Directory

772 CE

Pope Stephen III dies after a 3½-year reign, in which he has approved the acceptable reverence of icons in the Eastern Church. On February 1 he is succeeded by Adrian I (also referred to as Hadrian) as the 95th pope of Rome. King Desiderius of the Lombards, enraged by the repudiation by Charlemagne of his daughter Desiderata, proclaims Gerberga's sons lawful heirs to the Frankish throne. He attacks Pope Adrian I for refusing to crown them, and invades the Duchy of the Pentapolis. Desiderius marches on Rome, and Adrian turns to the Franks for military support. Saxon Wars: King Charlemagne leads a Frankish expedition from the Middle Rhine into disputed territory lost by the Franks in 695. He starts a campaign against the Saxons and seizes Eresburg, destroying the Irminsul (Saxon sacred tree) near Paderborn. Charlemagne devastates several major Saxon strongholds, and forces them to retreat beyond the Weser River. After negotiating with some Saxon nobles and obtaining hostages, he installs a number of garrisons.

Conflict & Security

  • King Desiderius of the Lombards, enraged by the repudiation by Charlemagne of his daughter Desiderata, proclaims Gerberga's sons lawful heirs to the Frankish throne. He attacks Pope Adrian I for refusing to crown them, and invades the Duchy of the Pentapolis. Desiderius marches on Rome, and Adrian turns to the Franks for military support.source
  • In England, King Offa of Mercia attempts to rule Kent directly, possibly to depose his rival Egbert II (approximate date).source

Exploration & Expansion

  • Saxon Wars: King Charlemagne leads a Frankish expedition from the Middle Rhine into disputed territory lost by the Franks in 695. He starts a campaign against the Saxons and seizes Eresburg, destroying the Irminsul (Saxon sacred tree) near Paderborn. Charlemagne devastates several major Saxon strongholds, and forces them to retreat beyond the Weser River. After negotiating with some Saxon nobles and obtaining hostages, he installs a number of garrisons.source

Religion & Belief

  • Abbasid caliph Al-Mansur completes construction of the garrison city of al-Rāfiqah adjacent to Raqqa.source

Births

  • Liu Yuxi, Chinese poet and philosopher (d. 842)source
  • Bai Juyi, Chinese poet and official (d. 846)source
  • probable – Charles the Younger, son of Charlemagne (d. 811)source
  • Cui Zhi, Chinese Chancellor of the Tang dynasty (d. 829)source
  • Li Ao, Chinese philosopher and prose writer (d. 841)source
  • Cui Qun, Chinese Chancellor of the Tang dynasty (d. 832)source

Deaths

  • January 24 – Pope Stephen III dies after a 3½-year reign, in which he has approved the acceptable reverence of icons in the Eastern Church. On February 1 he is succeeded by Adrian I (also referred to as Hadrian) as the 95th pope of Rome.source
  • May 13 – Dōkyō, Japanese Buddhist monk (b. 700)source
  • July 10 – Amalberga of Temse, Lotharingian nun and saint (b. 741)source
  • Dúngal mac Cellaig, king of Osraige (Ireland)source
  • Zhu Xicai, Chinese general of the Tang dynastysource
  • Remigius of Rouen, archbishop, illegitimate son of Charles Martelsource