# 970

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Calendar year

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Calendar year

Years Millennium 1st millennium Centuries 9th century 10th century 11th century Decades 950s 960s 970s 980s 990s Years 967 968 969 970 971 972 973 v t e

970 by topic Leaders Political entities State leaders Religious leaders Categories Births Deaths Establishments v t e

970 in various calendars Gregorian calendar 970 CMLXX Ab urbe condita 1723 Armenian calendar 419 ԹՎ ՆԺԹ Assyrian calendar 5720 Balinese saka calendar 891–892 Bengali calendar 376–377 Berber calendar 1920 Buddhist calendar 1514 Burmese calendar 332 Byzantine calendar 6478–6479 Chinese calendar 己巳年 (Earth Snake) 3667 or 3460 — to — 庚午年 (Metal Horse) 3668 or 3461 Coptic calendar 686–687 Discordian calendar 2136 Ethiopian calendar 962–963 Hebrew calendar 4730–4731 Hindu calendars - Vikram Samvat 1026–1027 - Shaka Samvat 891–892 - Kali Yuga 4070–4071 Holocene calendar 10970 Iranian calendar 348–349 Islamic calendar 359–360 Japanese calendar Anna 3 / Tenroku 1 (天禄元年) Javanese calendar 871–872 Julian calendar 970 CMLXX Korean calendar 3303 Minguo calendar 942 before ROC 民前942年 Nanakshahi calendar −498 Seleucid era 1281/1282 AG Thai solar calendar 1512–1513 Tibetan calendar ས་མོ་སྦྲུལ་ལོ་ (female Earth-Snake) 1096 or 715 or −57 — to — ལྕགས་ཕོ་རྟ་ལོ་ (male Iron-Horse) 1097 or 716 or −56

The [Byzantines](/source/Byzantine_Empire) persecute the fleeing [Rus'](/source/Kievan_Rus').

Year **970** (**[CMLXX](/source/Roman_numerals)**) was a [common year starting on Saturday](/source/Common_year_starting_on_Saturday) of the [Julian calendar](/source/Julian_calendar), the 970th year of the [Common Era](/source/Common_Era) (CE) and *[Anno Domini](/source/Anno_Domini)* designations, the 970th year of the [1st millennium](/source/1st_millennium), the 70th year of the [10th century](/source/10th_century), and the 1st year of the [970s](/source/970s) decade.

## Events

### By place

#### Byzantine Empire

- Emperor [John I](/source/John_I_Tzimiskes) delegates the war in the [Balkans](/source/Balkans) to his brother-in-law, the [Domestic of the Schools](/source/Domestic_of_the_Schools) [Bardas Skleros](/source/Bardas_Skleros), and to the eunuch general [Peter Phokas](/source/Peter_(stratopedarches)), who begin to gather a [Byzantine](/source/Byzantine_Empire) army in [Thrace](/source/Thrace_(theme)). At the news of this, a powerful Kievan expeditionary force (30,000 men), along with many [Bulgarians](/source/First_Bulgarian_Empire) and a [Pecheneg](/source/Pechenegs) contingent, is sent south over the [Balkan Mountains](/source/Balkan_Mountains). After sacking the Bulgarian stronghold of [Philippolis](/source/Philippopolis_(Thracia)) (modern-day [Plovdiv](/source/Plovdiv)), they bypass the heavily defended city of [Adrianople](/source/Edirne), and turn towards [Constantinople](/source/Constantinople).[1]

- [Battle of Arcadiopolis](/source/Battle_of_Arcadiopolis_(970)): John I dispatches an elite force (10–12,000 men) to delay the [Kievan Rus'](/source/Kievan_Rus'). The Byzantines under Bardas Skleros successfully [ambush](/source/Ambush) the Kievan-Bulgarian invaders at [Arcadiopolis](/source/L%C3%BCleburgaz) (modern [Turkey](/source/Turkey)). The battle turns into a complete rout, killing thousands. Grand Prince [Sviatoslav I](/source/Sviatoslav_I_of_Kiev) is driven out of Thrace and withdraws his forces to the fortress city of [Silistra](/source/Silistra).[2]

- Summer – [Bardas Phokas](/source/Bardas_Phokas_the_Younger) (**the Younger**) and his family rebel against their own cousin, John I. Bardas is proclaimed 'emperor' by his troops at [Caesarea](/source/Kayseri), but the rebellion is extinguished by Bardas Skleros. Phokas and his relatives are captured and [exiled](/source/Exile) to the island of [Chios](/source/Chios) ([Aegean Sea](/source/Aegean_Sea)).

