Editing 855 (section)

== Events ==
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=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[November 20]] &ndash; [[Theoktistos]], co-regent of the Empire on behalf of 15-year old Emperor [[Michael III]], is murdered on the orders of Michael.

==== Central Europe ====
* [[September 29]] &ndash; Emperor [[Lothair I]] dies after a 15-year reign (co-ruling with his father [[Louis the Pious]] until [[840]]). He divides the [[Middle Francia|Middle Frankish Kingdom]] between his three sons in an agreement called the [[Treaty of Prüm]]—the eldest, [[Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Louis II]], receives the northern half of [[Italy]] and the title of [[Holy Roman Emperor]]. The second, [[Lothair II]], receives [[Lotharingia]] (the [[Low Countries]] and [[Upper Burgundy]]). The youngest, [[Charles of Provence|Charles]], receives [[Lower Burgundy]] and [[Provence]].

==== Britain ====
* Spring &ndash; King [[Æthelwulf|Æthelwulf of Wessex]] decides to go on a [[pilgrimage]] to [[Rome]], accompanied by his youngest son [[Alfred the Great|Alfred]] (age 6) and a large [[retinue]].{{sfn|Abels|1998|p=72}} He divides the kingdom between his two eldest sons; [[Æthelbald of Wessex|Æthelbald]] receives the western part of [[Wessex]], while [[Æthelberht of Wessex|Æthelberht]] becomes ruler over [[Kingdom of Kent|Kent]], [[Surrey]], [[Kingdom of Sussex|Sussex]] and [[Kingdom of Essex|Essex]].<ref>Paul Hill (2009). ''The Viking Wars of Alfred the Great'', p. 17. {{ISBN|978-1-59416-087-5}}</ref>

==== Abbasid Caliphate ====
* Caliph [[al-Mutawakkil]] sends an [[Abbasid Caliphate|Abbasid]] army, led by the [[Turkic people|Turkic]] general [[Bugha al-Kabir]], to suppress an uprising of rebellious [[Medieval Armenia|Armenian]] ''[[nakharar]]s''. He subdues the country, and deports many [[Armenian nobility|Armenian nobles]] to the caliphal capital of [[Abbasid Samarra|Samarra]].{{sfn|Ter-Ghewondyan|1976|pp=83–86}}

=== By topic ===
==== Religion ====
* [[July 17]] &ndash; [[Pope Leo IV]] dies after an 8-year reign, and is succeeded by [[Pope Benedict III|Benedict III]] as the 104th [[pope]] of Rome. [[Anastasius Bibliothecarius|Anastasius]] is made [[anti-pope]] by Lothair I.
* Æthelwulf grants churches in Wessex the right to receive [[tithe]]s. He gives one-tenth of his lands to the [[Catholic Church|Church]].{{sfn|Stevenson|1904|p=186}}
* The [[Early Cyrillic alphabet|Slavic alphabet]] is created by [[Saints Cyril and Methodius]].
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