Political Events

Sweden's Olaf (Olof) III Skötkonung (the tax king) dies in the winter at age 72 (approximate) after a 28-year reign in which he has joined with the late Sweyn I Forkbeard of Denmark to oppose the development of a strong Norway. He is succeeded by his 14-year-old son, who will reign until 1050 as Anund Jakob Olafsson, but the death of the first Christian king of Sweden begins a period of religious wars that will occupy the Goths and Swedes for the next 110 years.

Córdoba's Berber residents drive out their caliph Yahya al-Mutali after a reign of less than 1 year and return his uncle al-Qasim to power (but see 1023).

The Byzantine emperor Basil II annexes the kingdom of Vaspurakan and compels Armenia's Bagratid king Yovhannes-Smbat at Ani to make Basil the heir to his estates (see 1021; 1045).

The Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich II defeats Byzantine forces in southern Italy.

China's third Song (Sung) dynasty emperor Zhen Zong (Chen Tsung) dies at age 54 after a 25-year reign in which he has made peace with the Khitan and strengthened Confucianism. He has gone insane in his latter years, and his empress has ruled in his stead and continues to rule as Zhen's 12-year-old son by a palace lady-in-waiting assumes the imperial throne. The new sovereign will prove an able ruler in his own right and reign until his death in 1063 as the emperor Ren Zong (Jen Tsung).

Religion

The Synod of Pavia orders celibacy among the higher clergy.

Missionaries from various European countries work to spread Christianity in Sweden, but advocates of the native Norse faith have operated from their temple at Uppsala to prevent the late Olaf III Skötkonung from enforcing conversion.

Architecture, Real Estate

The Japanese Buddhist Hōjō Temple is completed by the prime minister Michinaga Fujiwara, now 57.

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