980

By place

Europe

• Peace is concluded between Emperor Otto II and King Lothair III at Margut. Lothair renounces his claim on Lower Lorraine, while Otto promises to recognize Lothair's son Louis V as the rightful heir of the West Frankish Kingdom.
• June 11 - Vladimir I, grand prince of Kiev, consolidates the Kievan realm from modern Ukraine to the Baltic Sea. Vladimir is proclaimed ruler of all Kievan Rus'.
• Fall - Otto II sets off on his first expedition to Italy. He leaves the government in the hands of Archchancellor Willigis. Otto is accompanied by his wife, Empress Theophanu.
• Winter - Otto II celebrates Christmas with his family at Ravenna. He receives the Iron Crown of Lombardy as the King of Italy.
• King Harald Bluetooth orders the construction of the Viking ring fortress of Trelleborg.

  England

• Viking raids from Scandinavia threaten the southern English coast after a pause of 25 years. Hampshire and the Isle of Thanet are ravaged.

  Arabian Empire

• The Dari dialect is developed in the royal courts of the Samanid Empire in Central Asia.

  Africa

• The Kilwa Sultanate, centered at Kilwa, is founded by Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi, Persian prince of Shiraz.

  By topic

Religion

• Notker, Frankish Benedictine monk and bishop, founds the Prince-Bishopric of Liège which will remain an independent state inside the Holy Roman Empire for more than 800 years.