Editing 1081

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[[File:Alexios I Komnenos.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Alexios I Komnenos]] (r. 1081–1118), founder of the [[Komnenos]] dynasty.]]
Year '''1081''' ('''[[Roman numerals|MLXXXI]]''') was a  [[common year starting on Friday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[April 1]] &ndash; Emperor [[Nikephoros III Botaneiates|Nikephoros III]] is forced to abdicate the throne, and retires to the [[Church of St. George of Samatya|Peribleptos]] monastery. He is succeeded by [[Alexios I Komnenos]], who is crowned on [[April 5]], as ruler of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. His brother-in-law [[Nikephoros Melissenos]] supports Alexios as new emperor, in exchange for the title of ''[[Caesar (title)|Caesar]]'' (co-emperor), and is appointed as commander of the Byzantine armies in the West.<ref>Brian Todd Carey (2012). ''Road to Manzikert: Byzantine and Islamic Warfare (527–1071)'', p. 158. {{ISBN|978-1-84884-215-1}}.</ref>
* [[May]] &ndash; A Norman fleet of 150 ships (including 60 [[Horse transports in the Middle Ages|horse transports]]), led by Duke [[Robert Guiscard]], sets off towards the [[Dalmatia]]n coast. An army of 15,000 men (including about 1,300 Norman knights) sails to the city of [[Vlorë|Avalona]] (modern [[Albania]]); they are joined by several ships from [[Republic of Ragusa|Ragusa]], a republic in the [[Balkans]] who are enemies of the Byzantines.<ref>Norwich, John Julius (1995). ''Byzantium: The Decline and Fall'', p. 16. London, United Kingdom: Viking. {{ISBN|0-670-82377-5}}.</ref>
* [[October 18]] &ndash; [[Battle of Dyrrhachium (1081)|Battle of Dyrrhachium]]: After taking the island of [[Corfu]], Robert Guiscard advances to Dyrrhachium (modern-day [[Durrës]]), and lays siege to the city. Alexios I Komnenos attempts to defend [[Illyria]] from the [[Normans]] (the first recorded mention of Albania), but is defeated by Guiscard, outside Dyrrhachium, the Byzantine capital city of Illyria.

==== Europe ====
* King [[Alfonso VI of León and Castile|Alfonso VI]] ("the Brave") of [[Kingdom of Castile|Castile]] exiles his most famous commander, [[El Cid]], who goes into [[exile]] and offers his services to the twins – Counts [[Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona|Ramon Berenguer II]] and [[Berenguer Ramon II, Count of Barcelona|Berenguer Ramon II]] of [[County of Barcelona|Barcelona]], but is turned down. He ends up in the service of Emir [[Yusuf al-Mu'taman ibn Hud]] of [[Taifa of Zaragoza|Zaragoza]].
* King [[Mihailo Vojislavljević|Mihailo]] ("[[King of the Slavs]]") dies after a 30-year reign. He is succeeded by his son, [[Constantine Bodin]] as ruler of [[Duklja]] (until [[1101]]).

==== Britain ====
* [[Battle of Mynydd Carn]] (near [[St Davids]] in [[Wales]]): [[Gruffudd ap Cynan]] in alliance with [[Rhys ap Tewdwr]], prince of [[Deheubarth]], defeats the forces of [[Trahaearn ap Caradog]], [[Caradog ap Gruffydd]] and Meilir ap Rhiwallon (who are all killed), allowing Gruffudd to claim the [[Kingdom of Gwynedd]].<ref>{{cite book|author=The Welsh Academy|title=[[Encyclopaedia of Wales]]}}</ref>
* King [[William the Conqueror]] of England orders the creation of a castle at [[Cardiff]] during his tour of southern Wales. The first castle on the site would be a [[Motte-and-bailey castle|motte and bailey]] type and is built on existing Roman fortifications.

==== Seljuk Empire ====
* Seljuk emir [[Tzachas]] (or Chaka Bey) conquers [[Smyrna]] (modern-day [[İzmir]]) and founds a short-lived independent state, which emerges as the first sea power in [[History of Turkey|Turkish history]].

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* [[Pope Gregory VII]] writes a letter to Hermann, bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Metz|Metz]], about the behavior of [[Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor]] (approximate date).
* Construction begins on [[St. Canute's Cathedral]] in [[Odense]] (modern [[Denmark]]).</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Louis VI of France|Louis VI]] ("the Fat"), king of [[Kingdom of France|France]] (approximate date)
* [[Gruffydd ap Rhys]], Welsh king of [[Deheubarth]] (d. [[1137]])
* [[Rudolf I, Count of Bregenz|Rudolf I]], count of [[County of Bregenz|Bregenz]] and [[Raetia Curiensis|Chur]] (d. [[1160]])
* [[Satake Masayoshi]], Japanese [[samurai]] (d. [[1147]])
* [[Suger]], French [[abbot]] and historian (approximate date) (d. [[1151]])
* [[William, Count of Luxembourg|William I]], count of  [[County of Luxembourg|Luxembourg]] (d. [[1131]])
* [[Zhang Bangchang]], Chinese prime minister (d. [[1127]])
* [[Zhao Mingcheng]], Chinese [[scholar-official]] (d. [[1129]])

== Deaths ==
* January/February &ndash; [[Ibn Hayyus]], Syrian [[Arabic poetry|poet]] and [[Panegyric|panegyrist]] (b. [[1003]])
* April 2/3 &ndash; [[Bolesław II the Bold]] (or "the Generous"), king of [[Kingdom of Poland (1025–1385)|Poland]] (or [[1082]])
* June &ndash; [[Bernard of Menthon]], French [[priest]] and saint
* [[September 1]] &ndash; [[Eusebius of Angers|Eusebius]] (or Bruno), bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Angers|Angers]]
* [[October 18]] 
** [[Konstantios Doukas]], Byzantine emperor (b. [[1060]])
** [[Nikephoros Palaiologos]], Byzantine general
* [[December 10]] &ndash; [[Nikephoros III Botaneiates|Nikephoros III]], Byzantine emperor
* [[December 21]] &ndash; [[Abu al-Walid al-Baji]], Moorish scholar and poet (b. [[1013]])
* [[Abelard of Hauteville]], Italo-Norman [[Nobility|nobleman]]
* [[Artau I, Count of Pallars Sobirà|Artau I]], count of [[County of Pallars Sobirà|Pallars Sobirà]] (approximate date)
* [[Caradog ap Gruffydd]], prince of [[Kingdom of Gwent|Gwent]], killed in battle
* [[Jōjin]], Japanese [[Tendai]] monk and writer (b. [[1011]])
* [[Mihailo I of Duklja|Mihailo]] ("[[King of the Slavs]]"), Serbian king of [[Duklja]]
* [[Trahaearn ap Caradog]], Welsh king of [[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]], killed in battle (b. [[1044]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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