Editing 966

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|966}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2018}}
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{{M1 year in topic}}
[[File:Matejko Christianization of Poland.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Christianization of Poland]], by [[Jan Matejko]].]]
[[File:Dobrawa (274945).jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Doubravka of Bohemia|Dobrawa]] of [[Duchy of Bohemia|Bohemia]], duchess of [[Greater Poland|Poland]].]] 
Year '''966''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CMLXVI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Monday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===
=== Byzantine Empire ===
* [[23 June]] - [[Arab-Byzantine Wars|Byzantine-Arab War]]: [[Arab-Byzantine prisoner exchanges|A prisoner exchange]] occurs at the border between the [[Byzantine Empire]] and the [[Emirate of Aleppo]] at [[Samosata]], headed by Emperor [[Nikephoros II]] and [[Sayf al-Dawla]], the Emir of Aleppo. The Emirate receives 3,000 captured prisoners from the region of [[Cilicia]], after its conquest by the Byzantine Emperor, as well as the poet [[Abu Firas]], who had been previously held prisoner by the Byzantines.

=== Europe ===
* Spring &ndash; King [[Lothair of France|Lothair III]] marries Princess [[Emma of Italy]] (the only daughter of [[Adelaide of Italy|Adelaide of Burgundy]]—second wife of Emperor [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] ('''the Great'''), from her first marriage with King [[Lothair II of Italy|Lothair II]], member of the [[Bosonids|Bosonid dynasty]]). Lothair strengthens his ties with the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. He temporarily remains in control of the cities of [[Arras]] and [[Douai]].<ref>Jim Bradbury (2007). ''The Capetians: Kings of France, 987–1328'', p. 42 (London: Hambledon Continuum).</ref> The latter becomes a flourishing [[textile]] market centre during the [[Middle Ages]].
* [[April 14]] &ndash; [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]], first duke and prince of [[Greater Poland|Poland]], is [[Baptism|baptized]] a [[Christianity|Christian]], which is usually considered the [[Christianization of Poland|foundation of the Polish state]]. Mieszko's baptism, under the influence of his wife [[Doubravka of Bohemia|Dobrawa]], brings his territories into the community of Christian countries. The lands ruled by Mieszko cover about 250,000 km², and are inhabited by about 1,2 million people around this time.<ref>Richard Brzezinski (1998). History of Poland: ''Old Poland, King Mieszko I'', p. 15. {{ISBN|83-7212-019-6}}.</ref>
* [[May]] &ndash; [[Pietro IV Candiano]], doge of [[Republic Venice|Venice]], remarries to [[Waldrada of Tuscany]], a daughter of [[Hubert, Duke of Spoleto]], and a relative of Otto I. Waldrada brings him a large [[dowry]], including the possessions of [[Ferrara]], [[Friuli]] and [[Treviso]] (Northern [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|Italy]]).
* Fall &ndash; Otto I departs for a third expedition in Italy and fights in [[Lombardy]] against the partisans under [[Adalbert of Italy|Adalbert II of Ivrea]]. In November an imperial counter-coup in [[Rome]] takes control of [[Castel Sant'Angelo]].
* Winter &ndash; Otto I enters Rome and has the twelve principal militia leaders (the ''Decarcones'') hanged. Other plotters of the coup are either executed or blinded. Otto is declared 'liberator of the Church'. 
* The [[Principality of Hungary|Hungarians]] invade the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]] and force [[Peter I of Bulgaria|Peter I]], emperor (''[[tsar]]'') of the Bulgarians, to conclude a [[peace treaty]] with them. He lets them cross to attack the [[Byzantine Empire]].<ref>Bóna, Istvá (2000). ''The Hungarians and Europe in the 9th-10th centuries''. Budapest: Historia - MTA Történettudományi Intézete, p. 34. {{ISBN|963-8312-67-X}}.</ref>

=== Asia ===
* [[February 9]] &ndash; [[Ono no Michikaze]] ('''Ono no Tōfū'''), Japanese [[Calligraphy|calligrapher]], dies after having established the foundations of the 'Waystyle' of calligraphy while serving the imperial court at [[Heian-kyō]] (modern-day [[Kyoto]]).

