The world in 979 AD — what happened that year

13 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.

What happened

At Baima Ridge he fought with Song and was at a disadvantage; Prince Ji, Yelü Sha, and Dilie and others died in battle. (History of Liao (Liaoshi) 遼史卷9 乾亨1年 3月)
The Song emperor laid siege to Southern Capital. (History of Liao (Liaoshi) 遼史卷9 乾亨1年 6月)
Battle of Gaoliang River: Xiuge and Xiezhen struck across the line and crushed the enemy; the Song emperor fled from Zhuozhou in a donkey cart. (History of Liao (Liaoshi) 遼史卷9 乾亨1年 7月)
At Mancheng, Han Kuangsi was defeated by the Song army. (History of Liao (Liaoshi) 遼史卷9 乾亨1年 10月)
Emperor Taizong arrived at Taiyuan and stopped at the field headquarters east of the Fen River. (History of Song (Songshi), Annals 宋史卷004 太平興國四年)
The emperor visited Taiyuan city and issued an edict calling on Liu Jiyuan, ruler of Northern Han, to surrender. (History of Song (Songshi), Annals 宋史卷004 太平興國四年)
The emperor urged his troops on and fought a great battle with the Khitan at the Gaoliang River, but was defeated. (History of Song (Songshi), Annals 宋史卷004 太平興國四年)
Xinzhou reported that it had fought the Khitan and beaten them. (History of Song (Songshi), Annals 宋史卷004 太平興國四年)
The Liao Yelü Sha arrives as reinforcement at the Gaoliang River and fights the Song army, but is defeated and flees. (Xu Zizhi Tongjian (Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror) 續資治通鑑卷010 (979년 조))

Đỗ Thích assassinated the emperor in the palace. (Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư 本紀卷之一「己卯十年春，南越王璉殺皇太子項郎」)
Prince consort Ngô Nhật Khánh led more than 1,000 Champa naval vessels to attack Hoa Lư, but most of them capsized in a storm. (Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư 本紀卷之一「己卯十年春，南越王璉殺皇太子項郎」)

King Edward was murdered in the evening at Corfe Gate and buried without ceremony at Wareham. (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Giles/Ingram 1847 A.D. 979 항 (pg657.txt 줄 4311))
Æthelred was consecrated as king at Kingston before two archbishops and ten bishops. (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Giles/Ingram 1847 A.D. 979 항 (pg657.txt 줄 4311))