Directory

987 CE

Bardas Phokas (the Younger) and Bardas Skleros, two members of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II. They overrun Anatolia, and Phokas declares himself Emperor. Basil applies for military assistance from Prince Vladimir the Great, ruler of Kievan Rus', who agrees to help him and sends a Varangian army (6,000 men). After the last Carolingian king of West Francia, Louis V, had died in May, Hugh Capet is crowned king at Noyon. The 15-year-old Robert (the son of Hugh Capet) is crowned co-ruler of France around Christmas at Orléans.

Conflict & Security

  • February 7 – Bardas Phokas (the Younger) and Bardas Skleros, two members of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II. They overrun Anatolia, and Phokas declares himself Emperor. Basil applies for military assistance from Prince Vladimir the Great, ruler of Kievan Rus', who agrees to help him and sends a Varangian army (6,000 men).source
  • The Zirid Dynasty fails to reconquer the western part of the Maghreb (Land of Atlas), which they have recently lost to the Umayyad Caliphate.source
  • Al-Mansur, the de facto ruler of Al-Andalus, occupies the city of Coimbra (modern Portugal).source
  • The population of Bari revolts against the Byzantine Empire.source

Culture & Society

  • December – The 15-year-old Robert (the son of Hugh Capet) is crowned co-ruler of France around Christmas at Orléans.source

Births

  • Ibn Hayyan, Moorish writer and historian (d. 1075)source
  • Al-Mahdi al-Husayn, Zaidi imam of Yemen (d. 1013)source
  • Li, imperial consort of the Song Dynasty (d. 1032)source
  • Liu Yong, Chinese poet of the Song Dynasty (d. 1053)source

Deaths

  • January 10 – Pietro I Orseolo, doge of Venice (b. 928)source
  • March 30 – Arnulf II (the Younger), Frankish noblemansource
  • May 21 – Louis V, king of the West Frankish Kingdomsource
  • July 3 – After the last Carolingian king of West Francia, Louis V, had died in May, Hugh Capet is crowned king at Noyon.source
  • July 13 – Abu'l-Fawaris Ahmad ibn Ali, Ikhshidid governorsource
  • July 21 – Geoffrey I (Greymantle), Frankish noblemansource
  • September 8 (approximate date) – Adalbert I, Count of Vermandois, Frankish noblemansource
  • November 16 – Shen Lun, Chinese scholar-officialsource