1001

Africa

 * Khazrun ben Falful, from the Maghrawa family Banu Khazrun, begins ruling Tripoli, on the African continent.

Asia

 * March 17 – The Buddhist ruler of Butuan, in the Philippines (P’u-tuan in the Sung Dynasty records), Sari Bata Shaja, makes the first tributary mission to China.
 * The Tao/Tayk region is annexed by the Byzantines, as the Theme of Iberia.
 * Mahmud of Ghazni, Muslim leader of Ghazni, begins a series of raids into northern India, establishing the Ghaznavid Empire across most of today's Afghanistan, eastern Iran, and Pakistan.
 * Battle of Peshawar: Jayapala suffers defeat from the Ghaznavid Empire.
 * Former emperor Đinh Phế Đế dies, while suppressing the Cửu Long Rebellion in Thanh Hóa province.
 * Khmer King Jayavarman V is succeeded by Udayadityavarman I, and/or Suryavarman I.
 * Construction begins on the Liaodi Pagoda, the tallest pagoda in Chinese history (completed in 1055).
 * Japan
 * January 13 – Empress consort Fujiwara no Teishi dies in childbirth.
 * November – The imperial palace is destroyed by fire.
 * 70th birthday and longevity ceremony of Fujiwara no Bokushi (mother-in-law of Fujiwara no Michinaga, grandmother of Empress Shōshi).
 * 40th birthday of Empress dowager Senshi (mother of Emperor Ichijō).

Europe

 * February 6 – After leading the revolt against Emperor Otto III and expelling the Crescentii, Gregory I, Count of Tusculum is named "Head of the Republic".
 * July 31 – Emperor Otto III confirms the possessions of Ulric Manfred II of Turin, and grants him privileges.
 * July – Sergius II becomes Patriarch of Constantinople.
 * Byzantine Emperor Basil II attempts to reconquer Bulgaria.
 * Robert II, King of France, marries for the third time, with Constance Taillefer d'Arles.
 * Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor has Charlemagne's vault opened at Aachen Cathedral.
 * The First Battle of Alton: Danish invaders defeat the English.
 * Battle of Pinhoe: Vikings defeat the Anglo-Saxons in Devon.
 * Bolesław I the Brave begins ruling parts of Slovakia.
 * Bryachislav of Polotsk begins ruling Polotsk.
 * Werner I, Bishop of Strasbourg begins ruling the Prince-Bishopric of Strasbourg.
 * Ermengol I, Count of Urgell makes his second voyage to Rome.
 * Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi ends being a lawspeaker in Iceland's Althing.
 * Ælfgar, bishop of Elmham, is consecrated.
 * Æthelred becomes bishop of Cornwall, but dies shortly afterwards.
 * The town of Lloret de Mar is founded in Catalonia.
 * The first reference is made to Khotyn, Ukrainian town, and to Nyalka, Hungarian village, as to Chimudi.
 * Brian Boru attacks the Uí Néill in Ireland.

North America

 * Vikings, led by Leif Erikson, establish small settlements in and around Vinland in North America (approximate date).

Religion

 * King Edward the Martyr of England is canonized.
 * The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest is established.
 * Oqropiri (Ioane I), Svimeon III and Melkisedek I are Catholicoi of Iberia within one year.
 * A tomb of Saint Ivo (possibly) is uncovered in Huntingdonshire, England.

Births

 * March 29 – Sokkate, Burmese king (d. 1044)
 * Al-Qa'im, Abbasid caliph (d. 1075)
 * Duncan I, king of Alba (Scotland) (d. 1040)
 * Godwin, English nobleman (d. 1053)
 * Herluin de Conteville, Norman nobleman (d. 1066)
 * Ingegerd Olofsdotter, Grand Princess of Kiev (d. 1050)

Deaths

 * January 13 – Fujiwara no Teishi, empress of Japan (b. 977)
 * January 22 – Al-Muqallad ibn al-Musayyab, Uqaylid emir of Mosul
 * October 7 – Æthelstan, bishop of Elmham
 * December 21 – Hugh, margrave of Tuscany
 * Conrad, margrave of Ivrea
 * David III of Tao ("the Great"), Georgian prince
 * Đinh Phế Đế, Vietnamese emperor (b. 974)
 * Ermengarda de Vallespir, Spanish countess
 * Izyaslav, Kievan prince of Polotsk
 * Ja'far ibn al-Furat, Ikhshidid and Fatimid vizier (b. 921)
 * Jayapala, Indian ruler of the Hindu Shahis
 * Jayavarman V, emperor of the Khmer Empire
 * Wang Yucheng, Chinese official and poet (b. 954)
 * Ziri ibn Atiyya, emir of Morocco