1031

By place

Europe

• July 20 - King Robert II dies at Melun, after a 35-year reign. He is succeeded by his 23-year-old son, Henry I, who becomes the sole ruler of France. Henry's mother, Queen dowager Constance of Arles, prefers her third son, Robert, as heir to the throne and, with the help of Count Odo II, begins a war against Henry.
• The Caliphate of Córdoba collapses after years of infighting; the caliphate fractures into a number of independent Muslim taifa. The last Umayyad ruler, Caliph Hisham III, tries to consolidate the caliphate, but his raising of taxes leads to heavy opposition and he is imprisoned by his rivals.
• King Mieszko II is forced to escape Poland after an attack of Grand Prince Yaroslav I of Kiev, who installs Mieszko's half-brother Bezprym onto the Polish throne.
• France suffers from a famine.

  Middle East

• The Byzantine general George Maniakes captures Edessa from the Arab Muslims and stabilizes the eastern frontier.