Directory

961 CE

Siege of Chandax: Byzantine forces under Nikephoros II Phokas capture and pillage Chandax after an 8-month siege. Nikephoros massacres the population without mercy and carries them off into slavery, returning to Constantinople with Emir Abd al-Aziz ibn Shu'ayb and his family as prisoners. The island Emirate of Crete is converted into a Byzantine theme and the remaining Muslims are converted to Christianity. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor elects his 6-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler at the Imperial Diet in Worms. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda and his half-brother William of Mainz. Otto's own brother Bruno I is charged with the provisional government of Lorraine again. Caliph Abd-al-Rahman III dies after a 32-year reign. He is succeeded by his son Al-Hakam II as ruler of the Caliphate of Córdoba in Al-Andalus (modern Spain).

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • The Lombard army under Adalbert II refuses to fight Otto I unless Berengar II abdicates in favor of Adalbert. Berengar refuses, and the armies retreat to their strongholds. Berengar and his family take whatever loyal soldiers remain and disperse themselves – Berengar retreats to the fortress at Montefeltro (in the Pentapolis).source

Conflict & Security

  • March 6 – Siege of Chandax: Byzantine forces under Nikephoros II Phokas capture and pillage Chandax after an 8-month siege. Nikephoros massacres the population without mercy and carries them off into slavery, returning to Constantinople with Emir Abd al-Aziz ibn Shu'ayb and his family as prisoners. The island Emirate of Crete is converted into a Byzantine theme and the remaining Muslims are converted to Christianity.source
  • Battle of Fitjar – A Viking force under the sons of Eric Bloodaxe lands on Hordaland. King Haakon the Good defeats the rebelling force, but is killed. Harald Greycloak becomes ruler of the western part of Norway.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • King Ashot III of Armenia (the Merciful) moves his capital from Kars eastward to Ani (modern Turkey). Located on a major east-west caravan route, Ani will become larger than any European city, with a population of about 100,000 that will rival Baghdad, Cairo, and Constantinople. Ani also becomes the site of the royal mausoleum of the Bagratuni kings.source

Religion & Belief

  • Summer – Otto I leads an expeditionary force into northern Italy through the Brenner Pass at Trento, to assist the beleaguered young Pope John XII. He proceeds towards Pavia – King Berengar II sends his son and co-ruler Adalbert II from Rome at the head of a large army to seize control of the Upper Adige and contest Otto's entry.source
  • Tavistock Abbey is founded by Ordgar, Ealdorman of Devon, in England.source
  • The "Shroud of Saint Josse", a rich silk Samite camel cloth from Khurasan, is made. It is preserved in the Abbey of Saint-Josse-sur-Mer, near Caen (Normandy) (approximate date).source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • The Tiger Hill Pagoda (or Huqui Tower) is built in the city of Suzhou, located in Jiangsu Province (Eastern China).source

Culture & Society

  • May 26 – Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor elects his 6-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler at the Imperial Diet in Worms. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda and his half-brother William of Mainz. Otto's own brother Bruno I is charged with the provisional government of Lorraine again.source

Births

  • January 15 – Seongjong, ruler of Goryeo (Korea) (d. 997)source
  • Mahendradatta, queen of Bali (Indonesia) (d. 1011)source
  • Pietro II Orseolo, Doge of Venice (d. 1009)source
  • Sigmundur Brestisson, Viking chieftain (d. 1005)source
  • Kou Zhun, Chinese Grand chancellor (approximate date)source
  • Ramiro III, king of León (Spain) (d. 985)source
  • Al-Tha'alibi, Persian historian and writer (d. 1038)source
  • Edith of Wilton, English princess and nun (approximate date)source
  • Arnulf II, Count of Flanders (the Younger), Frankish nobleman (or 960)source
  • Fujiwara no Michikane, Japanese nobleman (d. 995)source

Deaths

  • July 17 – Du, empress dowager of the Song dynastysource
  • August 12 – Li Jing, emperor of Southern Tang (b. 916)source
  • September 19 – Helena Lekapene, Byzantine empresssource
  • October 1 – Artald, archbishop of Reimssource
  • October 15 – Caliph Abd-al-Rahman III dies after a 32-year reign. He is succeeded by his son Al-Hakam II as ruler of the Caliphate of Córdoba in Al-Andalus (modern Spain).source
  • October 15 – Abd al-Rahman III, caliph of Córdobasource
  • Minamoto no Tsunemoto, Japanese samurai (b. 894)source
  • Abd al-Malik I, Samanid emir (b. 944)source
  • Haakon the Good, king of Norwaysource
  • Ava of Cerdanya, countess regent of Cerdanya and Besalúsource
  • Butuga II, ruler of the Western Ganga Dynasty (India)source
  • Adarnase V, prince of Tao-Klarjeti (Georgia)source
  • Atto of Vercelli, Lombard bishop (b. 885)source
  • Li Tao, Chinese chancellor (approximate date)source