1004

Events

Battle of Skopje: Emperor Basil II defeats the Bulgarian forces near Skopje. Leaving his army behind, Samuel of Bulgaria manages to escape. Basil continues his campaign and besieges the fortress of Pernik. By the end of the year Basil has reconquered about half of the Bulgarian Empire.

Spring - King Henry II crosses with an expeditionary force through the Brenner Pass to Trento. After initial military successes against Arduin of Ivrea, he receives the homage of the Italian clergy and Lombard noble families.
May 14 - Henry II is crowned King of Italy by Archbishop Arnulf II in Pavia. A quarrel ensues between the German troops and the Pavese citizens. Henry orders a massacre of the population in response, destroying the city.
Fall - Venetian-Byzantine forces defeat the Saracens at Bari. The citadel is on the brink of capitulation after a 3 day siege. Giovanni, a son of Doge Pietro Orseolo II, is married to the Byzantine princess Maria Argyra.
German–Polish War: Duke Bolesław I of Poland loses Bohemia. With German support, Jaromír occupies Prague and proclaims himself the new duke. At Merseburg, he promises to hold Bohemia as a vassal of Henry II.
Moorish forces under vizier Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar sack the Catalan city of Manresa.
Saracen pirates under the Balearic emir Mugahid sack Pisa, destroying nearly one-quarter of the city.
Sancho III becomes king of Pamplona, Aragon and Castille.

A Danish Viking fleet under Sweyn Forkbeard lands in Norfolk. Ealdorman Ulfcytel orders his Anglo-Saxon troops to burn the raiding ships. The plan fails and Ulfcytel's small army is defeated by the Vikings.

Mahmud of Ghazni invades the Kingdom of Bhatia. He defeats its ruler, Biji Rai, who is captured and subsequently immolates himself.

Summer - Emperor Sheng Zong of Liao launches a major offensive against the Song dynasty. He invades Shanyang and threatens the Song capital of Kaifeng.
Jingdezhen porcelain enters a period of significant production during the Song dynasty.

Spring - Pope John XVIII begins his reign as the 141st pope of the Catholic Church at Rome.