By place Europe • Summer – King
Ferdinand I (the Great) conquers more territory in modern-day
Portugal and captures
Coimbra. He appoints
Sisnando Davides to reorganise the economy and administer the lands encircling the city. • European warriors go to
Spain, to participate in the
siege of Barbastro. This expedition is sanctioned by Pope
Alexander II – and is now regarded as an early form of
Crusade. •
Harold Godwinson, Earl of
Wessex, is shipwrecked on the shores of
Ponthieu (
Normandy). He is captured by Count
Guy I who takes him as hostage to his castle of
Beaurian. • Duke
William I (the Bastard) demands the release of Harold Godwinson from Guy I (after a
ransom being paid). Harold must swear an oath to aid William to the throne of
England. • Kings
Harald Hardrada of
Norway and
Sweyn II of Denmark agree to a peace agreement. Harald turns his attentions to England where he believes he has a right to the throne.
Seljuk Empire •
April 27 –
Alp Arslan succeeds to the throne, as sultan of the
Seljuk Empire. He becomes sole ruler of
Persia from the river
Oxus to the
Tigris. • The Seljuk Turks under Alp Arslan invade
Anatolia, and capture
Ani after a
siege of 25-days. He sacks the city and slaughters its citizens. •
Badr al-Jamali, Fatimid governor of
Syria, tries to engineer a pro-Fatimid coup in
Aleppo; but the rebellion is suppressed by Musa Yabgu.
Asia • King
Bagrat IV of Georgia captures the fortress city of
Samshvilde, the capital of the neighboring
Tashir-Dzoraget.
Mesoamerica •
January 4 – The
Aztecs migrate from
Aztlán to the southern lands in central
Mexico.
By topic Religion • Winter –
Great German Pilgrimage: Archbishop
Siegfried I of
Mainz leads a
pilgrimage to
Jerusalem. Either during this pilgrimage or shortly before it, the
Ezzolied; a
High German poem on the life of
Christ, is composed. •
Michaelsberg Abbey at
Siegburg (modern
Germany) is founded by
Anno II, archbishop of
Cologne. • Construction of the
Piazza dei Miracoli (known as Piazza del Duomo) at
Pisa in
Tuscany begins.
Volcanology •
Sunset Crater Volcano (modern-day
Arizona) first erupts (approximate date) == Births ==