800

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Charlemagne, emperor (king) of the Franks

Year 800 (DCCC) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. It was around this time that the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years, so from this time on, the years began to be known as 800 and onwards.

Events

By place

Europe

• December 25 – Charlemagne, king of the Franks, is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by pope Leo III as Charles I with the title "Emperor of the Franks and the Lombards". The coronation takes place during mass at the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome on Christmas Day. The Frankish Empire is formed in Western Europe which is not recognized by empress Irene at Constantinople. This triggers a series of disputes with the Byzantines around who is officially ruling the former Western Roman Empire.
• The Rus' Khaganate (modern Russia) is created by people who are called Rus' after 182 year dominance of the Khazars. This is the starting period of the rise of the Kievan Rus', and the later states of Belarus and Ukraine (approximate date).

Britain

• King Eardwulf of Northumbria has his men seize prince Ealhmund, son of the late king Alhred, and put him to death. He is buried at Derby in the St. Alkmund's Church and later revered as a saint (approximate date).

China

• The ci, a new type of lyric poetry with irregular lines is set to a melody during the Tang Dynasty (approximate date).

Africa

• Sijilmasa (in present-day Morocco) is founded as the departure point for caravans between North Africa and the western Sudan (approximate date).
• Ife, in present-day Nigeria, becomes an important urban center (approximate date).

Mesoamerica

• Itza culture starts in Mesoamerica (approximate date).

Polynesia

• The first settlers of the Hawaiian Islands arrive (approximate date).

By topic

Religion

• Retirement of archbishop Hygeberht of Lichfield. He is succeeded by Ealdwulf. King Coenwulf of Mercia is on better terms with the archiepiscopal of Canterbury than his predecessor, and unsuccessfully attempts to have the Mercian archiepiscopal see transferred to London (approximate date).
• Book of Kells is written and illuminated in a Columban monastery in the British Isles (approximate date).

Births

• Aldric, bishop of Le Mans (approximate date)
• Al-Abbās ibn Said al-Jawharī, Muslim mathematician
• Álvaro of Córdoba, Mozarab scholar (approximate date)
• Amoghavarsha I, king of Rashtrakuta (India) (d. 878)
• Boso the Elder, Frankish nobleman (approximate date)
• Govindasvāmi, Indian astronomer (approximate date)
• Louis, Frankish abbot (approximate date)
• Methodios I, patriarch of Constantinople (or 788)
• Nicholas I, pope of the Catholic Church (d. 867)
• Nominoe, duke of Brittany (approximate date)
• Pribina, Slavic prince (approximate date)
• Robert III, Frankish nobleman (d. 834)
• Rorgon II, count of Maine (approximate date)
• Swithin, bishop of Winchester (approximate date)
• Valentine, pope of the Catholic Church (d. 827)

Deaths

• June 3 – Staurakios, Byzantine chief minister
• September 26 – Berowulf, bishop of Würzburg
• Ailill mac Fergusa, king of South Brega (Ireland)
• Alkelda, Anglo-Saxon princess (approximate date)
• Beatus of Liébana, monk and theologian (approximate date)
• Ealhmund, prince of Northumbria (approximate date)
• Luitgard, Frankish queen and wife of Charlemagne
• Vatsraja, king of the Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty

References