Year 856 (DCCCLVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire March 15 – Emperor Michael III overthrows the regency of his mother Theodora. He appoints his uncle Bardas as the de facto regent and co-ruler of the Byzantine Empire. Europe King Charles the Bald cedes the county of Maine to Erispoe, ruler (duke) of Brittany—this in return for an alliance against the Vikings. King Ordoño I of Asturias is said to have begun the repopulation of the town of León in the northwest of Spain (approximate date). Britain October 1 – King Æthelwulf of Wessex marries the 12- or 13-year-old Judith, daughter of Charles the Bald, at Verberie (Northern France). She is crowned queen and anointed by Hincmar, archbishop of Reims. The marriage is a diplomatic alliance between Wessex and the West Frankish Kingdom. Winter – Æthelwulf returns to Wessex to face a revolt by his eldest son Æthelbald, who usurps the throne. Æthelwulf agrees to give up the western part of his kingdom, in order to avoid a civil war. He keeps control over Sussex, Surrey, Essex and Kent, over which Prince Æthelberht has presided. By topic Geology November (approximate date) – An earthquake in Corinth, Greece kills an estimated 45,000 people. December 3 – Another earthquake strikes the Abbasid Caliphate (modern-day Tunisia), also killing an estimated 45,000 people. December 22 – Another earthquake strikes Damghan (modern-day Iran), killing an estimated 200,000 people. Births October 24 – Li Keyong, Shatuo governor (jiedushi) (d. 908) Li Maozhen, Chinese warlord and king (d. 924) Deaths January 7 – Aldric, bishop of Le Mans February 4 – Rabanus Maurus, archbishop of Mainz August 6 – Fujiwara no Nagara, Japanese statesman (b. 802) August 16 – Theutbald I, bishop of Langres Florinus of Remüs, Frankish priest and martyr Godfrid Haraldsson, Viking chieftain (approximate date) Guerin, Frankish nobleman (or 845) Ilyas ibn Asad, Muslim emir (approximate date) Muhammad I Abu 'l-Abbas, Muslim emir References Sources