Bolesław I the Brave (967–1025), is crowned in Gniezno, the first capital of Poland, as the first king of Poland. He had been the Duke of Poland and Bohemia, but takes now advantage of the interregnum in the of Holy Roman Empire. Emperor Henry II (1014-1024) had died without any heirs, thereby ending the Ottonian Dynasty. The Salian Dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire is founded by Conrad II. The dynasty provided four kings of Germany (1024–1125), all of whom went on to be crowned Holy Roman emperors (1027–1125). Continue reading

On July 13th, year 1024, emperor Henry II dies in his imperial palace at Göttingen (modern Germany). He leaves no heirs, thereby ending the Ottonian Dynasty. The Salian Dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire is founded by Conrad II. Updated 2024-1207

The date is not that exact here either (as is the case with many of these distant events), but sometime during December of 1023, Abbad I, the eponymous founder of the Abbadid dynasty, declares the Taifa of Seville independent from Córdoban rule. Abbad I became the first independent Muslim ruler of Seville in Al-Andalus - the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula - and he stayed in power until his death in 1042. Continue reading

Olof Skötkonung as depicted on a coin of his from around 1030 This one did not necessarily happen exactly 1000 years ago for the exact date remains unknown. But sometime during the winter of 1021 and 1022, the King of Sweden, Olof Skötkonung, dies at the age of 41 - or 42 - in the village of Husaby in southwestern Sweden. He had ruled Sweden since 995, i.e. since his teenage years. Continue reading

Brenner Pass at today’s Austria-Italy border. Photo credit: Sönke Kraft aka Arnulf zu Linden This time in our series 1000 Years Ago Today, the exact date is unknown. But sometime in November 1021, King Henry II of Germany, Holy Roman Emperor and also known as Saint Henry the Exuberant, the last ruler of the Ottonian line, conducts his fourth Italian military campaign. He crosses the Brenner Pass, a mountain pass through the Alps with a 60,000-strong army, and reaches Verona in the Kingdom of Lombardia in northern Italy. Continue reading

Here’s yet another piece in this article series, taking us back exactly 1000 years. This time to June 15th in the year 1020. Troia is a city situated in the northernmost part of Apulia (shown in magenta in the map) , south of Benevento. According to legend, it was founded in the 10th century BC by the Greek hero Diomedes who had participated in the Trojan War and helped destroy the ancient Troy - a city in the northwest of Asia Minor (in today’s Turkey). Continue reading

[caption id=“attachment_5123” align=“alignright” width=“375”]Yalu River between China and Korea[/caption] Here’s the second piece in our series 1000 Years Ago Today, published every now and then. When you think about it, not much of essence differentiates us from the people who lived a thousand years ago. Their surroundings and circumstances sure were different, but when it comes to basic human needs, desires, capabilities, ambitions etc, most of it is more or less the same for us and them. Continue reading

This might sound like stretching it a bit, but nevertheless, here’s the newest addition to the list of series: 1000 Years Ago Today! To be published every now and then. Perhaps once a year. When you think about it, not much of essence differentiates us from the people who lived a thousand years ago. Their surroundings and circumstances sure were different, but when it comes to the basic human needs, desires, capabilities, ambitions etc, most of it is more or less the same for us and them. Continue reading