Editing 685 (section)

== Events ==
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=== By place ===
==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[July 10]] &ndash; Emperor [[Constantine IV]] dies of [[dysentery]] at [[Constantinople]] after a 17-year reign, and is succeeded by his 16-year-old son [[Justinian II]].{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=1084}}

==== Europe ====
* [[Kuber]], brother of [[Asparukh of Bulgaria]], defeats the [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]] in [[Syrmia]] ([[Pannonia (Roman province)|Pannonia]]). He leads his followers of around 70,000 people to [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]] (modern [[North Macedonia]]).

==== Britain ====
* [[May 20]] &ndash; [[Battle of Dun Nechtain]]: The [[Picts]] under King [[Bridei III]] revolt against their Northumbrian overlords. [[Cuthbert]], bishop of [[Lindisfarne]], advises King [[Ecgfrith of Northumbria]] (Bridei's cousin) not to invade Pictland (modern [[Scotland]]). Undeterred, Ecgfrith marches his army north to engage the enemy near [[Dunnichen]]. The Picts, possibly with [[Scottish people|Scottish]] and [[Strathclyde]] [[Britons (Celtic people)|Briton]] help, defeat the [[Saxons|Saxon]] guard, killing Ecgfrith, who has reigned for 15 years, routing his army and forcing the [[Anglo-Saxon]]s to withdraw south of the [[River Forth]].
* King [[Centwine of Wessex]] dies after a 9-year reign and is succeeded by his distant cousin, [[Cædwalla of Wessex|Cædwalla]], who manages to fully re-unite the sub-kingdoms of [[Wessex]]. He attacks [[Kingdom of Sussex|Sussex]] with a large army, and kills King [[Æthelwealh of Sussex|Æthelwealh]] in battle, in the [[South Downs]] ([[Hampshire]]).<ref name="InSaxonSx">Alec Hamilton-Barr. In Saxon Sussex. The Arundel Press, Bognor Regis, p. 21</ref> He is expelled by Æthelwealh's [[ealdormen]], [[Berthun of Sussex|Berthun]] and [[Andhun of Sussex|Andhun]], who jointly rule the South Saxons. Cædwalla invades [[Kingdom of Kent|Kent]], lays it waste, and carries off an immense [[Looting|booty]].<ref>A Chronicle of England (B.C. 55–A.D. 1485), by James. E. Doyle (1864). "The Saxons", p. 37</ref> 
* [[Aldfrith of Northumbria|Aldfrith]], illegitimate half-brother of Ecgfrith, becomes (possibly with [[Irish people|Irish]] and Scottish help) king of [[Northumbria]]. He is brought from [[Iona]] ([[Inner Hebrides]]), where he is studying for a career in the [[Catholic Church|church]].
* King [[Eadric of Kent|Eadric]] revolts against his uncle [[Hlothhere of Kent|Hlothhere]], and defeats him in battle. He becomes sole ruler of Kent until his death in [[686]].

==== Arabian Empire ====
* [[Battle of 'Ayn al-Warda]]: An [[Umayyad Caliphate|Umayyad]] army (20,000 men) under [[Husayn ibn Numayr al-Sakuni|Husayn ibn Numayr]] defeats the pro-[[Alids|Alid]] [[Kufa]]ns at [[Ras al-Ayn, al-Hasakah Governorate|Ras al-'Ayn]] ([[Syria]]).
* [[May 7]] &ndash; Caliph [[Marwan I]] dies at [[Damascus]], and is succeeded by his son [[Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan]].

[[File:Second Fitna Territorial Control Map ca 686.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|Mukhtar controlled much of Iraq from October 685 until the end of 686.{{legend|#FA738B|Region controlled by Abd al-Malik}} {{legend|#7FE37F|Region under the control of Mukhtar}} {{legend|#6BB0D7
|Regions under the control/influence of Ibn al-Zubayr}} {{legend|#EEE40D|[[Kharijite]] controlled areas}}]]

==== China ====
* Empress [[Wu Zetian]] sends a pair of [[giant panda]]s to the [[Japan]]ese court of [[Emperor Tenmu]], as a [[Panda diplomacy|diplomatic gift]] (approximate date).
* Wu Zetian [[exile]]s her son [[Emperor Zhongzong of Tang|Zhong Zong]], former emperor of the [[Tang dynasty]], and his family to the island of Fang Zhou.<ref>The Events of the Tang Dynasty: "Time line of the Tang Dynasty" (Tang Zhong Zong 684–685 A.D)</ref>

=== By topic ===
==== Religion ====
* [[May 8]] &ndash; [[Pope Benedict II]] dies at [[Rome]] after a reign of less than 11 months. He is succeeded by [[Pope John V|John V]] as the 82nd [[pope]].
* [[John Maron]] is elected as the first [[patriarch]] in the [[Maronite Church]] (approximate date).
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