Editing 968

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[[File:Kievan Rus en.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|Realm of [[Kievan Rus']], mid-10th century.]] 
[[File:Sviatoslav by Eugene Lanceray 1886.JPG|upright=1.35|thumb|Grand Prince [[Sviatoslav I of Kiev|Sviatoslav I]] (r. 945–972)]]
Year '''968''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CMLXVIII]]''') was a [[leap year starting on Wednesday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===
==== Byzantine Empire ====
* Emperor [[Nikephoros II Phokas|Nikephoros II]] receives a Bulgarian embassy led by Prince [[Boris II of Bulgaria|Boris]] (the son of Tsar [[Peter I of Bulgaria]]), with a plea for help against the invading [[Kievan Rus']]. Nikephoros, occupied in the East, is unable to support him. Instead he sends envoys to summon the [[Pechenegs]] to aid Boris. They [[Siege of Kiev (968)|besiege Kiev]], but Grand Prince [[Sviatoslav I of Kiev|Sviatoslav I]] (on campaign in Bulgaria) returns with a Kievan relief force, and defeats the Pechenegs. He drives them out into the [[Steppe]], and sets up [[viceroy]]s to rule his Rus' territory.<ref>{{The Early Medieval Balkans|page= 183}}</ref>

==== Europe ====
* Spring &ndash; Emperor [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I]] ('''the Great''') travels to [[Capua]] to meet there with [[ambassador]]s of Nikephoros II, who again reiterate their friendship, but refuse to consent to his [[dowry]] demands (see [[967]]). Otto invades the Byzantine [[Longobardia|Theme of Langobardia]] with a [[Lombardy|Lombard]] expeditionary force. With the assistance of [[Duchy of Benevento|Benevento]]-[[Principality of Capua|Capua]] and naval support from [[Pisa]], Otto attempts to take [[Bari]] by assault, but Byzantine resistance is stiff, and Otto withdraws back to [[Ravenna]].
* [[Battle of Silistra]]: A Kievan army (60,000 men) led by Sviatoslav I crosses the [[Danube|Lower Danube]] and defeats the Bulgarians at [[Silistra]]. He occupies most of the [[Dobruja]] by seizing 80 fortresses in northeastern Bulgaria. They are looted and destroyed but not permanently occupied. During the winter, Sviatoslav transfers the capital from Kiev to [[Pereyaslavets]].
* [[Pandulf Ironhead|Pandulf I]] ('''Ironhead'''), a Lombard prince, takes over the territory of Benevento and Capua after the death of his brother [[Landulf III of Benevento|Landulf III]]. He appoints his son [[Landulf IV of Benevento|Landulf IV]] as co-prince of Benevento, and disinherits [[Pandulf II of Benevento|Pandulf II]] (a son of Landulf III) as lord of [[Sant'Agata de' Goti|Sant'Agata]] (located northeast of [[Naples]]).

==== Ireland ====
* [[Battle of Sulcoit]]: The [[Gaelic Ireland|Irish]] of the [[Dalcassians|Dál gCais]] led by [[Brian Boru]] defeats the [[Vikings|Viking]] forces of [[Limerick]]. After the battle the Dál gCais seize and [[Burning of Luimnech|burn the Viking stronghold of Limerick]]. Ending of [[Norsemen|Norse]] expansion in [[Ireland]].

=== By topic ===
==== Religion ====
* Otto I founds the [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg]] at the [[synod]] of Ravenna. He appoints [[Adalbert of Magdeburg|Adalbert]] as the archbishop of [[Magdeburg]]. The archbishopric under Adalbert includes the bishoprics of [[Prince-Bishopric of Brandenburg|Brandenburg]] and [[Bishopric of Havelberg|Havelberg]] — as well as the newly erected sees of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Dresden-Meissen|Meissen]], [[Bishopric of Merseburg|Merseburg]] and [[Bishopric of Naumburg-Zeitz|Naumburg-Zeitz]].<ref>Reuter, Timothy (1999). ''The New Cambridge Medieval History, Volume III'', p. 252. {{ISBN|978-0-521-36447-8}}.</ref> 
* [[Mieszko I of Poland|Mieszko I]], duke and prince of [[Greater Poland|Poland]], constructs [[Poznań Cathedral]] within the fortified stronghold (''[[Gord (archaeology)|gord]]'') of [[Poznań]]. The settlement becomes a [[bishopric]], Mieszko appoints [[Jordan (bishop of Poland)|Jordan]] as the first bishop.
</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[November 29]] &ndash; [[Emperor Kazan|Kazan]], emperor of [[Japan]] (d. [[1008]])
* [[December 21]] &ndash; [[Minamoto no Yorinobu]], Japanese [[samurai]] (d. [[1048]])
* [[December 23]] &ndash; [[Emperor Zhenzong|Zhen Zong]], emperor of the [[Song dynasty|Song Dynasty]] (d. [[1022]])
* [[Gisela of France, Countess of Ponthieu|Gisela]], French princess and daughter of [[Hugh Capet]] (d. [[1002]])
* [[Princess Pan|Pan]], Chinese princess and wife of Zhen Zong (d. [[989]])
* [[Romanos III Argyros|Romanos III]], emperor of the [[Byzantine Empire]] (d. [[1034]])

== Deaths ==
* [[March 2]] &ndash; [[William (archbishop of Mainz)|William]], archbishop of [[Elector of Mainz|Mainz]] (b. [[929]])
* [[March 14]] &ndash; [[Matilda of Ringelheim]], Frankish queen
* [[March 19]] &ndash; [[Emma of Paris, Duchess of Normandy|Emma of Paris]], duchess of [[Duchy of Normandy|Normandy]] (b. [[943]])
* [[April 2]] &ndash; [[Yuan Dezhao]], Chinese [[Chancellor of the Tang dynasty|chancellor]] (b. [[891]])
* [[April 4]] &ndash; [[Abu Firas al-Hamdani]], Arab prince and [[Arabic poetry|poet]] (b. [[932]])
* [[Abu al-Misk Kafur]], Ikhshidid [[vizier]] of [[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]] (b. [[905]])
* [[Aldred of Lindisfarne|Aldred]], bishop of [[Lindisfarne]] (approximate date)
* [[Al-Muttaqi]], Abbasid caliph (b. [[908]])
* [[Ananias I of Armenia|Ananias I]], catholicos of the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]]
* [[Bardas Phokas the Elder|Bardas Phokas]] ('''the Elder'''), Byzantine general
* [[Eadgifu of Kent|Eadgifu]], wife of [[Edward the Elder]] (approximate date)
* [[John III of Naples|John III]], duke of [[Duchy of Naples|Naples]] (approximate date)
* [[Landulf III of Benevento|Landulf III]], prince of [[Duchy of Benevento|Benevento]] (or [[969]])
* [[Liu Jun (Northern Han)|Liu Jun]], emperor of [[Northern Han]] (b. [[926]])
* [[Mord Fiddle]], Icelandic farmer and [[Gray Goose Laws|law]] expert 
* [[Mumadona Dias]], countess of [[County of Portugal|Portugal]]
* [[Rajendravarman II]], ruler of the [[Khmer Empire]]
* [[Robert of Vermandois]], Frankish [[Nobility|nobleman]] (or [[967]])
* [[Sun Guangxian]], Chinese chief strategist
* [[Sunifred II of Cerdanya|Sunifred II]], Frankish nobleman (b. [[915]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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