1020
Avicenna begins the Canon of Medicine
The Persian polymath, already author of a vast philosophical summa, began compiling a million-word encyclopedia of ancient and Islamic medicine at Hamadan.
Al-Biruni publishes his India
The Khwarezmian polymath, traveling in Mahmud of Ghazni's wake, finished a large-scale ethnographic study of Hindu learning and religion based on his own…
Song Dynasty population reaches fifty million
Census registers in Kaifeng recorded a population that had doubled since the dynasty's founding, driven by new strains of fast-ripening Champa rice imported…
Yaroslav begins Kiev's stone cathedral
To celebrate his triumph, the grand prince began construction of St. Sophia of Kiev, a thirteen-domed Byzantine-style basilica that declared Rus…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1020?
Saeculum lists 4 events from 1020. The most significant is Avicenna begins the Canon of Medicine: The Persian polymath, already author of a vast philosophical summa, began compiling a million-word encyclopedia of ancient and Islamic medicine at Hamadan.
What era was 1020 part of?
1020 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1020?
The events from 1020 span Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia and Europe.