Directory

866 CE

Bardas, the regent of the Byzantine Empire, is murdered by Basil the Macedonian at Miletus, while conducting a large-scale expedition against the Saracen stronghold of Crete. Basil the Macedonian is crowned co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, and is adopted by the much younger Michael III. Caliph al-Musta'in is put to death, after a 4-year reign. He is succeeded by al-Mu'tazz, who becomes the youngest Abbasid caliph to assume power.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Fujiwara no Yoshifusa becomes regent (sesshō) to assist the child emperor Seiwa, starting the Fujiwara regency.source
  • Boris I, ruler (knyaz) of the Bulgarian Empire, sends a diplomatic mission, led by the Bulgarian nobleman Peter, to Rome, in an effort to renew ties with the West.source

Conflict & Security

  • July 2 – Battle of Brissarthe: Frankish forces, led by Robert the Strong, are defeated by a joint Breton-Viking army.source
  • The Kharijite revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate begins in Al-Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia), which will last for 30 years.source
  • Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor, defeats the Saracen invaders who are ravaging southern Italy.source
  • An army in Lucera is assembled by orders of Louis II in preparation for an attack on the Emirate of Bari.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • The Great Heathen Army of the Vikings rides north to Northumbria. The Northumbrians are preoccupied with a civil war, and the Danes enter York unopposed.source

Religion & Belief

  • October 17 – Caliph al-Musta'in is put to death, after a 4-year reign. He is succeeded by al-Mu'tazz, who becomes the youngest Abbasid caliph to assume power.source
  • Pope Nicholas I forbids the use of torture in prosecutions for witchcraft (approximate date).source
  • Pope Nicholas I orders that all Catholics should abstain from eating the "flesh, blood, or marrow" of warm-blooded animals on Wednesdays and Fridays.source

Crime & Justice

  • April 21 – Bardas, the regent of the Byzantine Empire, is murdered by Basil the Macedonian at Miletus, while conducting a large-scale expedition against the Saracen stronghold of Crete.source

Culture & Society

  • May 26 – Basil the Macedonian is crowned co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire, and is adopted by the much younger Michael III.source

Births

  • June 10 – Uda, emperor of Japan (d. 931)source
  • September 19 – Leo VI, Byzantine emperor (d. 912)source
  • Yao Yi, chancellor of Later Tang (d. 940)source
  • Carloman II, king of the West Frankish Kingdom (approximate date)source
  • Robert I, king of the West Frankish Kingdom (d. 923)source

Deaths

  • April 21 – Bardas, Byzantine chief minister and regentsource
  • May 27 – Ordoño I, king of Asturiassource
  • May 27 – King Ordoño I, ruler of the Kingdom of Asturias, dies after a 16-year reign. He is succeeded by his son, Alfonso III, who later is referred to as "Alfonso the Great".source
  • June 21 – Rodulf, Frankish archbishopsource
  • July 2 – Robert the Strong, Frankish noblemansource
  • July 16 – Irmgard, Frankish abbesssource
  • October 17 – Al-Musta'in, Abbasid caliphsource
  • Linji Yixuan, Chinese monk and founder of the Linji schoolsource
  • Hungerus Frisus, bishop of Utrechtsource
  • Ranulf I, Frankish nobleman (b. 820)source
  • Charles the Child, king of Aquitainesource
  • Yahya ibn Yahya, Idrisid emir of Moroccosource
  • Adelaide of Tours, Frankish noblewomansource
  • Wang Shaoyi, general of the Tang Dynastysource