1040
Bi Sheng invents movable-type printing
A Chinese commoner in Song dynasty Bianjing carved individual characters in fired clay and arranged them in iron frames sealed with warm resin. He could compose and print texts at a fraction of the labor of woodblock carving. Four centuries before Gutenberg, the printing press was born in Asia. The vast number of Chinese characters, however, limited the technique's practicality compared to alphabetic systems.
Battle of Dandanaqan
On a windswept plain in Turkmenistan, twenty thousand thirsty Seljuk horsemen overwhelmed the ponderous Ghaznavid army of Sultan Mas'ud. The rout broke the Ghaznavid empire and confirmed the Seljuks as masters of Iran. Within a decade Tughril Beg would be riding into Baghdad as protector of the caliph. The defeated Mas'ud fled eastward, only to be murdered by his own troops before reaching safety.
Macbeth kills Duncan I of Scotland
The Moray mormaer overthrew his cousin Duncan in battle at Pitgaveny, not by stealth in a guest chamber as Shakespeare would later claim. Macbeth would rule Scotland for seventeen stable years, even making a pilgrimage to Rome, before his own death in battle against Duncan's son Malcolm. His generous alms to the poor of Rome were noted by chroniclers as remarkably lavish for a northern king.
Song magnetic compass used for land navigation
The Song military manual Wujing Zongyao described an iron south-pointing fish floated in a bowl of water, which soldiers could consult on overcast nights when the stars gave no guidance. Though the magnetic compass had been known for centuries as a divination tool, its adaptation for practical navigation marked the beginning of a revolution that would eventually transform seafaring worldwide.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1040?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1040. The most significant is Bi Sheng invents movable-type printing: A Chinese commoner in Song dynasty Bianjing carved individual characters in fired clay and arranged them in iron frames sealed with warm resin.
What era was 1040 part of?
1040 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1040?
The curated events from 1040 span East Asia, Central Asia and Europe.