1054 e.v.

## July 4

SN 1054, a supernova, is first observed by the Chinese, Arabs and possibly Native Americans, near the star Zeta Tauri. For 23 days it remains bright enough to be seen in daylight. Its remnants form the Crab Nebula (NGC 1952).

## Africa

The Almoravids retake the trading center of Aoudaghost from the Ghana Empire. Repeated Almoravid incursions, aimed at seizing control of the trans-Saharan gold trade, disrupt Ghana's dominance of the trade routes.

## Asia

Sultan Tughril leads a large Seljuk army out of Azerbaijan into Armenia, possibly to consolidate his frontier, while providing an incentive to his Turkoman allies in the form of plunder. Tughril divides his army into four columns, ordering three to veer off to the north to raid into central and northern Armenia, while he takes the fourth column towards Lake Van. The Seljuk Turks capture and sack the fortress city of Artchesh, after an 8-day siege.

Lý Nhật Tôn, third king of the Lý Dynasty, begins to rule in Vietnam, and changes the country's official name to Đại Việt.

Al-Hariri of Basra, Abbasid poet and scholar, is born (will die in 1122)

George II (Giorgi), king of Georgia, is born.

Langri Tangpa, Tibetan Buddhist master, is born (will die in 1123). Atiśa, Tibetan Buddhist leader and master, dies (was born in 980)

Tong Guan, Chinese general and adviser, is born (will die in 1126)

Abu Sahl Zawzani, Persian statesman and chief secretary, dies.

### Spring

Pope Leo IX sends a legatine mission, under Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, to Constantinople, to negotiate with Patriarch Michael I Cerularius, in response to his actions concerning the church in Constantinople.

### July 16

Humbert of Silva Candida, representative of the newly deceased Leo IX, breaks the relations between Western and Eastern Churches, through the act of placing an invalidly issued Papal Bull of excommunication during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The Catholic Church officially splits into the Western (Catholic) Church, and the Eastern (Orthodox) Church. Dominic sides with the Catholics.

### August 25

Fujiwara no Michimasa, Japanese nobleman, dies (was born in 992)

### September 2

Sukjong, ruler of Goryeo, is born (will die in 1105)

## Europe

Judith of Lens, niece of William the Conqueror, is born. Osbern Pentecost, Norman knight and nobleman, dies. **Battle of Mortemer:** The Normans, led by Duke William the Conqueror, defeat a French army (near Mortemer), as it is caught pillaging and plundering. King Henry I of France withdraws his main army from the Duchy of Normandy as a result. Guy I, Count of Ponthieu, is captured during the course of the battle.

Bohemond I of Antioch, Italo-Norman nobleman, is born.

Judith of Swabia, queen consort of Hungary, is born (will die in 1105)

Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona, is born.

Cacht ingen Ragnaill, queen consort of Munster, dies.

Nuño Álvarez de Carazo, Castilian nobleman, dies.

Osgod Clapa (Osgot), Anglo-Saxon nobleman, dies.

### February 20

Yaroslav the Wise, Russian grand prince, dies (was born in 978)

### March 8

Azelin (Azellinus), bishop of Hildesheim, dies.

### April 19

Pope Leo IX, German pontiff of the Catholic Church, dies (was born in 1002)

### July

#### 19th

Bernold (Bernulf), bishop of Utrecht, dies.

#### 27th

Siward, earl of Northumbria, invades Scotland, to support King Malcolm III against Macbeth, who has usurped the Scottish throne from Malcolm's father, Duncan I. Macbeth is defeated at Dunsinane.

### August 31

Kunigunde of Altdorf, German noblewoman, dies (was born in 1020)

### September

#### 1st

Fortún Sánchez, Navarrese nobleman, dies (was born in 992)

#### 15th

García Sánchez III, king of Pamplona, dies (was born in 1012)

#### 24th

Hermann of Reichenau, German music theorist, dies (was born in 1013)