758

By place

Europe

• Summer - Duke Liutprand of Benevento attains majority, and rebels against Lombard rule. King Desiderius defeats him, and grants his duchy to Arechis II. He marries Adelperga, daughter of Desiderius, and establishes friendly relations with the Lombard Kingdom.
• Desiderius deposes Alboin, duke of Spoleto, and exercises ducal authority himself, tying the duchy more closely to the Lombard capital of Pavia.

  Britain

• King Beorna of East Anglia dies. Prince Æthelred, descendant of the late king Rædwald, apparently succeeds as king.
• King Eadberht of Northumbria abdicates the throne in favour of his son, Oswulf. He enters the monastery attached to the cathedral of York.
• King Swithred of Essex dies after a 12-year reign. He is succeeded by Sigeric, son of the late king Saelred.
• King Cynewulf of Wessex retakes Berkshire from the Mercians, and begins a war with the Welsh.

  Africa

• A group of four Basra-educated missionaries, including 'Abd al-Rahman Iban Rustam, proclaim the Ibadi imamate. Followers conquer the city of Kairouan, and massacre the Kharijites.

  Asia

• An Lushan Rebellion: The Chinese seaport of Guangzhou is sacked by Muslim and Persian raiders. The port is shut down for the next 5 decades, while foreign vessels dock at Hanoi instead. Guangzhou thrives again, once it is reopened to foreign trade in the early 9th century.
• June - Abbasid Arabs and Uyghur Turks arrive simultaneously at the Tang capital of Chang'an, in order to offer tribute to the imperial court. The Arabs and Turks bicker and fight over diplomatic prominence at the gate, to present tribute before the other. A settlement is reached when both are allowed to enter at the same time, but through different gates to the palace.
• Empress Kōken abdicates the throne, after a 9-year reign. She is succeeded by her adopted son Junnin, grandson of the late emperor Tenmu. He becomes the 47th emperor of Japan.