The 1050s in poetry refers to the decade spanning the years 1050 to 1059 CE, considered as a chronological unit for examining poetic activity, publications, and the lives of poets worldwide. It is a historical reference category used in literary historiography and reference works to group events, works, and biographical milestones that occurred within this decade.
Births
Notable poets born during the 1050s include:
- 1050: Baldric of Dol (died 1130), an abbot who wrote epitaphs, riddles, epistolary works, and long-form poems.
- 1055: Fujiwara no Akisue (died 1123), a Japanese poet and nobleman.
- 1057: Minamoto no Shunrai (died 1129), a Japanese poet.
- 1058: Ibn Khafajah (died 1138 or 1139), an Arabic-language poet in Al-Andalus (Spain).
Deaths
Poets who died during the 1050s include:
- 1050: Baba Kuhi, a Persian Sufi poet.
- 1053: Liu Yong (born 987), a Song dynasty poet.
- 1056: Samuel ibn Naghrela (born 993), a Hebrew poet in Al-Andalus.
- 1057: Al-Ma'arri (born 973), a blind Arab philosopher, poet, and writer.
- 1058: Solomon ibn Gabirol (born 1021), a Hebrew poet in Al-Andalus.
Context
The 1050s fall within the broader 11th century in poetry and the 11th century in literature. The decade reflects a period of significant poetic activity across several cultural and linguistic traditions, including Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Latin, Japanese, and Chinese poetry. Many poets of this era were active in the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus), where Arabic and Hebrew literary traditions flourished, as well as in East Asia and Western Europe.
Some of the figures associated with this decade, such as Al-Ma'arri and Solomon ibn Gabirol, are regarded as major literary figures whose works continued to influence poetry well beyond their lifetimes. The exact birth years of several poets from this period are uncertain due to conflicting historical sources.
