View source for 961

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|961
|the international calling code|Telephone numbers in Lebanon}}
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[[File:MonAlhakenII01.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|Statue of Caliph [[Al-Hakam II]] (915–976)]]
Year '''961''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CMLXI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Tuesday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[March 6]] &ndash; [[Siege of Chandax]]: Byzantine forces under [[Nikephoros II Phokas]] capture and pillage [[Heraklion|Chandax]] after an 8-month [[siege]]. Nikephoros massacres the population without mercy and carries them off into [[slavery]], returning to [[Constantinople]] with Emir [[Abd al-Aziz ibn Shu'ayb]] and his family as prisoners. The island [[Emirate of Crete]] is converted into a [[Theme (Byzantine district)|Byzantine theme]] and the remaining Muslims are converted to [[Christianity]].<ref>Romane, Julian (2015). ''Byzantine Triumphant''. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. p. 6. {{ISBN|978-1473845701}}.</ref>

==== Europe ====
* [[May 26]] &ndash; [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor]] elects his 6-year-old son [[Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto II]] as [[heir apparent]] and co-ruler at the [[Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire)|Imperial Diet]] in [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]. He is crowned at [[Aachen]], and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother [[Matilda of Ringelheim|Matilda]] and his half-brother [[William (archbishop of Mainz)|William of Mainz]]. Otto's own brother [[Bruno the Great|Bruno I]] is charged with the provisional government of [[Duchy of Lorraine|Lorraine]] again. 
* Summer &ndash; Otto I leads an expeditionary force into northern [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|Italy]] through the [[Brenner Pass]] at [[Trento]], to assist the beleaguered young Pope [[Pope John XII|John XII]]. He proceeds towards [[Pavia]] – King [[Berengar II of Italy|Berengar II]] sends his son and co-ruler [[Adalbert of Italy|Adalbert II]] from [[Rome]] at the head of a large army to seize control of the [[South Tyrol|Upper Adige]] and contest Otto's entry. 
* [[October 15]] &ndash; Caliph [[Abd-ar-Rahman III|Abd-al-Rahman III]] dies after a 32-year reign. He is succeeded by his son [[Al-Hakam II]] as ruler of the [[Caliphate of Córdoba]] in [[Al-Andalus]] (modern [[Spain]]).
* [[Battle of Fitjar]] &ndash; A [[Vikings|Viking]] force under the sons of [[Eric Bloodaxe]] lands on [[Hordaland]]. King [[Haakon the Good]] defeats the rebelling force, but is killed. [[Harald Greycloak]] becomes ruler of the western part of [[Norway]].
* The [[Lombards|Lombard]] army under Adalbert II refuses to fight Otto I unless Berengar II abdicates in favor of Adalbert. Berengar refuses, and the armies retreat to their strongholds. Berengar and his family take whatever loyal soldiers remain and disperse themselves – Berengar retreats to the fortress at [[Montefeltro]] (in the [[Pentapolis]]).

==== Armenia ====
* King [[Ashot III of Armenia]] (the Merciful) moves his capital from [[Kars]] eastward to [[Ani]] (modern [[Turkey]]). Located on a major east-west [[Caravan (travellers)|caravan]] route, Ani will become larger than any European city, with a population of about 100,000 that will rival [[Baghdad]], [[Cairo]], and Constantinople. Ani also becomes the site of the royal [[mausoleum]] of the [[Bagratuni dynasty|Bagratuni]] kings.<ref>Manuk-Khaloyan, Armen (2013). "In the Cemetery of their Ancestors: The Royal Burial Tombs of the Bagratuni Kings of Greater Armenia (890–1073/79)". ''[[Revue des Études Arméniennes]]'': pp. 147–155.</ref>

=== By topic ===

==== Art ====
* The "Shroud of [[Suaire de Saint-Josse|Saint Josse]]", a rich silk [[Samite]] camel cloth from [[Greater Khorasan|Khurasan]], is made. It is preserved in the [[Saint-Josse|Abbey of Saint-Josse-sur-Mer]], near [[Caen]] ([[Normandy]]) (approximate date).

==== Religion ====
* The [[Tiger Hill Pagoda]] (or Huqui Tower) is built in the city of [[Suzhou, Jiangsu|Suzhou]], located in [[Jiangsu|Jiangsu Province]]  ([[East China|Eastern China]]).
* [[Tavistock Abbey]] is founded by [[Ordgar, Ealdorman of Devon]], in [[Kingdom of England|England]].<ref>Chisholm, Hugh (1911). "[[Tavistock]]". ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition|Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' (Eleventh Edition). Cambridge University Press, pp. 457–458.</ref>
</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[January 15]] &ndash; [[Seongjong of Goryeo|Seongjong]], ruler of [[Goryeo]] ([[Korea]]) (d. [[997]])
* [[Al-Tha'alibi]], Persian historian and writer (d. [[1038]])
* [[Arnulf II, Count of Flanders]] (the Younger), Frankish [[Nobility|nobleman]] (or [[960]])
* [[Edith of Wilton]], English princess and [[nun]] (approximate date)
* [[Fujiwara no Michikane]], Japanese nobleman (d. [[995]])
* [[Kou Zhun]], Chinese [[Grand chancellor (China)|Grand chancellor]] (approximate date)
* [[Mahendradatta]], queen of [[Bali]] ([[Indonesia]]) (d. [[1011]])
* [[Pietro II Orseolo]], [[Doge of Venice]] (d. [[1009]])
* [[Ramiro III of León|Ramiro III]], king of [[Kingdom of León|León]] ([[Spain]]) (d. [[985]])
* [[Sigmundur Brestisson]], Viking chieftain (d. [[1005]])

== Deaths ==
* [[July 17]] &ndash; [[Empress Dowager Du|Du]], empress dowager of the [[Song dynasty]]
* [[August 12]] &ndash; [[Li Jing (Southern Tang)|Li Jing]], emperor of [[Southern Tang]] (b. [[916]])
* [[September 19]] &ndash; [[Helena Lekapene]], Byzantine empress 
* [[October 1]] &ndash; [[Artald of Reims|Artald]], archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Reims|Reims]]
* [[October 15]] &ndash; [[Abd al-Rahman III]], caliph of [[Caliphate of Córdoba|Córdoba]]
* [[Abd al-Malik I (Samanid emir)|Abd al-Malik I]], Samanid emir (b. [[944]])
* [[Abu'l-Qasim Unujur ibn al-Ikhshid]], Ikhshidid ruler
* [[Adarnase V of Tao|Adarnase V]], prince of [[Principality of Tao-Klarjeti|Tao-Klarjeti]] ([[Georgia (country)|Georgia]])
* [[Atto of Vercelli]], Lombard bishop (b. [[885]])
* [[Ava of Cerdanya]], countess [[regent]] of [[County of Cerdanya|Cerdanya]] and [[County of Besalú|Besalú]]
* [[Butuga II]], ruler of the [[Western Ganga dynasty|Western Ganga Dynasty]] ([[India]])
* [[Fujiwara no Masatada]], Japanese [[Japanese poetry|poet]]
* [[Haakon the Good]], king of [[Kingdom of Norway (872–1397)|Norway]]
* [[Landulf II of Benevento]] (the Red), Lombard prince
* [[Li Tao (Five Dynasties)|Li Tao]], Chinese chancellor (approximate date)
* [[Minamoto no Tsunemoto]], Japanese [[samurai]] (b. [[894]])
* [[Raymond II of Rouergue]], Frankish nobleman (approximate date)
* [[William II, Marquess of Montferrat]], Frankish nobleman (approximate date)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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