773

By place

Europe

• Summer - King Charlemagne and his uncle Bernard, son of Charles Martel, cross the Alps with a Frankish expeditionary force at the request of Pope Adrian I. At the foot of the mountains in the Susa Valley, the Franks are hindered by Lombard fortifications. After scouting, Charlemagne attacks the defenders from the flank, and forces the Lombards to flee to the fortified capital Pavia.
• Siege of Pavia: Charlemagne besieges Pavia, which is poorly stocked with food. King Desiderius remains in the capital, and orders his son Adalgis to defend Verona to guard Gerberga, and the children of Carloman I. After a short siege, Adalgis flees to Constantinople, where he is received by Emperor Constantine V. Meanwhile, the Franks capture the cities of Verona and Mortara.
• Saxon Wars: Saxon forces seize upon Charlemagne's preoccupation with Italy to retake Eresburg and Syburg. They unsuccessfully attack the episcopal centre of Büraburg, which had been established by St. Boniface.

  Britain

• King Alhred of Northumbria makes overtures of friendship toward Charlemagne.

  Abbasid Caliphate

• The number 0 is introduced to the city of Baghdad, which will be developed in the Middle East by Arabian mathematicians, who will base their numbers on the Indian system.

  Asia

• King Khongtekcha of Manipur dies after a 10-year reign; during his rule the Meitei language script first appears.

  By topic

Ecology

• A large and sudden increase in radiocarbon occurs around 773, in coral skeletons from the South China Sea.