#### Europe

- Summer – Byzantine-Imperial truce: Emperor [Otto I](/source/Otto_I%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor) (**the Great**) meets with John I at [Bari](/source/Bari) and accepts a permanent peace agreement. [Pandulf I](/source/Pandulf_Ironhead) (**Ironhead**) is released from captivity in [Constantinople](/source/Constantinople) (see [969](/source/969)).

- The oldest preserved document (by Otto I) mentions [Leibnitz](/source/Leibnitz) in [Styria](/source/Styria) (modern [Austria](/source/Austria)).

- [Eric the Victorious](/source/Eric_the_Victorious) becomes the first (documented) king of [Sweden](/source/Sweden) in [Uppland](/source/Uppland).

- [Skagul Toste](/source/Skagul_Toste) leads a [Viking](/source/Vikings) expedition to [England](/source/Kingdom_of_England) and demands [Danegeld](/source/Danegeld).

#### Africa

- [Al-Hasan ibn Ubayd Allah](/source/Al-Hasan_ibn_Ubayd_Allah_ibn_Tughj), Ikhshidid governor of [Palestine](/source/Jund_Filastin), is defeated and taken prisoner by General [Ja'far ibn Fallah](/source/Ja'far_ibn_Fallah) in [Syria](/source/Bilad_al-Sham). Ending the [Ikhshidid Dynasty](/source/Ikhshidid_dynasty) as a ruling power.

- Construction is completed on [Al-Azhar Mosque](/source/Al-Azhar_Mosque) in [Cairo](/source/Cairo), [Egypt](/source/Egypt) (the world's oldest [Islamic](/source/Islam) university).

#### Asia

- A major [volcano](/source/Volcano) erupts in [Lake Mashū](/source/Lake_Mash%C5%AB), [Japan](/source/Japan) (approximate date).

## Births

- [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide%2C_Abbess_of_Vilich), German [abbess](/source/Abbess) and saint (d. [1015](/source/1015))

- [Al-Sharif al-Radi](/source/Al-Sharif_al-Radi), Persian [Shi'ite](/source/Shia_Islam) scholar and [poet](/source/Arabic_poetry) (d. 1015)

- [Bartholomew of Grottaferrata](/source/Bartholomew_of_Grottaferrata), Italian [abbot](/source/Abbot) (d. [1055](/source/1055))

- [Constantine III](/source/Constantine_III_of_Scotland), king of [Scotland](/source/Kingdom_of_Scotland) (approximate date)

- [Fulk III](/source/Fulk_III%2C_Count_of_Anjou) (**the Black**), French [nobleman](/source/Nobility) (d. [1040](/source/1040))

- [Gerberga](/source/Gerberga_of_Gleiberg), German noblewoman (approximate date)

- [Hedwig](/source/Hedwig_of_France%2C_Countess_of_Mons), French noblewoman (approximate date)

- [Henry of Schweinfurt](/source/Henry_of_Schweinfurt), German nobleman (d. [1017](/source/1017))

- [Henry of Speyer](/source/Henry_of_Speyer), German nobleman (approximate date)

- [Heribert](/source/Heribert_of_Cologne), archbishop of [Cologne](/source/Electorate_of_Cologne) (approximate date)

- [Leif Erikson](/source/Leif_Erikson), Norse [Viking](/source/Vikings) explorer (approximate date)

- [Otto II](/source/Otto%2C_Duke_of_Lower_Lorraine), duke of [Lower Lorraine](/source/Lower_Lorraine) (approximate date)

- [Procopius of Sázava](/source/Procopius_of_S%C3%A1zava), Czech [hermit](/source/Hermit) and abbot (d. [1053](/source/1053))

- [Radim Gaudentius](/source/Radim_Gaudentius), Polish archbishop (approximate date)

