The First Millenium

[Vince]

Welcome to 722.

January 3 – In Mexico, K'inich Ahkal Mo' Naab III takes the throne of the Maya state of Palenque. Ten years after suffering a major defeat, Palenque is revitalized by their new king. He embarks on one of the greatest building programs in history, which is both a cause and a result of renewed prosperity.

A Catholic army wins its first victory over Muslims in Spain. But the Muslims still strengthen their control over the Iberian Peninsula.

In England, Wessex is having a bad time, as it is attacked by both Sussex and a combined Viking-Cornish army.

 

[Vince]

723

Arab Moslems massacre thousands of Turkish and Iranian refugees in central Asia.

In Germany, the Catholic missionary Boniface chops down Thor's Oak, a mighty tree that was sacred to the worshipers of Thor. When Thor does not respond, the local Germanic tribes agree to become Catholic.

About this time, China invents a mechanical clock.

 

[Vince]

And now it is the year 724!

The Japanese empress Gensho abdicates in favor of her 23-year-old nephew; Emperor Shomu begins his 25 year reign by ordering the nobility to put green tiles on the roofs of their houses and paint the walls white. Why? Because that's what the Chinese nobility were doing.

The wife of Charles Martel dies.

 

[Vince]

725

Chinese scientist Yi Xing invents a water-power clock that announces the time by striking a gong. He also invents a mechanism to rotate a celestial sphere he had built.

Large numbers of Parsees, who follow the teachings of Zoroaster, begin emigrating to India to escape Moslem persecution. The Hindus welcome them, and the Parsees are still there. Eleven centuries earlier, the Zoroastrians had the largest empire in the world, but today they are a small group.

The venerable Bede writes "On the Reckoning of Time." Among other things, it popularizes the use of "BC" and "AD."

 

[Vince]

726

Byzantine Emperor Leo III has been successful so far. Shortly after seizing the throne, he had withstood the Moslem siege of Constantinople. Then he had reformed many of Byzantium’s problems and defeated an uprising in Sicily.

But this year, he bans statue-worship in the Catholic Church. The Patriarch of Constantinople resigns rather than obey. The monks and most clergy defy him, and in Greece there is a revolt. The Pope excommunicates him, and when he tries to enforce his decree, revolts break out in Italy. After three years, the Emperor quietly drops the matter.

In England, Æthelheard becomes king of both Wessex and Mercia.

Japan holds its first annual sumo wrestling tournament.

Arab Moslems sack Caesarea in central Turkey.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to the year 727 AD.

Arab Moslems continue their success in modern Turkey. They raze the city of Gangra, a well-watered cit in northern Turkey. But their siege of Nicaea fails.

Learning that the Emperor has condemned statue worship, Pope Gregory II condemns him. The parts of Italy that are controlled by the Byzantine Empire break away. The Lombard king Liutprand sees his chance and invades the newly-independent parts of Italy.

 

[Vince]

Folks, I'm often volunteering at an orphanage early in the morning, so I am going to start posting new entries in the evenings from now on.

It is now 728.


For the second time in four years, Turks defeat Moslem Arabs in central Asia.

In a major defeat for the Byzantine Empire, the Lombards capture Ravenna, Italy. For those without long memories: the Lombards were a Germanic tribe that had invaded and seized much of Italy. The Byzantine Empire had invaded southern Italy and both of them held large parts of the Italian Peninsula. Ravenna, in northern Italy, was easily defended, and the Romans had moved the capital of Italy from Rome to Ravenna to make it safer. After recapturing most of Italy, the Byzantines had made Ravenna the capital, and the bishop of Ravenna was the Emperor's representative and was not under the authority of the Pope. The Lombard capture of Ravenna was a major defeat for the Byzantine Empire.

 

[Nevalti]

Year 729

A Battle is fought at Ravenna between the armies of Pope Gregory II and the Emperor Leo III. It was over the continued use of icons and images which Leo was against. The Pope's forces win the battle which leaves thousands dead. The River Po is so polluted that for many years the locals will not eat any fish from it.

 

[Vince]

Thank you, Nevalti. I want to remind everyone that contributions are always welcome and appreciated.

Welcome to the year 729.

Emperor Leo the Isaurian ordered the destruction of an icon of Christ set in the great Bronze Gate in Constantinople. Theodosia, a nun, tried to stop the officer in charge by shaking the ladder he was using. The officer fell and died from his injuries. Although his death was an accident, Theodosia was executed for murder, but was later made a martyr and a saint.

Coming out of Spain, Moslem invaders capturedthe walled city of Carcassonne in southern France.

 

[Vince]

And here it is 730.

The Khazars win a massive three-day battle against Moslem invaders, keeping them out of eastern Europe and expanding their own territory into Asia.

Charles Martel is busy invading and conquering Germany. He conquers the last of the Alamanni (a German tribe) and annexes them. I should explain that in a continent filled with Germans, Germany did not exist. Much of modern Germany was part of the Frankish Kingdom (the Franks were Germans) and much of the rest consisted of small kingdoms.

Arab Moslems sack the Byzantine fortress of Charsianon in central Turkey but are unable to hold it.

Having seized Ravenna, Lombardy continues its expansion into Italy and their forces reach Rome. But Pope Leo convinces the Catholic Lombard king to turn back. And Pope Leo excommunicates the Emperor of Byzantium for forbidding statue worship.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 731.

In modern Uzbekistan, Arab Moslems suffer such a massive defeat at The Battle of the Defile that their expansion into central Asia is halted for two decades.

The Venerable Bede completes his "Ecclesiastical History of the English People," one of the most important historical works ever written.

