745 CE

China has accomplishments in poetry, painting and printing, but its monarchical system tends toward failure. Emperor Xuan Zong has fallen under the spell of his son's wife Yang Guifei (one of the Four Beauties of Ancient China), a Taoist priestess. He is ignoring the economy and the Tang dynasty is declining. The newly founded Uyghur Empire controls most of the former Turkic Empire territory, creating an empire that extends from Lake Balkash (modern Kazakhstan) to Lake Baikal (Mongolia), and is subject to Chinese suzerainty (approximate date). Hunald I, duke of Aquitaine, retires to a monastery, probably on Île de Ré. He is succeeded by his son Waifar, who struggles during his rule for independence against the Frankish Kingdom.

In the 740s, the 8th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • The newly founded Uyghur Empire controls most of the former Turkic Empire territory, creating an empire that extends from Lake Balkash (modern Kazakhstan) to Lake Baikal (Mongolia), and is subject to Chinese suzerainty (approximate date).source

Religion & Belief

  • Genbō, Japanese scholar-monk, is exiled to Dazaifu on the island of Kyushu.source
  • Hunald I, duke of Aquitaine, retires to a monastery, probably on Île de Ré. He is succeeded by his son Waifar, who struggles during his rule for independence against the Frankish Kingdom.source

Health & Medicine

  • Bubonic plague in Asia Minor kills 1/3 of the population, and subsequently sweeps through the Peloponnese (Balkan Peninsula) (approximate date).source

Climate & Environment

  • Carantania (modern Austria) loses its independence and becomes part of the Frankish Kingdom, due to the pressing danger posed by Avar tribes from the east (approximate date).source

Culture & Society

  • China has accomplishments in poetry, painting and printing, but its monarchical system tends toward failure. Emperor Xuan Zong has fallen under the spell of his son's wife Yang Guifei (one of the Four Beauties of Ancient China), a Taoist priestess. He is ignoring the economy and the Tang dynasty is declining.source

Births

  • Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi, Muslim caliph (or 744)source
  • Idris I, emir and founder of the Idrisid dynasty (died 791)source
  • Willehad, bishop of Bremen (approximate date)source
  • Zhang Jianfeng, statesman of the Tang dynasty (died 800)source
  • Wei Gao, general of the Tang dynasty (died 805)source
  • Musa al-Kadhim, seventh Twelver Shī‘ah imām (died 799)source
  • Yaoshan Weiyan, Chinese Buddhist monk (died 827)source

Deaths

  • Kulun Beg, ruler (khagan) of the Turkish Empiresource
  • Cathal Maenmaighe, king of Uí Maine (Ireland)source
  • Herlindis of Maaseik, Frankish abbess (or 753)source
  • Yusuf ibn Umar al-Thaqafi, Muslim governorsource
  • Thrasimund II, duke of Spoletosource