- [Richard of Verdun](/source/Richard_of_Verdun), French abbot (d. [1046](/source/1046))

- [Rudolph III](/source/Rudolph_III_of_Burgundy), king of [Burgundy](/source/Kingdom_of_Burgundy) (approximate date)

- [Sergius IV](/source/Pope_Sergius_IV), pope of the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church) (d. [1012](/source/1012))

- [Sitt al-Mulk](/source/Sitt_al-Mulk), Fatimid princess and [regent](/source/Regent) (d. [1023](/source/1023))

- [Wifred II](/source/Wifred_II%2C_Count_of_Cerdanya), Spanish nobleman (approximate date)

- [William III](/source/William_III%2C_Count_of_Toulouse), French nobleman (approximate date)

- [Xu Daoning](/source/Xu_Daoning), Chinese painter (approximate date)

## Deaths

- [January 18](/source/January_18) – [Hatto II](/source/Hatto_II), archbishop of [Mainz](/source/Elector_of_Mainz)

- [January 30](/source/January_30) – [Peter I](/source/Peter_I_of_Bulgaria), emperor of [Bulgaria](/source/First_Bulgarian_Empire)

- [February 5](/source/February_5) – [Polyeuctus](/source/Polyeuctus_of_Constantinople), patriarch of [Constantinople](/source/Constantinople)

- [February 22](/source/February_22) – [García I](/source/Garc%C3%ADa_S%C3%A1nchez_I_of_Pamplona), king of [Pamplona](/source/Kingdom_of_Pamplona)

- [June 15](/source/June_15) – [Adalbert](/source/Adalbert%2C_Bishop_of_Passau), bishop of [Passau](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Passau)

- [August 31](/source/August_31) – [Han Xizai](/source/Han_Xizai), Chinese official (b. [902](/source/902))

- [November 1](/source/November_1) – [Boso](/source/Boso_of_Merseburg), bishop of [Merseburg](/source/Bishopric_of_Merseburg)

- [Abu'l-Fadl ibn al-'Amid](/source/Abu'l-Fadl_ibn_al-'Amid), Persian statesman

- [Al-Qassab](/source/Al-Qassab), Abbasid warrior-scholar

- [Beinir Sigmundsson](/source/Beinir_Sigmundsson), Viking chieftain

- [Brestir Sigmundsson](/source/Brestir_Sigmundsson), Viking chieftain

- [Erenfried II](/source/Erenfried_II), Frankish nobleman (approximate date)

- [Fernán González](/source/Fern%C3%A1n_Gonz%C3%A1lez_of_Castile), Frankish count of [Castile](/source/Kingdom_of_Castile)

- [Fujiwara no Saneyori](/source/Fujiwara_no_Saneyori), Japanese statesman (b. [900](/source/900))

- [Harald II](/source/Harald_Greycloak) (**Greycloak**), king of [Norway](/source/Norway)

- [Hasdai ibn Shaprut](/source/Hasdai_ibn_Shaprut), Jewish diplomat (approximate date)

- [Menahem ben Saruq](/source/Menahem_ben_Saruq), Jewish [philologist](/source/Philology) (approximate date)

- [Minamoto no Saneakira](/source/Minamoto_no_Saneakira), Japanese nobleman (b. [910](/source/910))

- [Oswulf](/source/Oswulf_of_Ramsbury), bishop of [Ramsbury](/source/Ramsbury) (approximate date)

- [Taksony](/source/Taksony_of_Hungary), [Grand Prince](/source/Grand_Prince_of_the_Hungarians) of [Hungary](/source/Principality_of_Hungary) (approximate date)

- [Willa of Tuscany](/source/Willa_of_Tuscany), queen consort of [Italy](/source/Kingdom_of_Italy_(Holy_Roman_Empire))

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Brian Todd Carey (2012). *Road to Manzikert: Byzantine and Islamic Warfare 527–1071*, p. 86. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-84884-215-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84884-215-1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Brian Todd Carey (2012). *Road to Manzikert: Byzantine and Islamic Warfare 527–1071*, pp.86–87. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-84884-215-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84884-215-1).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [970](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/970) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/970?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.