950s

The 950s was a decade that started on 1 January 950 and ended on 31 December 959. It is distinct from the decade known as the 96th decade which began on January 1, 961 and ended on December 31, 960.

950

• World population is thought to be 250 million.
• Duke Boleslav I of Bohemia makes peace with Otto I.
• The Later Han Dynasty in China falls.

Births

• June 12 – Emperor Reizei of Japan
• Erik the Red

Deaths

• Hywel Dda ("the Good") of Wales
• Al-Farabi, philosopher

951

• Allat the Maharana of Mewar comes to power.
• The Later Zhou Dynasty is founded by Guo Wei in China.
• The Northern Han Kingdom is founded by Liu Min in northern China.

Births

• Gregory of Narek, Armenian monk, poet, and theologian
• Saint Romuald

Deaths

• Emperor Shizong of the Liao Dynasty
• 2 January – Liu Chengyou, Emperor Yin of the Later Han Dynasty

952

• Kalbid forces defeat the Byzantines in Calabria.

Births

• Emperor Gongdi of Later Zhou

Deaths

• Emperor Suzaku of Japan
• Hugh, Duke of Burgundy

953

• Liudolf, Duke of Swabia and Conrad the Red rebel against German King Otto I.

Births

• Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine
• Herbert III, Count of Vermandois
• Al-Karaji, Persian mathematician and engineer
• Kisai Marvazi, Persian poet

Deaths

• Abas I of Armenia, King of Armenia
• Ismail al-Mansur. third Fatimid Caliph
• Empress Dowager Yingtian of the Liao Dynasty
• Muhammad bin Musafir, Sallarid ruler of Tarum and Iranian Azerbaijan
• Rasso, Bavarian count, military leader, pilgrim, and saint.
• Rhodri ap Hywel, king of Deheubarth

954

• King Máel Coluim I of Scotland is killed in battle against the Highlanders. He is succeeded by Indulf I of Scotland.
• Chateau Chinon is built by Theobald I of Blois.
• Edred becomes king of all England.

Births

• Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury
• Wang Yucheng

Deaths

• September 10 – King Louis IV of France
• King Eric I of Norway
• Emperor Taizu of Later Zhou
• Feng Tao
• Liu Min

955

• August 10 – Otto I the Great defeats Magyars in the Battle of Lechfeld.
• Eadwig becomes King of England.
• December 16 – Pope John XII succeeds Pope Agapetus II as the 130th pope.

Births

• Ælfric of Eynsham, English abbot

Deaths

• November 23 – Eadred, King of England

956

• An earthquake badly damages the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Deaths

• April 8 – Gilbert of Chalon, Duke of Burgundy
• Ali al-Masudi, Arab historian, geographer and philosopher

957

• Japan: The Tenryaku Era ends, and the Tentoku Era begins.
• The Chandra Hindu Dynasty ends. This starts a time of chaos in areas belonging to modern-day India.
• Olga of Kiev converts to the Eastern Orthodox Church

Births

• Gormlaith of Lienster, wife of Olaf Cuarran, Malachy II and Brian Boru

Deaths

• September 6 – Liudolf, Duke of Swabia

958

• Probable date of the start of the Marche dynasty.
• King Kshemgupta of Kashmir dies. He is succeeded by his young son Abhimanyu. Didda, his mother, becomes de facto ruler.
• The Later Zhou Dynasty goes against Liao Dynasty positions in the Sixteen Prefectures. They are defeated.
• Battle of Raban: Byzantines under John Tzimiskes defeat Sayf al-Dawla

Births

• Basil II, Byzantine Emperor
• Samuil of Bulgaria
• Vladimir I, Prince of Kievan Rus

Deaths

• King Gorm the Old of Denmark
• Masudi, Arab geographer, historian, and physicist
• Tuathal mac Augaire, King of Leinster, Ireland

959

• October 1 – Edgar becomes King of England.
• Dunstan becomes bishop of Worcester, England and London.
• Bruno I, Archbishop of Cologne divides the Duchy of Lorraine with his nephew Frederic.

Births

• Emperor En'yū of Japan

Deaths

• October 1 – King Eadwig of England
• November 9 – Constantine VII, Byzantine Emperor
• Ælfsige, Archbishop of Canterbury
• Chai Rong