Editing 858 (section)

=== By place ===

==== Europe ====
* Summer &ndash; King [[Louis the German]], summoned by the disaffected [[Francia|Frankish]] nobles, invades the [[West Francia|West Frankish Kingdom]] and secures [[Duchy of Aquitaine|Aquitaine]] for his nephew [[Pepin II of Aquitaine|Pepin II]] ("the Younger"). King [[Charles the Bald]] flees to [[Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundy]]; he is saved by the help of the [[bishop]]s, and by the fidelity of the family of the [[House of Welf|Welfs]], who are related to [[Judith of Bavaria (died 843)|Judith]] (second wife of former emperor [[Louis the Pious]]).<ref>Charles the Bald - NNDB.com - English translation [[Charles the Bald]] [http://www.geni.com/people/Charles-II-the-Bald-Emperor/6000000005588616059]</ref>
* [[Vikings|Viking]] raiders, led by [[Björn Ironside]], set fire to the earliest church on the site of [[Chartres Cathedral]]. Charles the Bald pays him [[tribute]] ([[Danegeld]]) to save [[Verberie]] (Northern [[France]]).

==== Britain ====
* [[January 13]] &ndash; King [[Æthelwulf|Æthelwulf of Wessex]] dies after an 18-year reign, and is succeeded by his eldest son [[Æthelbald of Wessex|Æthelbald]]. He marries his father's young widow [[Judith of Flanders|Judith]] (daughter of Charles the Bald), and becomes sole ruler of [[Wessex]]. His brother, [[Æthelberht of Wessex|Æthelberht]], is left to rule [[Kingdom of Kent|Kent]] and the south-east of [[England]].
* [[February 13]] &ndash; King [[Kenneth MacAlpin|Kenneth I]] (Cináed mac Ailpín), king of the [[Scots people|Scots]], dies after a 15-year reign in which he has been crowned at [[Scone, Perth and Kinross|Scone]], and united the various parts of [[Scotland]] with his native [[Dál Riata]]. His 46-year-old brother succeeds as [[Domnall mac Ailpín|Donald I]], king of [[Alba]].

==== Asia ====
* [[October 7]] &ndash; Emperor [[Emperor Montoku|Montoku]] dies after an 8-year reign. He is succeeded by his 8-year-old son [[Emperor Seiwa|Seiwa]] as the 56th [[emperor of Japan]], with [[Fujiwara no Yoshifusa]] (Seiwa's grandfather) governing as [[regent]] and great minister of the [[Daijō-kan|Council of State]].<ref>Varley, p. 166.</ref>
* An enormous [[flood]] along the [[Grand Canal (China)|Grand Canal]] inundates thousands of acres of [[Agricultural land|farmland]] and kills tens of thousands of people in the [[North China Plain]].<ref>Bowman, p. 105.</ref>