8th century in England

	8th century in England
	Other centuries
	7th century \| 8th century \| 9th century

Events from the 8th century in England.

Events[]

700
- Osgyth, Abbess of Chich in Essex, is killed.
- Approximate date – Beverley Minster is founded by John of Beverley.
704
- Æthelred of Mercia abdicates to become a monk at Bardney and is succeeded as king by his nephew Coenred.
705
- Wilfrid is re-instated as Bishop of Ripon.^[1]
- Bede completes his first chronological work.^[1]
- Approximate date
  - The Diocese of Sherborne is created from part of that of Winchester with Aldhelm as first bishop.
  - John of Beverley is elevated from Bishop of Hexham to Bishop of York.
709
- Coenred of Mercia abdicates to become a monk in Rome and is succeeded as king by his cousin Ceolred.
710
- Picts unsuccessfully invade Northumbria.^[2]
- Approximate date – Bishop Wilfrid dies at Oundle.
715
- Approximate date – Completion of Lindisfarne Gospels.
716
- Æthelbald becomes King of Mercia on the death of Ceolred, marking the beginning of that kingdom's ascendancy over the other Saxon realms.^[1]
- The 'Codex Amiatinus', the earliest surviving complete manuscript of the Vulgate, produced at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey, is taken to Italy as a gift to the Pope.
721
- Death of Bishop Eadfrith of Lindisfarne.
722
- King Ine of Wessex fails to conquer Cornwall, being defeated at the three battles of Hehil, Garth Maelog, and Pencon.^[3]
725
- 23 April – King Wihtred of Kent dies leaving the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Kent to his three sons: Æthelberht II, Eadberht and Alric.^[4]
726
- King Ine of Wessex abdicates to travel to Rome and is succeeded by Æthelheard.
Before 730
- Northumbria annexes Rheged.
731
- Bede completes his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People).^[1]
- 13 January – death of Berhtwald, Archbishop of Canterbury. He is succeeded by Tatwine.
732
- Wilfrid II resigns the Bishopric of York and is succeeded by Ecgbert who establishes a library and school in York.
734
- 30 July – death of Tatwine, Archbishop of Canterbury. He is succeeded by Nothhelm.
735
- Bishopric of York elevated to an Archbishopric; Ecgbert becomes the first Archbishop.^[1]
736
- King Æthelbald of Mercia describes himself as "King of Britain".^[1]
739
- 17 October – death of Nothhelm, Archbishop of Canterbury. He is succeeded by Cuthbert.
740
- Approximate date – Æthelheard of Wessex is succeeded by Cuthred.
747
- First Council of Clofeshoh reforms the Church.^[1]
749
- : Church freed from its economic obligations to the King of Mercia.^[1]
750
- King Eadberht of Northumbria invades the Kingdom of Strathclyde, capturing Kyle.^[1]
752
- Battle of Beorhford: Cuthred of Wessex defeats Æthelbald of Mercia at Battle Edge, Burford, Oxfordshire.^[1]
753
- Cuthred of Wessex fights the Cornish.
756
- King Eadberht captures Dumbarton, capital of Strathclyde.^[1]
757
- King Æthelbald of Mercia murdered; succeeded by Offa.^[1]
- King Sigeberht of Wessex deposed and murdered; succeeded by Cynewulf.^[5]
- Wat's Dyke constructed.^[1]
758
- King Eadberht of Northumbria abdicates to enter a monastery at York; succeeded by his son Oswulf.
759
- 24 July – King Oswulf of Northumbria is murdered at Market Weighton; succeeded by Æthelwald Moll (crowned 5 August).
760
- Battle of Hereford: Battle between Mercia and the Welsh; Dyfnwal ap Tewdwr dies.^[3]
- 26 October – death of Cuthbert, Archbishop of Canterbury. He is succeeded by Bregowine (consecrated 27 September 761).
761
- 6 August – Battle of Eildon: King Æthelwald Moll of Northumbria defeats and kills a rival, Oswine, in a 3-day battle in Scotland.
764
- Offa conquers Kent.^[1]
- August – death of Bregowine, Archbishop of Canterbury. He is succeeded by Jænberht (consecrated 2 February 765 at Offa's court).
765
- 30 October – King Æthelwald Moll of Northumbria deposed; succeeded by Alhred.
771
- Offa conquers Sussex.^[1]
774
