740 CE

740 Constantinople earthquake. An earthquake strikes Constantinople and the surrounding countryside, causing destruction to the city's land walls and buildings. Battle of Akroinon: Following the disastrous Battle of Sebastopolis (see 692), Emperor Leo III has largely confined himself to a defensive strategy, while the Umayyad armies regularly launch raids into Byzantine-held Anatolia. Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik assembles an expeditionary force (90,000 men) under his son Sulayman ibn Hisham. One of these armies, 20,000 men strong under Abdallah al-Battal, is defeated at Akroinon (modern-day Afyon) by the Byzantines, led by Leo and his son, the future emperor Constantine V. About 6,800 Muslim Arabs, however, resist and manage to conduct an orderly retreat to Synnada (Phrygia). Fujiwara no Hirotsugu Rebellion: The Fujiwara clan led by Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, dissatisfied with the political powers in Japan, raise an army in Dazaifa (Kyushu) but are defeated by government forces.

In the 740s, the 8th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • The Berber tribes in the recently conquered region of Galicia (northwest Spain) rebel. This facilitates the establishment of an independent kingdom in the Cantabrian Mountains under King Alfonso I of Asturias.source
  • The Japanese imperial capital is moved from Heijō-kyō to Kuni-kyō.source

Conflict & Security

  • Battle of the Nobles: The Berber rebels under chieftain Khalid ibn Hamid al-Zanati defeat and overwhelm the Umayyad forces of Khalid ibn Abi Habib al-Fihri, near Tangier (Northern Morocco), undermining Arab domination in Islamic North Africa. The rebellion spreads in Al-Andalus (Spain), causing governor Ubayd Allah ibn al-Habhab to withdraw Moorish troops from many garrisons north of the Pyrenees.source
  • Battle of Akroinon: Following the disastrous Battle of Sebastopolis (see 692), Emperor Leo III has largely confined himself to a defensive strategy, while the Umayyad armies regularly launch raids into Byzantine-held Anatolia. Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik assembles an expeditionary force (90,000 men) under his son Sulayman ibn Hisham. One of these armies, 20,000 men strong under Abdallah al-Battal, is defeated at Akroinon (modern-day Afyon) by the Byzantines, led by Leo and his son, the future emperor Constantine V. About 6,800 Muslim Arabs, however, resist and manage to conduct an orderly retreat to Synnada (Phrygia).source
  • Fujiwara no Hirotsugu Rebellion: The Fujiwara clan led by Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, dissatisfied with the political powers in Japan, raise an army in Dazaifa (Kyushu) but are defeated by government forces.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • Sicily, Sardinia, Provence, and Greece are raided by a fleet of Arab Muslim ships sent by the governor of Ifriqya, the ones raiding South Western Europe are led by Habīb Ibn Abi ‘Ubayda Al-Fihrī, while the fleet raiding Greece is led by Mu’awiya ibn Hishām. All of them are successful, submitting the Islands and returning with much wealth from the spoils of war.source

Religion & Belief

  • Cuthbert becomes archbishop of Canterbury after the death of Nothhelm (see 739).source
  • The Khazars, a nation of the Black Sea steppe, though not ethnically Jewish, voluntarily convert to Judaism.source
  • Duke Thrasimund II recovers the duchy of Spoleto and kills Hilderic with Papal-Beneventian aid. He does not return the confiscated papal cities, and his alliance with Pope Gregory III ruptures.source

Health & Medicine

  • December – King Liutprand of the Lombards attempts to counter the growing independence of the Lombard duchies in southern Italy.source

Crime & Justice

  • King Eadberht of Northumbria marches his army north to attack the Picts. King Æthelbald of Mercia takes advantage of his absence, and ravages the city of York. Internal struggles re-emerge in Northumbria with the murder of Eardwine, probably the son of the late usurping king Eadwulf I.source

Climate & Environment

  • October 26 – 740 Constantinople earthquake. An earthquake strikes Constantinople and the surrounding countryside, causing destruction to the city's land walls and buildings.source

Culture & Society

  • Much to the delight of the citizens of Chang'an, the Chinese government of the Tang dynasty orders fruit trees to be planted along every main avenue of the city, which enriches not only the diets of the people but also the surroundings (approximate date)source

Births

  • Waldo of Reichenau, Frankish abbot (approximate date)source
  • Theoctista, politically influential Byzantine woman (died 802)source
  • Gao Ying, chancellor of the Tang dynasty (died 811)source
  • Layman Pang, Chinese Chán (Zen) Buddhist (died 808)source
  • Aurelius, king of Asturias (approximate date)source
  • Mashallah ibn Athari, Jewish-Arab astrologer (died 815)source

Deaths

  • Uqba ibn al-Hajjaj, Arab governorsource
  • Maysara al-Matghari, Berber rebel leadersource
  • Abdallah al-Battal, Arab generalsource
  • Acca, bishop of Hexham (or 742)source
  • Rhain ap Cadwgan, king of Dyfed and Brycheiniogsource
  • Æthelwold, bishop of Lindisfarnesource
  • Zhang Jiuling, chancellor of the Tang dynasty (born 673)source
  • Zayd ibn Ali, Arab imam and grandson of Husayn ibn Ali (born 695)source
  • King Æthelheard of Wessex dies after a 14-year reign. He is succeeded by his brother (and probably distant relative) Cuthred. Æthelbald of Mercia takes control of Berkshire from Wessex.source
  • Khalid ibn Abi Habib al-Fihri, Arab generalsource
  • Anna, Byzantine princess and empress, wife of Artabasdossource