Pope Gregory II dies, and at his funeral, the crowd proclaims Gregory III as the new Pope. Failing in his use of diplomacy, the new Pope sees part of his territory taken away by the Byzantine Emperor, his requests for help from Charles Martel ignored, and the Patriarch of Constantinople being given some authority to control the Pope. Nonetheless, he is loyal to the Empire, and he later helps the Byzantines recapture Ravenna from the Lombards.

In southern Mexico, the Mayan Empire begins the greatest period of its history.

 

[Vince]

And now it is the year 732.

Moslems reach their high point in Europe when they advance from Spain to north central France. There, Charles Martel leads a combined Frankish and Burgundian army in a massive victory over the Moslems. For the next century, the Franks will dominate western Europe.

On June 26, Venus passes in front of Jupiter. Nothing happened, but the astronomers found it interesting.

In north Africa, a revolt against the Moslems breaks out among the Berbers. Meanwhile, Moslem raiders are capturing slaves in southern Europe and selling them in Venice.

The Black Plague breaks out in Constantinople. The epidemic will last four years and kill up to 200,000 people.

Pope Gregory III forbids Catholics in western Germany to eat horse meat. Pagans were using horse meat for their religious ceremonies.

 

[Vince]

We have reached 733.

Angered at the Pope's defense of statue worship, Byzantine Emperor Leo III removes the island of Sicily, southwestern Italy, and the Balkans (in southeastern Europe) from the Pope's jurisdiction.

 

[Vince]

Life's no bore in 734.

Charles Martel defeats the Frisians in modern Holland, killing their king and annexing much of their territory to the Frankish Empire.

 

[Vince]

735 is here!

The Venerable Bede, the great English Church historian, dies. Much of the information in this thread came from him.

Smallpox breaks out in Japan. By the time the epidemic is over, the Japanese population has been reduced by 30%.

Charles Martel invades Burgundy. It take him four years, but he finally conquers all of it. Meanwhile, the Moslems from Spain keep menacing southern France, and he has to battle them occasionally.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 736!

The Germans figure out how to use hops (a plant product) to stabilize and flavor beer.

In the northernmost part of Central America, Yik'in Chan K'awiil, ruler of the leading Maya city state of Tikal, conquers rival power Calakmul. Calakmul is located in southern Mexico and had ruled a large area that had included parts of Central America, including Tikal. Despite this defeat, Calakmul continues to function and eventually regaines some of its independence.

 

[Vince]

737

Moslem Arabs capture the Khazar capital but are soon driven out. However, the Khazars shift their capital to a safer area.

Charles Martel defeats a Moslem army sent from Spain into southern France. Martel had been besieging Narbonne, which the Moslems had captured, but he gave it up, as he needed his forces elsewhere.

The Danes, who occupy the Jutland Peninsula north of modern Germany (and still do), begin constructing the Danevirke, a line of defenses that runs all the way across southern Denmark, separating the Danes from the Frankish Empire. It takes them 231 years to finish.

Egypt, which had been conquered by the Moslems, is invaded from the south by Christians.

 

[Vince]

738 is a bad year for Mexican Sun worshipers. The great Lord 18 Rabbit builds a ball court at the Mayan city of Copan. “18 Rabbit” was not his real name, but it’s the best archaeologists can do. He appears on more stone carvings than any other ancient Mayan king. He erected several large buildings and steles that showed him as ruler of a powerful, well-organized city-state. He offered frequent blood sacrifices, explaining to the people that he did this to keep the sun in the sky. In a surprise attack he is captured and decapitated by Cauac Sky from the city of Quirigia, some 60 km. to the east. Fortunately, the sun remains in the sky.

Meanwhile, the victorious Cauac Sky not only overthrows his Copan rulers, but he becomes the greatest ruler in Quirigian history. He expands his kingdom, controlling the trade routes between the Caribbean and the Mayan Empire.

After visiting Rome, Boniface, the Apostle to the Germans, returns to modern Bavaria, where he establishes Catholic bishops.

 

[Vince]

Will things be fine in 739?

Charles Martel drives the last of the Moslems out of France.

In southeastern Europe, Kormisosh begins his 17 year reign as King of Bulgaria, establishing a new dynasty. Having rescued the Byzantines from the Moslems more than once, the Bulgarians are dismayed when Byzantium starts moving settlers into their territory. After his demands for tribute are ignored, King Kormisosh leads the Bulgarians in an invasion of Byzantium that penetrates to within 40 kilometers of Constantinople before being driven out.

The Kharijite Moslems emerge. Distinct from the Sunni and Shi'ite Moslems (who comprise the great majority of Moslems), the Kharijites began in a revolt this year in Tangiers against the Moslem rulers. Located on the northwestern tip of Africa, Tangiers made newly-converted Moslems pay the same taxes as non-Moslems, starting a revolt.

As the Lombards continue their expansion in Italy, Pope Gregory III appeals to Charles Martel, ruler of the Franks for help. The Franks do not respond--yet. The Lombards sack Ravenna and begin advancing towards Rome.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 740 AD.

The Khazar rulers convert to Judaism, making it the state religion, but they do not persecute anyone who chooses not to convert.

Alfonso the Catholic takes over Asturias, a kingdom he inherited in northern Spain. A furious warrior, he eventually drives the Moslems back far enough to leave a barren, depopulated buffer zone between him and them.

A massive earthquake strikes Constantinople.

The Byzantines hand Moslems such a massive defeat in western Turkey that they stay out of the area for another three decades.

The Chinese government orders that fruit trees be planted along every major street in the capital, and the people are allowed to eat the fruit.

Moslem rebels in Tangiers win a major military victory over their Moslem rulers.