979
# 979

Year 979 (CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.

## Events

### By place

**Byzantine Empire**

* March 24 – Second Battle of Pankaleia: An Ibero-Byzantine expeditionary force, under General Bardas Phokas (the Younger), inflicts a crushing defeat on the rebels of General Bardas Skleros, at Sarvenis (modern Turkey). Skleros manages to escape, and finds shelter with his Muslim allies. The rebellion is subdued without difficulty.

**Europe**

* Vitale Candiano, doge of Venice, abdicates for health reasons after a 14-month reign, and retires to a monastery. He is succeeded by Tribuno Memmo, a son-in-law of the murdered Pietro IV Candiano. Tribuno declares a general amnesty for everyone complicit in the plot against Pietro.
* June 8 – Louis V, nicknamed le Fainéant (the Do-Nothing), is crowned as the co-emperor of West Francia at Paris by his father, King Lothair. Upon Lothair's death on March 2, 986, Louis becomes the sole ruler.
* The city of Brussels is founded by Charles, duke of Lower Lorraine. He constructs fortifications (a castrum on an island) on the Senne River (modern Belgium).

**England**

* Tynwald (or Tynwald Court), the parliament of the Isle of Man, is founded. It remains active as the longest continuous parliament in the world.

**Africa**

* Jawhar as-Siqilli is dismissed as vizier of Egypt after an unsuccessful campaign in Syria (near Damascus). He is replaced by Ya'qub ibn Killis.

**China**

* Battle of Gaoliang River: Emperor Tai Zong leads an expedition into You Prefecture (or Youzhou). The Liao Dynasty counter-attacks and defeats the Song forces near modern-day Beijing.
* Summer – Tai Zong invades the Northern Han and besieges the capital of Taiyuan. A relief force sent by the Liao Dynasty is defeated. The Kingdom is absorbed into the Song Dynasty.

## Births

* August 29 – Otto (or Eudes), French nobleman (d. 1045)
* Al-Muqtana Baha'uddin, Druze religious leader (d. 1043)
* Estrid (or Astrid), queen consort of Sweden (d. 1035)
* Fujiwara no Takaie, Japanese nobleman (d. 1044)
* Ibn al-Samh, Andalusian astronomer (d. 1035)
* Matilda, countess palatine of Lotharingia (d. 1025)

## Deaths

* June 29 – Fujiwara no Koshi, Japanese empress (b. 947)
* August 3 – Thietmar, German nobleman
* August 11 – Gero, German nobleman
* August 26 – Zhao Dezhao, prince of the Song Dynasty (b. 951)
* August 29 – Abu Taghlib, Hamdanid emir
* September 19 – Gotofredo I, archbishop of Milan
* unknown dates
   * 'Imran ibn Shahin, Muslim ruler
   * Vitale Candiano, doge of Venice
   * Hasanwayh, Hasanwayhid ruler
* probable – Iago ab Idwal, king of Gwynedd
