Editing 971

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|971}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2018}}
{{Year nav|971}}
{{M1 year in topic}}
[[File:Returns.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|Emperor [[John I Tzimiskes|John I]] (middle) returns in triumph in [[Constantinople]] with the captured [[Boris II of Bulgaria|Boris II]].]]
Year '''971''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CMLXXI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Sunday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[Siege of Dorostolon|Battle of Dorostolon]]: A Byzantine expeditionary army (possibly 30–40,000 men) attacks the Bulgarian frontier, personally led by Emperor [[John I Tzimiskes|John I]]. He lays [[siege]] to the fortress city of [[Silistra|Dorostolon]] (located on the [[Danube|Lower Danube]]), and is reinforced by a fleet of 300 ships equipped with ''[[Greek fire]]''.<ref name="Treadgold509">{{A History of the Byzantine State and Society|page= 509}}.</ref> The [[Kievan Rus']] and their Bulgarian allies are reduced to extremities by [[famine]]. After a 3-month siege, Grand Prince [[Sviatoslav I of Kiev|Sviatoslav I]] agrees to sign a [[peace treaty]] with the Byzantines, whereby he renounces his interests towards Bulgarian lands and the city of [[Chersonesus|Chersonesos]] in [[Crimea]]. Sviatoslav is allowed to evacuate his army to [[Berezan Island]], while the Byzantines enter Dorostolon. John renames the city Theodoropolis (named after the reigning Empress [[Theodora, daughter of Constantine VII|Theodora]]).<ref>{{The Early Medieval Balkans|pages=186–187}}.</ref>
* [[John I Tzimiskes|John I]] returns in triumph to [[Constantinople]]. He brings along [[Boris II of Bulgaria|Boris II]], ruler (''[[tsar]]'') of the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]], and his family, together with the contents of the Bulgarian imperial treasury. Boris is given the Byzantine 'court title' of ''[[Magister officiorum|magistros]]'' as compensation. The Bulgarian lands in [[Thrace (theme)|Thrace]] and [[Moesia|Lower Moesia]] become part of the [[Byzantine Empire]].

==== Europe ====
* [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I 'the Great', Holy Roman Emperor]], appoints his imperial secretary [[Willigis]] as [[Chancery (medieval office)|chancellor]] (guardian of the emperor's [[Seal (emblem)|seal]]), an office formerly held by Otto's brother, Archbishop [[Bruno the Great|Bruno I]].

==== Britain ====
* King [[Cuilén]] (or Cuilean) is killed by [[British people|Britons]] after a 6-year reign. He is succeeded by his nephew [[Kenneth II of Scotland|Kenneth II]], as ruler of [[Alba]] ([[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]]). He will not be sole king until [[977]].

==== Middle East ====
* [[Battle of Alexandretta]]: The Byzantines defeat a [[Fatimid Caliphate|Fatimid]] force (4,000 men) near [[İskenderun|Alexandretta]] (modern [[Turkey]]), while the main Fatimid army is besieging the fortress city of [[Antioch]]. Coupled with news of an advance against [[Damascus]] of the [[Qarmatians]], the Fatimids are forced to lift the siege and withdraw to [[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]].
* [[First Qarmatian invasion of Egypt]]: The [[Qarmatians]] under [[al-Hasan al-A'sam]] invade Syria, recently conquered by the [[Fatimid Caliphate]], capturing [[Damascus]] and [[Ramla]], defeating a major Fatimid army and blockading another in [[Jaffa]]. A subsequent invasion of Egypt leads to widespread anti-Fatimid revolts in the [[Nile Delta]], but the delay allows the Fatimid general [[Jawhar (general)|Jawhar]] to prepare his defences, leading to the decisive Qarmatian at [[Ayn Shams]] on 24 December and the collapse of the invasion.<ref>{{cite book | last = Brett | first = Michael | title = The Rise of the Fatimids: The World of the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the Fourth Century of the Hijra, Tenth Century CE | series = The Medieval Mediterranean | volume = 30 | publisher = Brill | location = Leiden, Boston, Köln | year = 2001 | isbn = 90-04-11741-5 | url = {{Google Books|BqCdfhW3nVwC|plainurl=y}} | pages=313–315}}</ref>

==== Asia ====
* Emperor [[Aditya Chola II]], co-regent of the [[Chola dynasty]] (modern [[India]]), is murdered and succeeded by [[Uttama (Chola dynasty)|Uttama]]. Due to his immaturity, [[Rajaraja I|Arunmozhi Varman]] becomes the [[heir apparent]].

==== China ====
* [[January 23]] &ndash; A [[war elephant]] corps of the [[Southern Han]] is defeated at Shao, by [[crossbow]] fire from [[Song dynasty]] troops. The Southern Han Kingdom is forced to submit to the Song dynasty. Ending Southern Han rule, but also the first regular war elephant corps employed in a Chinese army, that had gained the Southern Han victories throughout the 10th century.

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* The grave of [[Swithun]], Anglo-Saxon bishop of [[Diocese of Winchester|Winchester]], is moved into an indoor [[shrine]] (he was previously buried outside) in the [[Old Minster, Winchester|Old Minster]]. The ceremony is said to have been marred by 40 days of torrential [[rain]].</onlyinclude>

== Births ==  
* [[Kushyar Gilani]], Persian mathematician and [[geographer]] (d. [[1029]])
* [[Mahmud of Ghazni]], emir of the [[Ghaznavids|Ghaznavid Empire]] (d. [[1030]])
* [[Abbot Oliba|Oliba]], Spanish count and [[bishop]] (approximate date)
* [[Rajendra Chola]], Emperor of [[Chola Dynasty]] at its peak

== Deaths ==
* [[Aditya Chola II]], prince and ruler of the [[Chola dynasty]] ([[India]])
* [[Abū Ja'far al-Khāzin]], Persian [[Astronomy in the medieval Islamic world|astronomer]] (b. [[900]])
* [[Anemas (died 971)|Anemas]], Byzantine (Muslim) army commander
* [[Atto (bishop of Vic)|Atto]], bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Vic|Vic]] ([[Spain]]) (approximate date)
* [[Cuilén]] (or Cuilean), king of [[Alba]] ([[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]])
* [[Eraclus]] (or Evraclus), bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Liège|Liège]]
* [[Ja'far ibn Fallah]], Fatimid general and governor
* [[Kalokyros]], Byzantine [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]] and pretender
* [[Li Jingda]], prince of [[Southern Tang]] (b. [[924]])
* [[Muhammad al-Khushani]], Umayyad historian 
* [[Ibn Rumahis|Muhammad ibn Rumahis]], Umayyad admiral 
* [[Ordgar, Ealdorman of Devon|Ordgar]], English [[ealdorman]] and advisor
* [[Qian Hongzong]], king of [[Wuyue]] (approximate date)
* [[Ziri ibn Manad]], founder of the [[Zirid dynasty]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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