Pandulf's death in 981 deprives Otto II…

Vladimir’s forces, under repeated attack from the nomadic Pechenegs, construct fortified towns along the steppe border and in 981 initiate a war of conquest in the Dneiper River area.

Vladimir conquers the pagan tribes in the region of present Belarus in 983 and annexes the area between the middle Nieman and Western Bug Rivers.

Vladimir of Kiev assumes control of Galicia (southeastern Poland and western Ukraine) in 981, seizing Przemysl, …

…Cherven, and surrounding areas.

Tsar Samuel, taking advantage of the internal discord currently plaguing Constantinople, begins to extend his control over eastern Bulgaria and lands beyond.

Bulgars under Samuel defeat an invasion by imperial forces in 981 in a battle near Sofia.

Samuel, taking advantage of the internal discord currently plaguing the empire, has begun to extend his control over eastern Bulgaria and lands beyond.

Tsar Samuel has in five years conquered independent Serbia and …

…further extended his power into Albania, …

…northern Greece, and northern Bulgaria.

Abu Aamir Muhammad has during the ensuing three years consolidated his power with the building of his new palace on the outskirts of Córdoba, al-Madina az-Zahira, while at the same time completely isolating the young Caliph, who has become a virtual prisoner in Medina Azahara.

General Galib, grown fearful of his son-in-law’s power, has allied himself with the Christian kings of León, Castile, and Navarre.

Abu Aamir Muhammad, having strengthened his Moorish army, had invaded León in 977 and, after four years of fighting, defeats and kills Galib in battle.

A triumphant Abu Aamir Muhammad returns in 981 from his victories in the north to Córdoba, having earned the honorific title al-Mansur bi-Allah (“victorious through Allah), and rules al-Andalus as regent for Hisham II.

He becomes known to the European Christians as Almanzor.

His grip over Al-Andalus now absolute, Al-Mansur dedicates himself to military campaigns against the Christian states of the peninsula.

All told, he will organize and take part in fifty-seven campaigns, and will be victorious in all of them.

To wage these campaigns against the Christian states, he brings in many Berber mercenaries, which will upset the political order over time.

Otto II, ruling from Rome, travels south upon hearing of Pandulf's death to install Thrasimund IV as Duke of Spoleto.

Then, …