1085
Alfonso VI captures Toledo
The king of Leon-Castile entered the old Visigothic capital after a long blockade.
Death of Shen Kuo's Patron Emperor Shenzong
Emperor Shenzong died at thirty-seven, and with him died the political will sustaining Wang Anshi's reforms.
Death of Pope Gregory VII at Salerno
The reformer pope, driven from Rome by his own Norman liberators, died in exile at Salerno, reportedly with the bitter words: I have loved righteousness…
Death of Robert Guiscard on Cephalonia
The red-bearded Norman conqueror of southern Italy, in the middle of his second Byzantine campaign, died of fever on the Greek island.
Paper money widespread in Song China
The Jiaozi notes first issued at Sichuan in 1023 had spread across Song China as supplementary legal tender.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1085?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1085. The most significant is Alfonso VI captures Toledo: The king of Leon-Castile entered the old Visigothic capital after a long blockade.
What era was 1085 part of?
1085 falls within the High Middle Ages (1000-1300). Crusades, cathedrals, and the slow waking of Europe.
Which regions saw notable events in 1085?
The events from 1085 span Europe and East Asia.