title: 979
text: # 979
  
  Year 979 (CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
  
  ## Events
  
  ### By place
  
  **Byzantine Empire**
  
  * March 24 – Second Battle of Pankaleia: An Ibero-Byzantine expeditionary force, under General Bardas Phokas (the Younger), inflicts a crushing defeat on the rebels of General Bardas Skleros, at Sarvenis (modern Turkey). Skleros manages to escape, and finds shelter with his Muslim allies. The rebellion is subdued without difficulty.
  
  **Europe**
  
  * Vitale Candiano, doge of Venice, abdicates for health reasons after a 14-month reign, and retires to a monastery. He is succeeded by Tribuno Memmo, a son-in-law of the murdered Pietro IV Candiano. Tribuno declares a general amnesty for everyone complicit in the plot against Pietro.
  * June 8 – Louis V, nicknamed le Fainéant (the Do-Nothing), is crowned as the co-emperor of West Francia at Paris by his father, King Lothair. Upon Lothair's death on March 2, 986, Louis becomes the sole ruler.
  * The city of Brussels is founded by Charles, duke of Lower Lorraine. He constructs fortifications (a castrum on an island) on the Senne River (modern Belgium).
  
  **England**
  
  * Tynwald (or Tynwald Court), the parliament of the Isle of Man, is founded. It remains active as the longest continuous parliament in the world.
  
  **Africa**
  
  * Jawhar as-Siqilli is dismissed as vizier of Egypt after an unsuccessful campaign in Syria (near Damascus). He is replaced by Ya'qub ibn Killis.
  
  **China**
  
  * Battle of Gaoliang River: Emperor Tai Zong leads an expedition into You Prefecture (or Youzhou). The Liao Dynasty counter-attacks and defeats the Song forces near modern-day Beijing.
  * Summer – Tai Zong invades the Northern Han and besieges the capital of Taiyuan. A relief force sent by the Liao Dynasty is defeated. The Kingdom is absorbed into the Song Dynasty.
  
  ## Births
  
  * August 29 – Otto (or Eudes), French nobleman (d. 1045)
  * Al-Muqtana Baha'uddin, Druze religious leader (d. 1043)
  * Estrid (or Astrid), queen consort of Sweden (d. 1035)
  * Fujiwara no Takaie, Japanese nobleman (d. 1044)
  * Ibn al-Samh, Andalusian astronomer (d. 1035)
  * Matilda, countess palatine of Lotharingia (d. 1025)
  
  ## Deaths
  
  * June 29 – Fujiwara no Koshi, Japanese empress (b. 947)
  * August 3 – Thietmar, German nobleman
  * August 11 – Gero, German nobleman
  * August 26 – Zhao Dezhao, prince of the Song Dynasty (b. 951)
  * August 29 – Abu Taghlib, Hamdanid emir
  * September 19 – Gotofredo I, archbishop of Milan
  * unknown dates
     * 'Imran ibn Shahin, Muslim ruler
     * Vitale Candiano, doge of Venice
     * Hasanwayh, Hasanwayhid ruler
  * probable – Iago ab Idwal, king of Gwynedd
  