Europe •
December 25 –
Charlemagne, king of the
Franks, is crowned
Holy Roman Emperor by
Pope Leo III as Charles I, with the title "Emperor of the Romans". The
coronation takes place during Mass at the
Basilica of St. Peter in
Rome, on
Christmas Day. The
Frankish Empire is formed in
Western Europe, which is not recognized by Empress
Irene at
Constantinople. This triggers a series of disputes with the
Byzantines around who is officially ruling the former
Western Roman Empire. • The
Rus' Khaganate is created by people who are called
Rus', after the 182-year dominance of the
Khazars. This is the starting period of the rise of the
Kievan Rus', and the later states of
Russia,
Belarus and
Ukraine (approximate date). • King
Eardwulf of Northumbria has his men seize Prince
Ealhmund, son of the late King
Alhred, and put him to death. He is buried at
Derby in
St. Alkmund's Church, and later revered as a
saint (approximate date). • The
Abbasid Caliphate is forced to cede their holdings in
southern Italy to the
Aghlabid Dynasty.
Asia • The
ci, a new type of
lyric poetry with irregular lines, is set to a
melody during the
Tang Dynasty (approximate date).
Africa •
Sijilmasa (in present-day
Morocco) is founded as the departure point for
caravans between
North Africa and the western
Sudan (approximate date). •
Ife, in present-day
Nigeria, becomes an important
urban center (approximate date). • The
Abbasid Caliphate is forced to cede
Ifriqiya (present-day north-eastern
Algeria,
Tunisia and western
Libya) to the
Aghlabid Dynasty.
Central America •
June 28 – Ochk'in Kaloomte' Aj Ho' Baak becomes the new
ruler of the Mayan city state of
Machaquila in
Guatemala and reigns until his death in
815. •
Itza culture starts in
Mesoamerica (840).
Polynesia • The first settlers of the
Hawaiian Islands arrive (approximate date).
By topic Religion • Archbishop
Hygeberht of Lichfield retires; he is succeeded by
Ealdwulf. King
Coenwulf of Mercia is on better terms with the
archbishopric of Canterbury than his predecessor, and unsuccessfully attempts to have the
Mercian archiepiscopal see transferred to
London (approximate date). • The
Book of Kells is written and illuminated in a
Columban monastery, in
Ireland (approximate date). == Births ==