strathclyde, forms an alliance with Malcolm I (king of the 'Picts and Scots') and cedes Cumberland and Westmorland to him.source

Conflict & Security

  • 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.source
  • 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.source
  • 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.source
  • 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.source
  • 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.source
  • Igor I, ruler of the Kievan Rus', is killed while collecting tribute from the Drevlians and is succeeded by his three-year-old son Sviatoslav I. His mother Olga becomes regent and the official ruler.source
  • Summer – Sayf al-Dawla is defeated by Muslim forces under Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid near Qinnasrin. He is forced to abandon his Syrian domains and flees to Raqqa. In October the two men come to an agreement, which recognizes Hamdanid rule over northern Syria, founding the Emirate of Aleppo.source

Religion & Belief

  • Caliph Abd-al-Rahman III occupies the palace of Medina Azahara (called "the shining city") as the new capital of the Caliphate of Córdoba (modern Spain).source
  • Dunstan becomes abbot of Glastonbury Abbey in England. He re-creates monastic life by establishing Benedictine monasticism in the monastery.source
  • Winter – Muslim forces under Nasir al-Dawla capture Baghdad and restore Caliph Al-Muttaqi to power again. Al-Dawla establishes himself as amir al-umara, or de facto regent of the Abbasid Caliphate.source

Culture & Society

  • King Hywel Dda ("the Good") convenes a conference at Whitland, which draws up a standardized code of laws in Wales (approximate date).source

Births

  • Al-Sijzi, Persian astronomer and mathematician (d. 1020)source
  • Abbo of Fleury, French monk and abbot (approximate date)source
  • Judah ben David Hayyuj, Jewish linguist (approximate date)source
  • Tróndur í Gøtu, Viking chieftain (approximate date)source
  • Eric the Victorious, king of Sweden (approximate date)source
  • Adelaide of Aquitaine, French queen consort (or 952)source
  • Al-Muqaddasi, Arab Muslim geographer (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • January 21 – Yang Tan, Chinese general and governorsource
  • February 14 – Zhu Wenjin, emperor of Min (Ten Kingdoms)source
  • June 30 – Ki no Tsurayuki, Japanese writer and poet (b. 872)source
  • July 4 – Zhuo Yanming, Chinese Buddhist monk and emperorsource
  • October 23 – Hyejong, king of Goryeo (Korea) (b. 912)source
  • Fujiwara no Nakahira, Japanese statesman (b. 875)source
  • Zhang Gongduo, Chinese general and officialsource
  • Wang Jichang, Chinese general and chancellorsource
  • Krešimir I, king of Croatian Kingdomsource
  • Song Fujin, empress and wife of Li Biansource
  • Yang Sigong, Chinese official and chancellorsource
  • Igor I, Varangian ruler of Kievan Rus'source
  • Abu Muhammad al-Hasan, Arab Muslim geographer (b. 893)source
  • Tuzun, Abbasid general and de facto rulersource