759 CE
King Oswulf of Northumbria is murdered by members of his own household (his servants or bodyguards), at Market Weighton. The Deiran patrician, Æthelwald Moll, who probably conspired in the regicide, is crowned king of Northumbria. He may have been a descendant of the late king Oswine of Deira. Tang dynasty poet Du Fu departs for Chengdu, where he is hosted by fellow poet Pei Di. An Lushan Rebellion: Tang forces under Guo Ziyi lay siege to the city of Yanjing (Northern China) as they increase their efforts to end the rebellion. The fighting creates such a shortage of food within its walls that rats sell at enormous prices.
Conflict & Security
- An Lushan Rebellion: Tang forces under Guo Ziyi lay siege to the city of Yanjing (Northern China) as they increase their efforts to end the rebellion. The fighting creates such a shortage of food within its walls that rats sell at enormous prices.source
- Siege of Narbonne: The Franks under King Pepin III ("the Short") retake Narbonne from the Muslims, after a 7-year siege. He pushes them back across the Pyrenees, and the Muslims retreat to the Andalusian heartland after 40 years of occupation. The government of the city is assigned to the Visigothic count Miló.source
- Battle of the Rishki Pass: Emperor Constantine V invades Bulgaria again, but his forces are ambushed and defeated while crossing the Rishki Pass, near Stara Planina (modern Bulgaria). The Bulgarian ruler (khagan) Vinekh does not exploit his success, and begins peace negotiations.source
Exploration & Expansion
- December 24 – Tang dynasty poet Du Fu departs for Chengdu, where he is hosted by fellow poet Pei Di.source
Religion & Belief
Crime & Justice
- July 24 – King Oswulf of Northumbria is murdered by members of his own household (his servants or bodyguards), at Market Weighton. The Deiran patrician, Æthelwald Moll, who probably conspired in the regicide, is crowned king of Northumbria. He may have been a descendant of the late king Oswine of Deira.source
Climate & Environment
- Exceptional winter in England: Frost begins October 1, and ends February 26, 760.source
Culture & Society
- Otomo no Yakamochi, Japanese general, compiles the first Japanese poetry anthology, Man'yōshū. It contains some 500 poems by Japanese poets who include the emperor, noblemen and commoners.source
Births
- Gregory of Khandzta, Georgian archimandrite (d. 861)source
- Theodore the Studite, Byzantine abbot (d. 826)source
- Wu Yantong, Chinese Buddhist monk (approximate date)source
- Alfonso II, king of Asturias (d. 842)source
- Asad ibn al-Furat, Muslim jurist and theologian (d. 828)source
- Wang Shizhen, general of the Tang dynasty (d. 809)source
- Quan Deyu, chancellor of the Tang dynasty (d. 818)source