960

Updated on Oct 11, 2024

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Year 960 (CMLX) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.

Africa

The Kingdom of Aksum is destroyed by Beta Israel invaders, under the leadership of Queen Gudit.

Asia

February 4 – The Song dynasty begins its 300-year ascendancy in China when Zhao Kuangyin usurps the Later Zhou throne, becoming Emperor Taizu of Song. The number of registered soldiers in the Song Chinese army is some 378,000.

November 8 – Battle of Andrassos: Byzantines under Leo Phokas the Younger score a crushing victory over the Hamdanid Emir of Aleppo, Sayf al-Dawla.

Europe

September 21 – Dunstan receives the pallium as Archbishop of Canterbury from Pope John XII, and becomes chief adviser to the new king of England, Edgar the Peaceful. He reforms monasteries and enforces the rule of Saint Benedict: poverty, chastity and obedience for monks. He attempts to impose celibacy on the secular clergy without noticeable success. Dunstan actively encourages the Danes to integrate with the English. This year he also founds the Church of St. Dunstan, Mayfield in East Sussex.

Richard I, Duke of Normandy marries Emma of Paris.

Sviatoslav I of Kiev campaigns against the Khazars.

Approximate date – Mieszko I becomes ruler in Poland on the death of his father.

Births

Mazu, Chinese fisherman's daughter worshipped as Taoist goddess of the sea (d. c.976 or 987)

Aimoin, French chronicler (d. c.1010)

Constantine VIII, Byzantine Emperor (d. 1028)

Sweyn Forkbeard, king of Denmark and England (d. 1014)

Approximate date

Arnulf II, Count of Flanders (d. 988)

Bagrat III, king of the Abkhazians and of Georgia (d. 1014)

Gershom ben Judah, German rabbi (d. 1028–1040)

Olof of Sweden (d. 1020–1021)

Gormflaith ingen Murchada, queen

Deaths

June 15 – Eadburh of Winchester, English princess and saint

Approximate date – Časlav of Serbia, prince (revenge killing)

References

960 Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA