WORLD HISTORY · TIMELINE 日本語
The 8th century701–800
What were the key events of the 8th century?
In the 8th century (701–800), Japan enacted the Taiho Code, and its capital moved from Heijo-kyo (Nara) to Heian-kyo (Kyoto). In the Islamic world the Abbasids made Baghdad their capital, the Tang dynasty was shaken by the An Lushan Rebellion, and Charlemagne was crowned emperor in Rome.
- Taiho Code enacted in JapanAsia
- Code-based government operates from Heijo-kyoAsia
- Umayyads advance into the Iberian PeninsulaEurope
- Abbasids make Baghdad their capitalMiddle East
- Abbasids defeat Tang army at the Talas RiverAsia
- An Lushan Rebellion shakes Tang ruleAsia
- Emperor Kanmu moves capital to Heian-kyoAsia
- Charlemagne crowned emperor in RomeEurope
Summaries are written by the site editors.
Key events of the 8th century (timeline · excerpt)
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Taiho Code enacted in Japan
Byzantine emperor Justinian II has his predecessors Leontios and Tiberios III publicly executed in the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
Election of Pope Constantine following the death of Pope Sisinnius. He would be the last pope to visit Constantinople until 1967.
Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708).
Umayyads advance into the Iberian Peninsula
Islamic conquest of Hispania: Moorish troops led by Tariq ibn Ziyad land at Gibraltar to begin their invasion of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus).
Umayyad conquest of Hispania: Battle of Guadalete: Umayyad forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by King Roderic.
The Byzantine emperor Philippicus is blinded, deposed and sent into exile by conspirators of the Opsikion army in Thrace. He is succeeded by Anastasios II, who begins the reorganization of the Byzantine army.
The imperial official Artemius is chosen as Byzantine emperor the day after the blinding of previous emperor Philippicus. Artemisius chooses the name of Anastasius II and announces his adherence to Chalcedonian Christianity.
Pepin of Herstal, mayor of the Merovingian palace, dies at Jupille (modern Belgium). He is succeeded by his infant grandson Theudoald, while his widow Plectrude holds actual power in the Frankish Kingdom.
Theodosius III resigns the throne to the Byzantine Empire to enter a monastery, allowing Leo III to take the throne and begin the Isaurian dynasty.
Arab–Byzantine wars: Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik begins the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople, which will last for nearly a year.
Arab–Byzantine wars: The Arabs abandon the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople due to failure to secure enough supplies, defeat of their relief army by the Byzantines and an outbreak of plague in the camp.
Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan.
Battle of Marj Ardabil: The Khazars annihilate an Umayyad army and kill its commander, al-Jarrah ibn Abdallah al-Hakami.
The Turgesh drive back an Umayyad invasion of Khuttal, follow them south of the Oxus, and capture their baggage train.
Abbasid Revolution: Abu Muslim Khorasani begins an open revolt against Umayyad rule, which is carried out under the sign of the Black Standard.
Carloman, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, renounces his position as majordomo and retires to a monastery near Rome. His brother, Pepin the Short, becomes the sole ruler (de facto) of the Frankish Kingdom.
Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt.
In the Battle of the Zab, the Abbasid rebels defeat the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to the overthrow of the dynasty.
Abbasids defeat Tang army at the Talas River
An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Yanjing, initiating the An Lushan Rebellion during the Tang dynasty of China.
Abd al-Rahman I, the founder of the Arab dynasty that ruled the greater part of Iberia for nearly three centuries, becomes emir of Cordova, Spain.
An Lushan Rebellion: Emperor Xuanzong of Tang is ordered by his Imperial Guards to execute chancellor Yang Guozhong by forcing him to commit suicide or face a mutiny. General An Lushan has other members of the emperor's family killed.
The poet Du Fu returns to Chang'an as a member of Emperor Xuanzong's court, after having escaped the city during the An Lushan Rebellion.
Led by Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, the Hasanid branch of the Alids begins the Alid Revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate.
During the An Shi Rebellion, the Tang dynasty, with the help of Huihe tribe, recaptures Luoyang from the rebels.
Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa.
The Byzantine army of emperor Constantine V defeats the Bulgarian forces in the Battle of Anchialus.
Emperor Constantine V humiliates nineteen high-ranking officials, after discovering a plot against him. He executes the leaders, Constantine Podopagouros and his brother Strategios.
Antipope Constantine II is arrested by primicerius Christopher and Lombard troops sent to aid him by king Desiderius.
Antipope Constantine II is deposed and blinded by the Lombard troops of primicerius Christopher.
Pope Stephen III is elected to office, and quickly seeks Frankish protection against the Lombard threat, since the Byzantine Empire is no longer able to help.
The Lateran Council ends by condemning the Council of Hieria and anathematizing its iconoclastic rulings.
Austrasian king Carloman I dies, leaving his brother Charlemagne as sole king of the Frankish Kingdom.
The Battle of Bagrevand puts an end to an Armenian rebellion against the Abbasid Caliphate. Muslim control over the South Caucasus is solidified and its Islamization begins, while several major Armenian nakharar families lose power and their remnants flee to the Byzantine Empire.
Leo IV the Khazar becomes Byzantine Emperor following the death of his father Constantine V.
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass takes place between the army of Charlemagne and a Basque army.
The oldest recorded eruption of Mount Fuji (Traditional Japanese date: Sixth day of the seventh month of the first year of the Ten'o (天応) era).
The Asturian queen Adosinda is held at a monastery to prevent her nephew from retaking the throne from Mauregatus.
"Night of the three Caliphs": Harun al-Rashid becomes the Abbasid caliph upon the death of his brother al-Hadi. Birth of Harun's son al-Ma'mun.
The Second Council of Nicaea begins at the Church of Holy Wisdom in the city of Nicaea in Bithynia.
Vikings raid the abbey at Lindisfarne in Northumbria, commonly accepted as the beginning of Norse activity in the British Isles.
Emperor Kanmu moves capital to Heian-kyo
While visiting the royal Mercian court at Sutton Walls with a view to marrying princess Ælfthryth, King Æthelberht II of East Anglia is taken captive and beheaded.
King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The patrician Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days.
Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI is seized by supporters of his mother Irene, deposed and blinded.
After mistreatment and disfigurement by the citizens of Rome, Pope Leo III flees to the Frankish court of king Charlemagne at Paderborn for protection.
A council is convened in the Vatican, at which Charlemagne is to judge the accusations against Pope Leo III.
Charlemagne crowned emperor in Rome
Source: Wikipedia date pages ("January 1" … "December 31") / CC BY-SA 4.0. Regions are assigned by the site editors.
Dates and events are based on Wikipedia and other references. Summaries and regions are written by the site editors.