Editing 778

{{short description|Calendar year}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|778}}
{{Year nav|778}}
{{M1 year in topic}}
[[File:Mort de Roland.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|The death of [[Roland]] ([[Battle of Roncevaux Pass|Battle of Roncevaux]])]]
[[File:Olifant, Aachener Domschatz.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Olifant (instrument)|Olifant]], Roland's [[Horn (acoustic)|horn]] ([[Aachen Cathedral Treasury|Aachen Cathedral]])]]
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Year '''778''' ('''[[Roman numerals|DCCLXXVIII]]''') was a [[common year starting on Thursday]] of the [[Julian calendar]], the 778th year of the [[Common Era]] (CE) and [[Anno Domini]] (AD) designations, the 778th year of the [[1st millennium]], the 78th year of the [[8th century]], and the 9th year of the [[770s]] decade. The denomination 778 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [[Anno Domini]] [[calendar era]] became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Arab Caliphate and Byzantine Empire ====
* [[Arab–Byzantine wars#Raids under the last Umayyads and the rise of Iconoclasm|Arab–Byzantine War]]: Emperor [[Leo IV the Khazar|Leo IV ("the Khazar")]] repulses an [[Abbasid Caliphate|Abbasid]] invasion in [[Anatolia]]. A Byzantine expeditionary force under [[Michael Lachanodrakon]], military governor (''[[Strategos#Byzantine use|strategos]]'') of the [[Thracesian Theme]], defeats the [[Arab-Muslims|Muslim-Arabs]] at the fortress city of [[Kahramanmaraş|Germanikeia]] in [[Cilicia]] (modern [[Turkey]]). He [[Looting|plunder]]s the region and takes many captives, mostly [[Jacobite Syrian Christian Church|Jacobites]], who are resettled in [[Thrace]].
[[File:Dirhem of al-Mahdi, AH 158-169.jpg|thumb|250px|Silver [[dirham]] of Arab caliph [[al-Mahdi]], minted at [[Baghdad]] in 778/9]]

==== Europe ====
* A [[Francia|Frankish]] army (supported by [[Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundians]], [[Bavaria]]ns, [[Brittany|Bretons]], [[Lombards]], and [[Visigoths]]) under King [[Charlemagne]] invades [[Al-Andalus]] (modern [[Spain]]), and conquers the cities of Pamplona and Barcelona. However, the Franks are halted at [[Zaragoza]], in the ''[[thughur]]'' or frontier zone of the [[Emirate of Córdoba]]. 
* [[August 15]] &ndash; [[Battle of Roncevaux Pass]] ([[Pyrenees]]): Charlemagne is defeated by the [[Basque people|Basques]]. Among those killed is [[Roland]], governor of the [[Marches of Neustria|Breton March]], who will be immortalized in the [[11th century]] epic ''[[The Song of Roland]]''. This marks the beginning of [[Middle Ages|medieval]] French literature.
* [[Saxon Wars#First phase|Saxon Wars]]: [[Widukind]] and his close followers return to [[Old Saxony|Saxony]] from [[Denmark]]. He probably makes [[Military alliance|alliance]]s with the [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danes]] and the northwestern [[Slavs|Slav]] tribes. Saxon rebels destroy the fortress of Karlsburg and sack [[Deutz, Cologne|Deutz]] (near [[Cologne]]), but are unable to cross the [[Rhine]]. They are driven back by the [[garrison]] of [[Koblenz]], but then [[ambush]] and defeat the Frankish pursuers. Counter-attacking Frankish forces pursue the [[Saxons]] up the [[Lahn|Lahn Valley]], and defeat them near Leisa.<ref>David Nicolle (2014). ''The Conquest of Saxony AD 782–785''. p. 12. {{ISBN|978-1-78200-825-5}}</ref>

==== Britain ====
* Unrest in [[Northumbria]] leads to King [[Æthelred I of Northumbria|Æthelred I]] ordering the execution of three of his [[duke]]s. This considerably weakens his position (approximate date).

=== By topic ===
==== Religion ====
* Saxon raiders destroy many [[Church (building)|churche]]s deep in Frankish territory. The [[order of Saint Benedict|Benedictine]] monks of [[Fulda monastery|Fulda Abbey]] (modern-day [[Hesse]]) hurriedly carry the [[relic]]s of [[Saint Boniface]] over the [[Rhön Mountains]] to safety.<ref>David Nicolle (2014). The Conquest of Saxony AD 782–785, p. 17. {{ISBN|978-1-78200-825-5}}</ref>
</onlyinclude> 
* In [[Japan]], the [[Kiyomizu-dera]] [[Buddhist temple]] is founded in [[Kyoto]]. Its main hall (Hondo) is built in [[1633]] without a single nail.

== Births ==
* [[Ali ibn al-Madini]], Muslim [[Ulama|scholar]] (d. [[849]])
* [[Bernard of Vienne|Bernard]], bishop of [[Ancient Diocese of Vienne|Vienne]] (d. [[842]]) 
* [[Ermengarde of Hesbaye]], queen of the [[Francia|Franks]] (d. [[818]])
* [[Ishaq Ibn Rahwayh|Ishaq ibn Rahwayh]], Muslim scholar and [[imam]] (or [[AD 777|777]])
* [[Li Gongzuo]], Chinese writer (d. [[848]])
* [[Li Shigu]], general of the [[Tang dynasty|Tang Dynasty]] (d. [[806]])
* [[Liu Gongquan]], Chinese [[Chinese calligraphy|calligrapher]] (d. [[865]])
* [[Louis the Pious]], king of the Franks (d. [[840]])
* [[Rotrude]], Frankish princess, daughter of [[Charlemagne]] (or [[775]])
* [[Emperor Xianzong of Tang|Xian Zong]], emperor of the Tang Dynasty (d. [[820]])
* [[Zhaozhou Congshen|Zhaozhou]], Chinese [[Zen]] [[Chinese Buddhism|Buddhist]] master (d. [[897]])

== Deaths ==
* [[August 15]] &ndash; [[Roland]], Frankish military leader
* [[Áed Find]], king of [[Dál Riata]] ([[Scotland]])
* [[Alpín II of the Picts|Alpín II]], king of the [[Picts]]
* [[Berhthun (bishop)|Berhthun]], bishop of [[Diocese of Lichfield|Lichfield]] (approximate date)
* [[Congalach mac Conaing]], king of South [[Kings of Brega|Brega]] ([[Ireland]])
* [[Eterscél mac Áeda]], king of the [[Uí Cheinnselaig]] (Ireland) 
* [[Mac Flaithniadh]], abbot of [[Clonfert]] (Ireland)
* [[Niall Frossach]], [[High King of Ireland]]
* [[Sufyan al-Thawri]], Muslim [[Ulama|scholar]] and [[jurist]] (b. [[716]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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