862
Year 862 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Central Europe
- King Lothair II of Lotharingia tries to divorce his wife Teutberga, on trumped-up charges of incest. With the support of his brother, Louis II, the bishops give him permission to remarry during a synod at Aachen.
- March - Viking raiders led by Weland are trapped at Trilbardou Bridge, and submit to King Charles the Bald. He and his family accept Christianity before leaving Neustria.
- Robert the Strong, margrave of Neustria, captures 12 Viking ships and kills their crews. He pays tribute for keeping the Vikings out of Neustria.
- Carloman, eldest son of King Louis the German, revolts against his father. He is captured, but manages to escape to the Ostmark.
- First raid of the Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin at the request of Rastislav of Moravia against the East Frankish Kingdom.
- Viking forces sack Cologne.
Britain
- April 13 - King Donald I of Scotland dies after a 4-year reign. He is succeeded by his nephew Constantine I, as ruler of Scotland.
- Áed Findliath is crowned High King of Ireland, after the death of Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid.
Eastern Europe
- The Varangians, under the leadership of Rurik, a Viking chieftain, arrive at Staraya Ladoga. He builds a trade settlement near Novgorod, and founds the Rurik Dynasty.
- The first written record is made of the towns of Belozersk and Murom.
Abbasid Caliphate
- June - Caliph al-Muntasir dies after just a half-year reign. He is succeeded by al-Musta'in, as ruler of the Abbasid Caliphate.
- Ashot I is recognized as the 'Prince of Princes' of Armenia, by the Abbasids.
China
- Fan Chuo finishes his Manchu, during the Tang Dynasty.
By topic
Religion
- Constantine the Philosopher invents the 42-letter Slavonic alphabet as a tool for converting the Moravians to Christianity.
- During the Council of Shirakavan representatives of the Armenian, Byzantine and West-Syrian Churches convenes to discuss church union. Though this is not achieved, an agreement is formulated which allows for the peaceful co-existence of Orthodox and non-Chalcedonians in the Byzantine-Armenian borderlands.
Births
- June 8 - Xi Zong, emperor of the Tang Dynasty
- Li Cunxin, general of the Tang Dynasty
- Li Cunshen, general of Later Tang
- Wang Chuzhi, Chinese warlord
- Wang Shenzhi, founder of Min
- Xiao Qing, chancellor of Later Liang
- Xu Wen, general and regent of Wu
- Yúnmén Wényǎn, Chinese Zen master
- Zhou Ben, general of Wu
Deaths
- April 13 - Donald I, king of Scotland
- July 2 - Swithun, bishop of Winchester
- September 26 - Musa ibn Musa al-Qasawi, Muslim military leader
- Æthelred II, king of Northumbria
- Al-Muntasir, Muslim caliph
- Bugha al-Kabir, Muslim general
- Lupus Servatus, Frankish abbot
- Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid, High King of Ireland
- Ruarc mac Brain, king of Leinster
- Tahir ibn Abdallah, Muslim governor