Editing 981

{{for|the Porsche sports car|Porsche Boxster and Cayman (981)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|981}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2018}}
{{Year nav|981}}
{{M1 year in topic}}
[[File:Map Almanzor campaigns-es.svg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Almanzor|Al-Mansur]]'s campaigns in [[Al-Andalus]].]]
Year '''981''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CMLXXXI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Saturday]] of the [[Julian calendar]].

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Europe ====
* Spring &ndash; Emperor [[Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto II]] ('''the Red''') leads the imperial court to [[Rome]], making the city his imperial capital, and receives [[Nobility|nobles]] from all parts of [[Western Europe]]. Otto makes plans to conquer [[Catepanate of Italy|Byzantine Italy]].
* Fall &ndash; Otto II departs with an expeditionary force from Rome, and invades [[Apulia]] (Southern [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|Italy]]) to punish the [[Saracens]]. He demands a fleet from [[Pisa]], and imposes a [[Economic sanctions|trade embargo]] against [[Republic Venice|Venice]].
* [[Almanzor|Al-Mansur]], the ''[[de facto]]'' ruler of [[Al-Andalus]], conquers and razes the city of [[Zamora, Spain|Zamora]], as part of his effort to seize the [[Christianity|Christian]]-dominated north of the [[Iberian Peninsula]].

==== Asia ====
* Summer &ndash; [[Seongjong of Goryeo|Seongjong]] ascends the throne of [[Goryeo]] ([[Korea]]) after the death of his brother-in-law (and cousin), king [[Gyeongjong of Goryeo|Gyeongjong]]. 
* The first recorded [[Mahamastakabhisheka]] ceremony, of the sacred {{convert|57|foot|m}} high [[monolith]]ic statue of [[Bahubali]], is performed. {{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} 
* The [[Gommateshwara statue]] is built by [[Chavundaraya]], minister and commander of the [[Western Ganga dynasty|Ganga dynasty]], in [[India]] (approximate date).

=== By topic ===
==== Exploration ====
* [[Erik the Red]] leaves [[Norway]], to survey west of [[Iceland]] in [[Vikings|Viking]] [[longship]]s, that carry nearly 700 people with cattle, horses, and other necessities for starting a [[Colonization|colony]] on the island. Erik finds land and calls it [[Greenland]].

==== Religion ====
* Spring &ndash; Pope [[Pope Benedict VII|Benedict VII]] dissolves the [[Slavs|Slavic]] [[bishopric of Merseburg]], after conferring with Otto II. He issues an [[encyclical]], forbidding the exaction of money for the conferral of any [[Holy orders|Holy Order]] (known as [[simony]]).

==== Commerce ====
* The first commercially made [[shaving soap]] sells for 3 [[dirham]]s (0.3 [[dinar]]s). {{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} 
</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Abu'l-Qasim al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Maghribi]], Arab statesman (d. [[1027]])
* [[Giovanni Orseolo]], Venetian [[Nobility|nobleman]] (d. [[1006]])
* [[Li Deming]], Chinese general and rebel leader (d. [[1032]])
* [[Theodora (11th century)|Theodora]], Empress of the [[Eastern Roman Empire]] (d. [[1056]])<ref>{{cite web|title=Theodora - Byzantine empress [981-1056]|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theodora-Byzantine-empress-981-1056|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=17 April 2018|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Torstein Knarresmed]], Norse [[Vikings|Viking]] warrior (approximate date)
* [[Vladivoj, Duke of Bohemia|Vladivoj]], duke of [[Duchy of Bohemia|Bohemia]] (approximate date)

== Deaths ==
* [[February 12]] &ndash; [[Ælfstan (bishop of Ramsbury)|Ælfstan]], [[Bishop of Ramsbury (ancient)|bishop of Ramsbury]]
* [[June 20]] &ndash; [[Adalbert of Magdeburg|Adalbert]], archbishop of [[Archbishopric of Magdeburg|Magdeburg]]
* [[July 9]] &ndash; [[Ramiro Garcés of Viguera|Ramiro Garcés]], king of [[Kingdom of Viguera|Viguera]] ([[Spain]])
* [[July 12]] &ndash; [[Xue Juzheng]], Chinese [[scholar-official]] and historian
* [[August 13]] &ndash; [[Gyeongjong of Goryeo|Gyeongjong]], king of [[Goryeo]] ([[Korea]]) (b. [[955]])
* [[Abu'l-Faraj Muhammad]], Buyid [[Nobility|nobleman]] and statesman
* [[Amlaíb Cuarán]], Viking king of [[Scandinavian York]]
* [[Ibn Khalawayh]], Persian scholar and [[Arabic grammar|grammar]] (or [[980]])
* [[Pandulf Ironhead]], prince of [[Duchy of Benevento|Benevento]] and [[Principality of Capua|Capua]]
* [[Slavník]], founder of the [[Slavník dynasty]] (Bohemia)
* [[Wigger I]], German nobleman (approximate date)
* [[Zhao Defang]], prince of the [[Song dynasty]] (b. [[959]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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