981

Events

Spring – Emperor Otto II (the Red) leads the imperial court to Rome, making the city his imperial capital, and receives nobles from all parts of Western Europe. Otto makes plans to conquer Byzantine Italy.
Fall – Otto II departs with an expeditionary force from Rome, and invades Apulia (Southern Italy) to punish the Saracens. He demands a fleet from Pisa, and imposes a trade embargo against Venice.
Al-Mansur, the de facto ruler of Al-Andalus, conquers and razes the city of Zamora, as part of his effort to seize the Christian-dominated north of the Iberian Peninsula.

Summer – Seongjong ascends the throne of Goryeo (Korea) after the death of his brother-in-law (and cousin), king Gyeongjong.
The first recorded Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony, of the sacred {{convert|57|foot|m}} high monolithic statue of Bahubali, is performed. {{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}
The Gommateshwara statue is built by Chavundaraya, minister and commander of the Ganga dynasty, in India (approximate date).
Song–Đại Cồ Việt war: Đại Cồ Việt under King Lê Đại Hành defeated the invasion of the Song.Ngô Sĩ Liên (1993), Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, page 65-66, Volume I, "Đại Hành hoàng đế"

Erik the Red leaves Norway, to survey west of Iceland in Viking longships, that carry nearly 700 people with cattle, horses, and other necessities for starting a colony on the island. Erik finds land and calls it Greenland.

Spring – Pope Benedict VII dissolves the Slavic bishopric of Merseburg, after conferring with Otto II. He issues an encyclical, forbidding the exaction of money for the conferral of any Holy Order (known as simony).

The first commercially made shaving soap sells for 3 dirhams (0.3 dinars). {{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Abu'l-Qasim al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Maghribi, Arab statesman (d. 1027)
Giovanni Orseolo, Venetian nobleman (d. 1006)
Li Deming, Chinese general and rebel leader (d. 1032)
Theodora, Empress of the Eastern Roman Empire (d. 1056){{cite web|title=Theodora - Byzantine empress [981-1056]|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Theodora-Byzantine-empress-981-1056|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=17 April 2018|language=en}}
Torstein Knarresmed, Norse Viking warrior (approximate date)
Vladivoj, duke of Bohemia (approximate date)