849. Birth of Alfred the Great. See "[CAREER OF ALFRED THE GREAT]," v, 49.
Gottschalk, a German bishop who preached the doctrine of twofold predestination, sentenced by the Council of Quincy to be flogged and suffer perpetual imprisonment.
The Saracens range at will through the Mediterranean; they are defeated at the mouth of the Tiber by the combined fleets of Naples, Gaeta, and Amalphi.
On Gallic soil the benificium and practice of commendation is specially fostered. See "[FEUDALISM: ITS FRANKISH BIRTH AND ENGLISH DEVELOPMENT]," v, 1.
850. Roric, a nephew of Harold, collects a piratical armament in Friesland and attacks adjacent coasts; Lothair grants Durstadt to him to secure his own lands.
Pépin strengthens himself in Aquitaine by leagues with the Northmen. See "[DECAY OF THE FRANKISH EMPIRE]," v, 22.
851. Danes ascend the Rhine with 252 ships and plunder Ghent, Cologne, Treves, and Aix-la-Chapelle.
Roric, with 350 sail, proceeds up the Thames and pillages Canterbury and London, after defeating the King of Mercia; he is at last defeated by Ethelwulf, with great slaughter, at Ockley.
852. A revolt against the Moslems in Armenia.
853. Hastings' (the Danish chief) ruse at Tuscany. See "[DECAY OF THE FRANKISH EMPIRE]," v, 22.