881



Year 881 (DCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar.

Europe

 * February 12 – King Charles the Fat, the third son of the late Louis the German, is crowned as Holy Roman Emperor by Pope John VIII at Rome.
 * August 3 – Battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu: The West Frankish kings Louis III, and his brother Carloman II, rout Viking raiders (near Abbeville).

Britain

 * Battle of the Conwy: King Anarawd of Gwynedd (Wales) initiates a revenge attack on the Mercian armies, and defeats them on the River Conwy.
 * Anarawd, and his brothers Cadell and Merfyn, begin extensive military campaigns to quell resistance in Powys and Seisyllwg (approximate date).

Arabian Empire

 * Zanj Rebellion: Abbasid general Al-Muwaffaq lays siege to the Zanj capital of Mukhtara, using his base on the opposite side of the River Tigris.

Asia

 * Bakong, the first temple mountain of sandstone, is constructed by rulers of the Khmer Empire (modern Cambodia) at Angkor.
 * 881 Acre earthquake: It takes place in the vicinity of Acre. Alexandria is reportedly affected by the same earthquake.

Religion

 * St. Cecilia's Church (Cäcilienkirche) is founded as a college for women. It is now home of the Schnütgen Museum in Cologne.

Births

 * Conrad I, king of the East Frankish Kingdom (approximate date)
 * Hugh of Arles, king of Italy and Lower Burgundy (or 880)
 * Liu Churang, Chinese general (d. 943)

Deaths

 * December 7 – Anspert, archbishop of Milan
 * Bárid mac Ímair, king of Dublin
 * Cui Hang, chancellor of the Tang Dynasty
 * David I, prince of Iberia (Georgia)
 * Gabriel, prince of Kakheti (Georgia)
 * Guaifer, duke of Benevento
 * John I, Frankish abbot (approximate date)
 * Liu Ye, chancellor of the Tang Dynasty
 * Lu Guimeng, Chinese poet
 * Odo I, bishop of Beauvais
 * Orso I, doge of Venice
 * Radi Abdullah, Muslim tenth Imam
 * Zhang Zhifang, Chinese general