By place Europe • Summer – King
Charles II ("the Bald") sets out for
Italy, accompanied by his wife
Richilde and a number of his chief
vassals. He gives orders for an expedition, but Duke
Boso (his brother-in-law) refuses to join the army. At the same time
Carloman, son of
Louis the German, has crossed the
Alps into eastern
Lombardy at the head of a Frankish army. Charles sends Richilde back to
Gaul, for the
coronation as empress of the
Holy Roman Empire, and with orders for reinforcements. However, the Frankish
aristocracy is more concerned with the attacks by the
Vikings in their country, than the war with the
Saracens in southern Italy.
Pope John VIII receives Charles at
Vercelli, where he requests help against the attacks by the Saracens in southern Italy. He forms an
alliance with the Italian states at
Traetto. •
August –
Siege of Syracuse: The
Aghlabids begin raiding the
Byzantine territories, in the east of the island of
Sicily. They besiege
Syracuse, and
blockade the fortress city by sea and land. •
October 6 – Charles II dies while crossing the pass of
Mont Cenis at
Brides-les-Bains, en route back to Gaul. He is succeeded by his son
Louis the Stammerer, king of
Aquitaine, who becomes ruler of the
West Frankish Kingdom. Carloman, forced by an
epidemic which breaks out in his army, returns to
Germany. After the death of his father, Louis makes plans to receive the
oath of fidelity from his subjects, but he learns that the
magnates are refusing him obedience and rallying around Boso. The rebels are supported by his stepmother Richilda, and, as a sign of their displeasure, ravage the country.
Hincmar, archbishop of
Reims, intercedes and the rebels agree to a settlement. The magnates, whose rights Louis promises to recognize, all make their submissions. •
December 8 –
Louis the Stammerer is crowned by Hincmar as king (not emperor) of the West Frankish Kingdom, in the church of
Compiègne. The imperial
throne will remain vacant until
881.
Britain • Autumn – King
Alfred the Great raises a large force, and marches on the Viking camp at the city of
Exeter. His army
besieges the
Great Summer Army, led by
Guthrum, and forces the Vikings to surrender. They flee north to
Gloucester, and settle in the
Five Boroughs (modern
East Midlands). •
Battle of Strangford Lough: King
Halfdan I leaves for
Ireland, in an attempt to claim the
Kingdom of Dublin from his rival
Bárid mac Ímair. He is killed in battle at
Strangford Lough, and a probable
interregnum follows in
York. •
Ceolwulf II is installed as
puppet king of
Mercia. The west of the kingdom comes under Ceolwulf's rule, while in the east the Five Boroughs begin as fortified Danish
burhs. • The Vikings invade
Wales once more, and King
Rhodri ap Merfyn ("the Great") of
Gwynedd,
Powys and
Seisyllwg is forced to flee to Ireland (approximate date). • King
Constantin I is killed fighting Viking raiders, at the "Black Cave" in
Fife. He is succeeded by his brother
Áed mac Cináeda as ruler of
Alba (
Scotland).
Asia • King
Jayavarman III dies after a 42-year reign. He is succeeded by his cousin
Indravarman I, as ruler of the
Khmer Empire (modern
Cambodia).
By topic Religion •
October 23 –
Photius I is reinstated as
patriarch of Constantinople, after the death of
Ignatius. == Births ==