Directory

898 CE

King Odo I (or Eudes) dies at La Fère (Northern France) after a 10-year reign. His rival, the 18-year-old Charles the Simple in Laon, gains sovereignty and becomes ruler (with no real authority) of the West Frankish Kingdom. This puts an end to five years of civil war between the Frankish nobles. Pope John IX is consecrated, and succeeds Theodore II, as the 116th pope of the Catholic Church. His rival Serguis III (a Spoletan ally of Lambert II) is excommunicated, and takes refuge at the court of Adalbert II. John IX holds councils at Rome and Ravenna to rehabilitate the late Pope Formosus. He condemns the Cadaver Synod of the late Pope Stephen VI, and restores the clergymen who were deposed by Stephen's faction.

Conflict & Security

  • Summer – Adalbert II, margrave of Tuscany, revolts (pushed by his wife Bertha) against his cousin, Emperor Lambert II. The Tuscan army proceeds against the Lombard capital of Pavia. Lambert with his forces at Marengo defeats Adalbert at Borgo San Donnino, taking him, as a prisoner, to Pavia.source

Religion & Belief

  • January – Pope John IX is consecrated, and succeeds Theodore II, as the 116th pope of the Catholic Church. His rival Serguis III (a Spoletan ally of Lambert II) is excommunicated, and takes refuge at the court of Adalbert II.source
  • John IX holds councils at Rome and Ravenna to rehabilitate the late Pope Formosus. He condemns the Cadaver Synod of the late Pope Stephen VI, and restores the clergymen who were deposed by Stephen's faction.source

Culture & Society

  • King Alfred the Great makes his eldest son Edward the Elder co-ruler of Wessex in preparation for his accession to the English throne.source

Births

  • Ngô Quyền, Vietnamese warlord who later became the founder of the Ngô Dynasty (d. 944)source
  • He Ning, Chinese chancellor (d. 955)source
  • Fu Yanqing, Chinese general (d. 975)source
  • Sang Weihan, Chinese chief of staff (d. 947)source
  • Li Congyan, Chinese general (d. 946)source
  • Hugh the Great, Father of Hugh Capet and progenitor of the Capetian Kings (approximate date) (d. 956)source

Deaths

  • January 1 – King Odo I (or Eudes) dies at La Fère (Northern France) after a 10-year reign. His rival, the 18-year-old Charles the Simple in Laon, gains sovereignty and becomes ruler (with no real authority) of the West Frankish Kingdom. This puts an end to five years of civil war between the Frankish nobles.source
  • January 1 – Odo I, king of the West Frankish Kingdomsource
  • October 15 – Lambert II dies from falling off his horse while hunting — or is killed (possibly assassinated by supporters of Maginulf of Milan). After the death of Lambert, his rival Berengar I gains recognition as king of Italy. He releases Adalbert II and receives homage from the Italian nobles.source
  • October 15 – Lambert II, king of Italy and Holy Roman Emperorsource
  • Luo Hongxin, Chinese warlord (b. 836)source
  • Aitíth mac Laigni, king of Ulaid (Ireland)source
  • Hsiang-yen Chih-hsien, Chinese Ch'an mastersource
  • Al-Mubarrad, Muslim grammarian (b. 826)source
  • Mashdotz I, Armenian monk and catholicos (or 897)source
  • Doseon, Korean Buddhist monk (b. 826)source
  • Wang Chao, Chinese warlord (b. 846)source
  • Athanasius, bishop and duke of Naplessource
  • Ahmad ibn Isa al-Shaybani, Muslim leadersource
  • Ya'qubi, Muslim geographer (or 897)source