1062
Marrakesh founded by the Almoravids
Yusuf ibn Tashfin laid out his new capital on the Atlantic plain south of the Atlas, a fortified camp that would grow into one of the great cities of western Islam. Marrakesh's red walls of beaten earth, its palm gardens, and its great mosque would give the entire country its name.
Fatimid Cairo Erupts in Civil War
The simmering rivalry between Turkish and Sudanese-Berber military factions in Cairo exploded into open warfare that would rage for five years. Soldiers who were supposed to defend the caliphate instead looted its palaces, burned its neighborhoods, and extorted its merchants. Al-Mustansir, nominally the most powerful Ismaili ruler in the world, watched helplessly as his capital devoured itself from within.
End of the Former Nine Years War
The Japanese imperial general Minamoto no Yoriyoshi finally defeated the Abe clan of Mutsu after nine years of campaigning in the northern Honshu mountains. The war established the Minamoto as a premier warrior house and foreshadowed the rise of provincial samurai power that would eventually overthrow Heian court government. Yoriyoshi's son Yoshiie became the most celebrated warrior in Japan, a model for the samurai ideal.
Virarajendra Chola Defeats Chalukya Forces Repeatedly
The Chola king Virarajendra launched a series of devastating campaigns into Chalukya territory, defeating Someshvara I's forces on multiple occasions and routing the Chalukya princes Vikramaditya and Jayasimha at Kudala Sangama. The victories secured Chola dominance over the Vengi region and demonstrated that Tamil military power could project deep into the Deccan plateau, though holding such distant conquests proved another matter entirely.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1062?
Saeculum lists 4 curated events from 1062. The most significant is Marrakesh founded by the Almoravids: Yusuf ibn Tashfin laid out his new capital on the Atlantic plain south of the Atlas, a fortified camp that would grow into one of the great cities of western…
What era was 1062 part of?
1062 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1062?
The curated events from 1062 span Africa, Middle East, East Asia and South Asia.