Directory

847 CE

Pope Sergius II dies of gout after a 3-year reign. Leo IV is consecrated 103rd pope of Rome (where he was born c.790). Because of the sense of urgency driven by the previous year's Arab raid against Rome, he is consecrated without waiting for the consent of the Holy Roman Emperor. He will reign until 855. Abbasid Caliph Al-Wathiq dies of dropsy after a five-year reign. He is succeeded by his brother al-Mutawakkil.

Conflict & Security

  • Viking Age: The Vikings plunder the Lower Rhine, as part of their attacks on the Empire of Francia.source
  • The Saracens, under the Berber leader Kalfun, capture the Byzantine city of Bari (Southern Italy). He becomes the first ruler of the Emirate of Bari, and expands his influence on the Italian mainland with raids.source
  • Danish Vikings land in the Breton March (western part of Gaul). Duke Nominoe of Brittany fails to withstand them in battle, but succeeds in buying them off with gifts and persuading them to leave (approximate date).source

Religion & Belief

  • April 10 – Leo IV is consecrated 103rd pope of Rome (where he was born c.790). Because of the sense of urgency driven by the previous year's Arab raid against Rome, he is consecrated without waiting for the consent of the Holy Roman Emperor. He will reign until 855.source

Climate & Environment

  • November 24 – 847 Damascus earthquake.source

Births

  • Wang Jingchong, general of Tang dynasty China (d. 883)source
  • Æthelred I, king of Wessex (approximate date)source
  • Charles the Child, king of Aquitaine (or 848)source
  • Miyoshi Kiyotsura, Japanese scholar (d. 918)source
  • Lu Yi, Chancellor of the Tang dynasty China (d. 905)source
  • Kang Junli, general of Tang dynasty Chine (d. 894)source
  • Al-Mu'tazz, Muslim caliph (d. 869)source
  • Cheng Ji, Chinese general (approximate date)source
  • Wang Jian, Chinese emperor of Former Shu (d. 918)source
  • Fujiwara no Sukeyo, Japanese aristocrat (d. 897)source

Deaths

  • January 24 – Pope Sergius II dies of gout after a 3-year reign.source
  • January 27 – Sergius II, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 790)source
  • April 21 – Odgar, Frankish monk and archbishopsource
  • April 21 – Rabanus Maurus, a Frankish Benedictine monk, becomes archbishop of Mainz after the death of Odgar.source
  • June 1 – Xiao, empress dowager of Tang dynasty Chinasource
  • June 14 – Methodius I, patriarch of Constantinoplesource
  • August 10 – Abbasid Caliph Al-Wathiq dies of dropsy after a five-year reign. He is succeeded by his brother al-Mutawakkil.source
  • August 10 – Al-Wathiq, Muslim caliph (b. 816)source
  • Frothar of Toul, Frankish bishop (approximate date)source
  • Theodemar of Iria, Galician bishopsource
  • Fedelmid mac Crimthainn, king of Munster (Ireland)source
  • Muhammad ibn al-Zayyat, Abbasid viziersource
  • Isa ibn Mansur al-Rafi'i, Muslim governorsource
  • Li Rangyi, chancellor of Tang dynasty Chinasource