950s

The 950s was a decade that started on 1 January 950 and ended on 31 December 959. It is distinct from the decade known as the 96th decade which began on January 1, 961 and ended on December 31, 960.

950
 World population is thought to be 250 million.
 Duke Boleslav I of Bohemia makes peace with Otto I.
 The Later Han Dynasty in China falls.

 Births 
 June 12 – Emperor Reizei of Japan 
 Erik the Red 

 Deaths 
 Hywel Dda ("the Good") of Wales
 Al-Farabi, philosopher 

951
 Allat the Maharana of Mewar comes to power.
 The Later Zhou Dynasty is founded by Guo Wei in China.
 The Northern Han Kingdom is founded by Liu Min in northern China.

 Births 
 Gregory of Narek, Armenian monk, poet, and theologian
 Saint Romuald

 Deaths 
 Emperor Shizong of the Liao Dynasty 
 2 January – Liu Chengyou, Emperor Yin of the Later Han Dynasty

952
 Kalbid forces defeat the Byzantines in Calabria.

 Births 
 Emperor Gongdi of Later Zhou

 Deaths 
 Emperor Suzaku of Japan
 Hugh, Duke of Burgundy

953
 Liudolf, Duke of Swabia and Conrad the Red rebel against German King Otto I.

 Births 
 Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine
 Herbert III, Count of Vermandois
 Al-Karaji, Persian mathematician and engineer
 Kisai Marvazi, Persian poet

 Deaths 
 Abas I of Armenia, King of Armenia
 Ismail al-Mansur. third Fatimid Caliph
 Empress Dowager Yingtian of the Liao Dynasty
 Muhammad bin Musafir, Sallarid ruler of Tarum and Iranian Azerbaijan
 Rasso, Bavarian count, military leader, pilgrim, and saint.
 Rhodri ap Hywel, king of Deheubarth

954
 King Máel Coluim I of Scotland is killed in battle against the Highlanders. He is succeeded by Indulf I of Scotland.
 Chateau Chinon is built by Theobald I of Blois.
 Edred becomes king of all England.

 Births 
 Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury 
 Wang Yucheng

 Deaths 
 September 10 – King Louis IV of France 
 King Eric I of Norway
 Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou
 Feng Tao
 Liu Min

955
 August 10 – Otto I the Great defeats Magyars in the Battle of Lechfeld.
 Eadwig becomes King of England.
 December 16 – Pope John XII succeeds Pope Agapetus II as the 130th pope.

 Births 
  Ælfric of Eynsham, English abbot

 Deaths 
 November 23 – Eadred, King of England

956
 An earthquake badly damages the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

 Deaths 
 April 8 – Gilbert of Chalon, Duke of Burgundy
 Ali al-Masudi, Arab historian, geographer and philosopher

957
 Japan: The Tenryaku Era ends, and the Tentoku Era begins.
 The Chandra Hindu Dynasty ends.  This starts a time of chaos in areas belonging to modern-day India.
 Olga of Kiev converts to the Eastern Orthodox Church

 Births 
 Gormlaith of Lienster, wife of Olaf Cuarran, Malachy II and Brian Boru

 Deaths 
 September 6 – Liudolf, Duke of Swabia

958
 Probable date of the start of the Marche dynasty.
 King Kshemgupta of Kashmir dies. He is succeeded by his young son Abhimanyu. Didda, his mother, becomes de facto ruler.
 The Later Zhou Dynasty goes against Liao Dynasty positions in the Sixteen Prefectures.  They are defeated.
 Battle of Raban: Byzantines under John Tzimiskes defeat Sayf al-Dawla

 Births 
 Basil II, Byzantine Emperor
 Samuil of Bulgaria
 Vladimir I, Prince of Kievan Rus

 Deaths 
 King Gorm the Old of Denmark
 Masudi, Arab geographer, historian, and physicist
 Tuathal mac Augaire, King of Leinster, Ireland

959
 October 1 – Edgar becomes King of England.
 Dunstan becomes bishop of Worcester, England and London.
 Bruno I, Archbishop of Cologne divides the Duchy of Lorraine with his nephew Frederic.

 Births 
 Emperor En'yū of Japan

 Deaths 
 October 1 – King Eadwig of England
 November 9 – Constantine VII, Byzantine Emperor 
 Ælfsige, Archbishop of Canterbury
 Chai Rong 

Category:950s