=== By topic ===
==== Religion ====
* [[John VII of Jerusalem|John VII]], patriarch of [[Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]], is [[Death by burning|burned at the stake]] by a Muslim mob after writing to Emperor [[Nikephoros II Phokas|Nikephoros II]], pleading him to intervene in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] and retake it from the [[Fatimid Caliphate]].<ref>Steven Runciman (1987). ''A History of the Crusades, Vol. 1. The First Crusade'', p. 30 (Cambridge University Press).</ref>
* Re-foundation of [[Peterborough]] (also called [[Medeshamstede]]) Abbey as a [[Order of Saint Benedict|Benedictine]] monastery by Bishop [[Æthelwold of Winchester]] (approximate date).</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Æthelred the Unready|Æthelred II]] ('''the Unready'''), king of [[Kingdom of England|England]] (approximate date)
* [[Ali al-Sulayhi]], sultan of [[Yemen]], [[Tihamah]] and [[Mecca]] (d. [[1066]])
* [[Ding Wei (Song dynasty)|Ding Wei]], grand chancellor of the [[Song dynasty]] (d. [[1037]])
* [[Fujiwara no Kintō]], Japanese [[Japanese poetry|poet]] and bureaucrat (d. [[1041]])
* [[Fujiwara no Michinaga]], Japanese [[Nobility|nobleman]] (d. [[1028]])
* [[Gerberga of Burgundy]], duchess of [[Duchy of Swabia|Swabia]] (or [[965]])
* [[Queen Heonjeong|Heonjeong]], queen of [[Goryeo]] ([[Korea]]) (d. [[992]])
* [[Hisham II]], caliph of [[Caliphate of Córdoba|Córdoba]] ([[Spain]]) (d. [[1013]])
* [[Kenneth III of Scotland|Kenneth III]], king of [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]] (approximate date)
* [[Louis V of France|Louis V]], king of the [[West Francia|West Frankish Kingdom]] (d. [[987]])
* [[Lu Zongdao]], Chinese official (approximate date)
* [[Sei Shōnagon]], Japanese poet and [[Lady-in-waiting|court lady]] (approximate date)

== Deaths ==
* [[January 19]] &ndash; [[Fujiwara no Asatada]], Japanese nobleman (b. [[910]])
* [[February 9]] &ndash; [[Ono no Michikaze]], Japanese [[Calligraphy|calligrapher]] (b. [[894]])
* [[March 28]] &ndash; [[Flodoard]], Frankish [[Canon (priest)|canon]] and [[chronicle]]r
* [[August 4]] &ndash; [[Berengar II of Italy|Berengar II]], margrave and king of [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|Italy]]  
* [[December 19]] &ndash; [[Sancho I of León|Sancho I]], king of [[Kingdom of León|León]] (Spain)
* [[Abu Ishaq Ibrahim of Ghazna|Abu Ishaq Ibrahim]], Samanid governor
* [[Abu'l-Hasan Ali ibn al-Ikhshid|Abu'l-Hasan Ali]], Ikhshidid governor
* [[Bagrat II of Tao|Bagrat II]], prince of [[Tao-Klarjeti]] ([[Georgia (country)|Georgia]])
* [[Bertha of Swabia]], Frankish queen consort
* [[Cormac ua Cillín]], abbot of [[Tuamgraney]] ([[Ireland]])
* [[John VII of Jerusalem|John VII]], patriarch of [[Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]] ([[Israel]])
* [[Viśa' Saṃbhava]], king of [[Kingdom of Khotan|Khotan]] ([[China]])
* [[Nako (Obotrite prince)|Nako]], Obotrite prince (approximate date)
* [[Rashiq al-Nasimi]], Hamdanid governor
* [[Sergius I of Amalfi|Sergius I]], duke of [[Duchy of Amalfi|Amalfi]] (Italy)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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