770s

This is a list of events occurring in the 770s, ordered by year.

770

By place

Asia

• Emperor Kōnin ascends to the throne of Japan, succeeding Empress Shōtoku.

Europe

• Hedeby is founded.
• Telerig becomes king of Bulgaria, ending a period of anarchy.

771

By place

Asia

Europe

• December 4 – Carloman I, King of the Franks, dies, leaving his brother Charlemagne king of the now complete Frankish kingdom.
• Gerberga, the widow of Carloman, flees to Desiderius, the king of the Lombards.

772

By place

Europe

• Frankish king Charlemagne starts fighting the Saxons and the Frisians.
• Offa of Mercia conquers Sussex (approximate date).

By topic

Religion

• February 9 – Pope Adrian I (also referred to as Hadrian) succeeds Pope Stephen III as the 95th pope.
• Caliph Al-Mansur orders Christians and Jews in Jerusalem to be stamped on their hands with a distinctive symbol.^[1]

773

By place

Europe

• At request of the Pope Adrian I, Charlemagne crosses the Alps and invades the kingdom of the Lombards headed by the king Desiderius

Asia

• The concept of the number zero is introduced to the city of Baghdad.^[2]
• King Khongtekcha's reign ends; during his reign, the Manipuri language script first appeared.^[3]

774

By place

Europe

• Charlemagne conquers the kingdom of the Lombards, and takes title King of the Lombards.
• Silo succeeds Aurelio as king of Asturias.

775

By place

Africa

• Andalusian merchants set up an emporium on the Maghribi coast at Ténès. It is an early evidence of the revival of the maritime trade in the Western Mediterranean after the chaos of the 8th century.^[4]

Asia

• Estimation: Baghdad, capital of the Abbasid Empire, becomes the largest city of the world, taking the lead from Chang'an, capital of China.^[5]
• In East Central Chang'an, a Uyghur Turk stabs a man to death in broad daylight in the East Market before being arrested in the marketplace shortly after. However, his Uyghur chieftain named Chixin (赤心) or Red Heart breaks into the county prison and frees the murderous culprit, wounding several Chinese wardens in the process.^{[citation needed]}
• Dharampala begins his reign of Bengal.
• Al-Mahdi becomes the third Abbasid Caliph.

Byzantine Empire

• Leo IV succeeds Constantine V as Byzantine Emperor.

Europe

• Alpin II succeeds Ciniod I as king of the Picts.
• Charlemagne begins his campaign into Westphalia.
• The German city of Gießen is formed.

776

By place

Europe

• April 14 – Charlemagne spends Easter in Treviso after putting down a revolt by Friuli and Spoleto, removing Hrodgaud, the Duke of Friuli, from power, and signing a treaty with Hildeprand, the Duke of Spoleto. Co-conspirators in the revolt are Arechis, Duke of Benevento, and Adelchis, the son of Desiderius. Charlemagne had defeated Desiderius two years earlier, and Adelchis had fled to Byzantium. Arechis was not defeated in this action by Charlemagne, and Adelchis never left Byzantium to provide any support to the revolt.
• The Battle of Otford is fought between Mercia and Kent.

777

By place

Africa

• Ibn Rustam is recognized imam of the Ibadis in Maghrib.

Europe

• Charlemagne defeats the Saxons; their leader Widukind flees to Denmark.

778

By place

Europe

• August 15 – Battle of Roncevaux Pass (Roncesvalles): Charlemagne's army suffers a terrible defeat at the hand of the Basques. Among those killed is Roland, lord of the Breton March; the 11th-century Song of Roland is loosely based on the events of this battle.
• Charlemagne fights the Moors in Spain.
• Widukind returns to Saxony from Denmark.

779

By place

Asia

• June 12 - In China, Li Kuo succeeds as Emperor Dezong of Tang.

Europe

• Offa of Mercia defeats Cynewulf of Wessex and takes Bensington.
• Offa's Dyke is constructed.

Significant people

Births

Deaths

References