Worldwide •
March 20 –
Halley's Comet reaches
perihelion. Its appearance is subsequently recorded in the
Bayeux Tapestry.
Africa •
Egyptian military commander Abu Sa'd Mansur ibn Zunbur known as
al-sayyid,
al-afḍal appointed
Vizier in
Egypt.
Asia •
unknown dates • Chinese imperial official
Sima Guang presents the emperor with an eight-volume
Tongzhi (通志; "Comprehensive Records"), chronicling Chinese history from 403 BCE to the end of the Qin dynasty in 207 BCE. The emperor then issues an edict for the compilation of Guang's
universal history of China, allocating funds for the costs of compilation and research assistants such as Liu Ban, Liu Shu and Fan Zuyu. • The
Abu Hanifa Mosque is established in
Baghdad, when the Grand Vizier of the
Seljuk Empire, Abu Saad al-Khwarizmi or al-Mustawfi, builds a shrine for Abu Hanifa near his tomb.
Europe • June–November –
Obodrite revolt •
September 12 –
William, Duke of Normandy, assembles a fleet (around 700 warships) at
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, in readiness for an invasion of England. •
December 30 –
Granada massacre: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in
Granada, crucifies the Jewish vizier Yusuf ibn Naghrela, and massacres most of the Jewish population. •
Huy becomes the first town in the
Low Countries to be granted city rights, by
Theodwin of Liège. •
Hedeby (located on the
Jutland Peninsula) is sacked and burned by the
West Slavs, after which it is slowly abandoned. • The
Republic of Genoa, jealous of the recent successes of its former allies, launches a naval assault on the
Republic of Pisa. • King
Stenkil (or Steinkell) dies after a 6-year reign. Two rivals
named Eric battle for power in
Sweden, both claiming the throne. •
Magnus II (Haraldsson), a son of Harald Hardrada, is crowned king of Norway. He unites
Western Norway and
Northern Norway. •
Fulk IV, Count of Anjou, known as "the Quarreller", is at war with his brother
Geoffrey III, contesting the lands of
Anjou and
Touraine left to them by their uncle
Geoffrey II, Count of Anjou (Martel). •
City of Šibenik first mentioned under its present name in a Charter of the Croatian King Petar Krešimir IV
England and Scotland •
January –
Harold Godwinson marries
Ealdgyth, daughter of
Ælfgar (earl of
Mercia), and widow of King
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. •
January 5 –
Edward the Confessor dies after a 24-year reign at
London. The
Witenagemot (or Witan) proclaims Harold Godwinson king of
England. •
January 6 – Harold Godwinson (Harold II) is crowned king of England, probably in the new
Westminster Abbey, where Edward the Confessor's funeral took place not long before the coronation. •
September 18 –
Harald Hardrada of
Norway lands on the beaches of
Scarborough, North Yorkshire and begins his invasion of England. •
September 20 –
Battle of Fulford: Norwegian forces under Harald Hardrada defeat the English earls
Edwin and
Morcar. •
September 25 –
Battle of Stamford Bridge: Harold II defeats the forces of Harald Hardrada and his own brother
Tostig Godwinson. •
September 27 –
William, Duke of Normandy and his army set sail from the mouth of the
River Somme, beginning the
Norman conquest of England. The following day he lands on the English coast at
Pevensey, splits his forces, and sails with the main army to
Hastings. •
October 6 – Harold II marches south from
Stamford Bridge (near
York) to counter the threat of the invasion by William. Reaching London within five days, he leaves a short time later. After a two-day march he and his army reach
Caldbec Hill. •
October 14 –
Battle of Hastings: William and Harold II meet in battle at Hastings. Although Harold has the superior position on the battlefield, he is defeated and killed by William, invading England. •
October 15 –
Edgar Ætheling is proclaimed king of England (but is never crowned). He is soon forced to submit to the rule of William the Conqueror. •
December – William the Conqueror moves along the south coast to
Dover, and builds fortifications in the existing castle at the top of the cliffs. He moves to
Canterbury and finally enters London. Archbishop
Stigand and other English leaders submit to William's rule. On
December 25, he is crowned as King William I of England in Westminster Abbey over Edward the Confessor's grave. •
unknown date –
Tain becomes the first town in
Scotland to be chartered as a
royal burgh by King
Malcolm III (Canmore). == Births ==