- Offa first uses the title "King of the English".^[1]
- King Alhred of Northumbria is deposed; succeeded by Æthelred.
776
- Battle of Otford: Kent expels the Mercians.^[1]
778
- Offa raids Dyfed.^[3]
779
- Æthelred I of Northumbria is deposed for the first time; succeeded by Ælfwald I of Northumbria
779
- Hygeberht becomes Bishop of Lichfield.
784
- Offa raids Wales.^[3]
- Construction of Offa's Dyke begins.^[1]
786
- Papal legates hold councils in Mercia and Northumbria.^[1]
- Mercia regains control of Kent.^[1]
- King Cynewulf of Wessex is killed in a surprise attack at his mistress's house in Marten or Merton by Cyneheard the Ætheling (brother of the deposed Sigeberht), who also dies in the attack; Beorhtric takes the throne with the support of his father-in-law Offa.
787
- Offa issues the first silver penny.^[1]
- At a Synod of Chelsea, Offa has his son consecrated as King; the first such ceremony in England.^[1]
788
- 23 September – Ælfwald I of Northumbria is murdered, probably at Chesters, by ealdorman Sicga and succeeded by his first cousin Osred II as king of Northumbria.
- At Offa's urging, the Pope elevates the Bishopric of Lichfield (under Hygeberht) to an Archbishopric.^[1]
789
- Charlemagne establishes a trade embargo on the English after failed negotiations for his daughter to marry Offa's son.^[1]
- Norse activity in the British Isles: Viking raid on England, at Portland.^[2]
790
- Æthelred is restored as king of Northumbria following the deposition of Osred II and institutes minting of the styca to replace the silver sceat.
792
- 12 August – death of Jænberht, Archbishop of Canterbury. He is succeeded by Æthelhard.
- October – Osred, the deposed king of Northumbria, returns from exile and is murdered.
793
- 8 June – Vikings raid Lindisfarne.^[1]
794
- 6 January? – Vikings raid Jarrow.^[1]
- 20 May – King Æthelberht II of East Anglia is beheaded on the order of King Offa of Mercia at Sutton Walls, Herefordshire.^[2]
796
- 18 April – Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered at Corbridge by a group led by ealdormen Ealdred and Wada. Osbald succeeds him as king of Northumbria for 27 days before going into exile, initially in Lindisfarne.
- 14 May – Eardwulf succeeds as king of Northumbria.
- 29 July – Offa of Mercia dies having raided Dyfed^[1] and possibly fought in the Battle of Rhuddlan Marsh^[2] (perhaps against Caradog ap Meirion). He is buried, maybe at Bedford, and succeeded by his son Ecgfrith who reigns only until December; Wessex regains its independence.^[2]
- December – Ecgfrith is succeeded by Coenwulf of Mercia.
- Kent rebels against Mercia again.^[1]
798
- Kentish rebellion suppressed.^[1]
- Saxons kill Caradog ap Meirion, King of Gwynedd.^[3]

Births[]

c. 700 – Lullus, Archbishop of Mainz (d. 786)

References[]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac Palmer, Alan; Veronica (1992). The Chronology of British History. London: Century Ltd. pp. 34–37. ISBN 0-7126-5616-2.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Annales Cambriae
^ Bede (1990). Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Translated by Leo Sherley-Price, rev. R. E. Latham, ed. D. H. Farmer. London: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044565-X. V:23.
^ Dated 755 in the very full entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

[CBH-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac Palmer, Alan; Veronica (1992). The Chronology of British History. London: Century Ltd. pp. 34–37. ISBN 0-7126-5616-2.

[ASC-2] Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

[AC-3] Annales Cambriae

[4] Bede (1990). Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Translated by Leo Sherley-Price, rev. R. E. Latham, ed. D. H. Farmer. London: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044565-X. V:23.

[5] Dated 755 in the very full entry in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

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