1078
Anselm writes the Proslogion
At the Norman abbey of Bec where he was prior, Anselm composed the Proslogion containing his ontological proof of God's existence, arguing that even a fool conceiving of a maximally great being must concede such a being must exist. Theologians have been debating the argument ever since, in every generation.
Song China Produces Iron at Industrial Scale
Song iron production reached an estimated one hundred and twenty-five thousand tons per year - a figure Europe would not match until the eighteenth century. Blast furnaces in Hebei used coal and coke as fuel, and the output fed an insatiable demand for agricultural tools, weapons, nails, and the iron framework of Buddhist temples. The scale was proto-industrial, driven by state demand and a free labor market that anticipated patterns historians usually attribute to much later centuries.
White Tower of London begun
On a site William the Conqueror had chosen at the southeastern corner of the old Roman walls, the Norman master mason Gundulf laid the foundations of a massive stone donjon. Four stories of Caen limestone would rise over the next two decades, dominating the Thames and cowing the city beneath.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1078?
Saeculum lists 3 curated events from 1078. The most significant is Anselm writes the Proslogion: At the Norman abbey of Bec where he was prior, Anselm composed the Proslogion containing his ontological proof of God's existence, arguing that even a fool…
What era was 1078 part of?
1078 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1078?
The curated events from 1078 span Europe and East Asia.