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[[File:Pope Benedict V Illustration.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Pope Benedict V]] (May 22–June 23)]]
Year '''964''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CMLXIV]]''') was a [[leap year starting on Friday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
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=== Byzantine Empire ===
* [[Arab–Byzantine wars#Byzantine resurgence, 863–11th century|Arab–Byzantine War]]: Emperor [[Nikephoros II Phokas|Nikephoros II]] continues the reconquest of south-eastern [[Anatolia]] (modern [[Turkey]]). He recaptures [[Cyprus]], and reorganizes the conquered lands into new themes. In the summer, they take the fortress cities of [[Anazarbus]] and [[Adana]]. Byzantine troops under General [[John I Tzimiskes|John Tzimiskes]] besiege [[Mopsuestia]], but with the coming of winter he is forced to retreat to [[Kayseri|Caesarea]].<ref>W. Treadgold. ''A History of the Byzantine State and Society,'' p. 948.</ref> 
* [[October 24]]–[[October 25|25]] &ndash; [[Siege of Rometta]]: Nikephoros II sends an expedition to [[Emirate of Sicily|Sicily]]. The Byzantine army (40,000 men) is sent to break the Muslim siege at [[Rometta]], and to regain Sicily for the [[Byzantine Empire]]. For two days a battle takes place in the area between the beach and the besieged citadel of Rometta. The [[Saracens]] (under [[Al-Hasan ibn Ammar]]) manage to defeat the Byzantine relief force.

=== Europe ===
* Spring &ndash; King [[Adalbert of Italy|Adalbert II]] returns to the mainland of [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|Italy]], and occupies the environs of [[Duchy of Spoleto|Spoleto]]. Emperor [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] ('the Great') leaves [[Rome]] with his army, and lays [[siege]] to the fortress city of [[Spoleto]].
* Otto I proceeds on campaign in Italy, remaining in the environs of [[Lucca]]. In the fall he leaves plague-wracked [[Tuscany]], and is forced to retreat to [[Liguria]]. His rearguard is attacked by Adalbert II.

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* February &ndash; Pope [[Pope John XII|John XII]] returns with his supporters to Rome. He convenes a synod that deposes Antipope [[Pope Leo VIII|Leo VIII]] who finds refuge at the court of Otto I. John dispatches a delegation under [[Bishop of Speyer|Otgar]], bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Speyer|Speyer]], to negotiate an agreement. 
* [[May 14]] &ndash; [[Pope John XII]] dies (rumoured to be by apoplexy, or at the hands of a cuckolded husband, during an illicit sexual liaison) after a 9-year reign. The Romans elect [[Pope Benedict V|Benedict V]], who is acclaimed by the city militia. He begins his [[pontificate]] as the 131st [[pope]] of the [[Catholic Church]]. 
* [[June 23]] &ndash; Benedict V is deposed and ecclesiastically degraded after Otto I besieges Rome. He starves the Romans into submission and restores Leo VIII to the papal [[throne]].

==== Science ====
* [[Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi]], a Persian [[astronomer]], writes the ''[[Book of Fixed Stars]]''</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Bertha of Burgundy]], Frankish queen consort (d. [[1010]])
* [[Queen Heonae|Heonae]], Korean queen consort and [[regent]] (d. [[1029]])
* [[Liu Wenzhi]], official of the [[Song dynasty|Song Dynasty]] (d. [[1028]])

== Deaths ==
* [[May 14]] &ndash; [[Pope John XII|John XII]], pope of the [[Catholic Church]]
* [[July 3]] &ndash; [[Henry I (archbishop of Trier)|Henry I]], Frankish [[Nobility|nobleman]] and archbishop
* [[November 5]] &ndash; [[Fan Zhi]], chancellor of the Song Dynasty
* [[December 8]] &ndash; [[Queen Zhou the Elder|Zhou]] ('''the Elder'''), Chinese queen consort
* [[Al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Kalbi]], Fatimid nobleman and [[emir]]
* [[Fujiwara no Anshi]], empress consort of [[Japan]] (b. [[927]])
* [[Godfrey I, Duke of Lower Lorraine|Godfrey I]], count and vice-[[duke]] of [[Lower Lorraine]]
* [[Khosrov of Andzev]], Armenian monk and [[poet]]
* [[Toichleach ua Gadhra]], king of [[Gailenga]] ([[Ireland]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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