Historical Events in 1040

  • May 21 King Henry III gives Utrecht the Groninger currency

Battle of Dandanaqan

May 23 Battle of Dandanaqan: Tughril's Seljuk army defeats Ghaznavid force, near Merv (present-day Turkmenistan), brings about the fall of the Ghaznavid Empire

Lady Godiva

Jul 10 Lady Godiva rides naked on horseback through Coventry, according to legend, to force her husband, the Earl of Mercia, to lower taxes

Battle of Interest

Aug 14 King Duncan I of Scotland killed in battle against his first cousin and rival Macbeth (not murdered in his sleep as in Shakespeare's play). The latter does succeed him as King.