1069

MLXIX in Roman numerals

Events

* Harrying of the North: King William of England (William the Conqueror) reacts to rebellions made by his people against him. He rides through the north of England with his army and burns houses, crops, cattle and land from York to Durham, which results in the deaths of over 100,000 people, mainly from starvation and winter cold.
* William the Conqueror founds the Norman Selby Abbey.
* Abbad III al-Mu'tamid succeeds his father on the throne of Sevilla.
* Shenzong appoints Wang Anshi as his chief councelor.
* Wang Anshi, chancellor of the Chinese Song Dynasty, implements the New Policies, which include financial reforms, raising the salaries of officials to reduce corruption, institution of the baojia system, etc.
* Magnus II of Norway dies and Olav III becomes sole King of Norway.
* The Seljuk Turks fail to capture Iconium, following a Byzantine counter-attack launched from Syria.

Births

*

Deaths

* Aldred, archbishop of York
* Ibn Hazm, Muslim philosopher and theologian

Heads of State

* England — William I (reigned 1066–1087)
* France — Philip I (reigned 1060–1108)
* Germany — Henry IV (reigned 1055–1105)
* Norway — Olav III (reigned 1067–1093)
* Scotland — Malcolm III (reigned 1058–1093)
* Byzantine Empire — Michael VII (reigned 1067–1078) and Romanus IV (reigned 1068–1071)
* Pope — Alexander II (pope 1061–1073)