Directory

710 CE

Emperor Zhong Zong of the Tang dynasty has his chief ministers of court, sons-in-law, and high-ranking military officers engage (during the Cold Food Festival) in the festive game of tug of war, within a palace of Chang'an. Zhong Zong is assassinated, allegedly poisoned by Empress Wei, who fails to install her daughter Li Guo'er as heir to the throne. Princess Taiping and her nephew Li Longji launch a coup, and restore Rui Zong as emperor. Pope Constantine departs for a year-long visit to Constantinople. He will be the last pontiff to visit the capital for more than a thousand years.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • The Byzantine general Leo (future emperor Leo III) recovers the Abkhazia (Caucasus) for the Byzantine Empire, from the Arabs.source

Conflict & Security

  • July 3 – Zhong Zong is assassinated, allegedly poisoned by Empress Wei, who fails to install her daughter Li Guo'er as heir to the throne. Princess Taiping and her nephew Li Longji launch a coup, and restore Rui Zong as emperor.source
  • The Byzantine outpost of Cherson (Crimea) rebels (with Khazar assistance) against Emperor Justinian II. He sends a fleet under the patrikios Stephen, which retakes the city and restores Byzantine control. The fleet, however, is struck by a storm on its way back and loses many ships, while the Chersonites, again with the aid of the Khazars, rebel anew.source
  • Kings Ine of Wessex and Nothhelm of Sussex fight against King Geraint of Dumnonia, who dies in battle. Ine's advance brings him control of what is now Devon; he establishes a fortress at Taunton.source
  • Lupus I, duke of Gascony, is assassinated in his attempt to seize Limoges (France). Eudes becomes ruler over both Gascony and Aquitaine.source
  • The Asuka period, the second and last part of the Yamato period, ends, and the Nara period begins; Heijō-kyō (Nara) becomes the capital of Japan.source
  • Beorhtfrith fights against the Picts between Haefe and Caere (assumed to be between the rivers Avon and Carron, which flow into the Firth of Forth in Scotland).source
  • An Arab army is invited into Ceuta by its governor, Julian, who is an opponent of Roderick. He encourages them to invade the Iberian Peninsula. Tariq ibn Ziyad is appointed governor of Tangier (Morocco), and establishes a Moorish garrison of 1,700 men.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • Roderick becomes king of the Visigoths, but the Visigothic nobles in Septimania rebel, and proclaim the previous ruler's son Akhila king. The Visigothic Kingdom is divided into two sub-kingdoms, suffering the first Muslim raid expedition against the southern Iberian Peninsula.source
  • The Madara Rider, an early medieval rock relief, is carved on the Madara Plateau east of Shumen in Bulgaria (approximate date).source

Religion & Belief

  • October 5 – Pope Constantine departs for a year-long visit to Constantinople. He will be the last pontiff to visit the capital for more than a thousand years.source
  • Salih I ibn Mansur founds the Muslim Kingdom of Nekor (Morocco). He converts the local Berber tribes to Islam.source

Culture & Society

  • April 5 – Emperor Zhong Zong of the Tang dynasty has his chief ministers of court, sons-in-law, and high-ranking military officers engage (during the Cold Food Festival) in the festive game of tug of war, within a palace of Chang'an.source
  • The first (wooden) Al-Aqsa Mosque is finished.source

Births

  • Leoba, Anglo-Saxon nun (approximate date)source
  • Lullus, archbishop of Mainz (approximate date)source
  • Fulrad, Frankish abbot (d. 784)source
  • Walpurga, Anglo-Saxon missionary (d. 779)source
  • Hnabi, duke of the Alemanni (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • January 9 – Adrian of Canterbury, abbot and scholarsource
  • March 27 – Rupert, bishop of Salzburgsource
  • June 30 – Erentrude, Frankish abbesssource
  • July 3 – Zhong Zong, emperor of the Tang dynasty (b. 656)source
  • July 21 – Li Guo'er, princess of the Tang dynastysource
  • July 21 – Shangguan Wan'er, Chinese poet (b. 664)source
  • July 21 – Empress Wei, empress of the Tang dynastysource
  • September 10 – Li Chongfu, imperial prince of the Chinese Tang dynasty (b. c. 680)source
  • Geraint, king of Dumnonia (England)source
  • Arikesari Maravarman, king of the Pandyan Empire (India)source
  • Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, Japanese poetsource
  • Wittiza, king of the Visigoths (approximate date)source
  • Congal Cennmagair, High King of Irelandsource
  • Giles, Frankish abbot (approximate date)source