View source for 811

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|811|the telephone N11 code|8-1-1|the number|811 (number)}}
{{Year nav|811}}
{{M1 year in topic}}
[[File:Battle of Vărbitsa Pass.png|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Battle of Pliska|Battle of Vărbitsa Pass]] near [[Pliska]] (811)]]
[[File:Krum1.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Krum]] feasts his victory over [[Nikephoros I]]]]
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Year '''811''' ('''[[Roman numerals|DCCCXI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Wednesday]] of the [[Julian calendar]], the 811th year of the [[Common Era]] (CE) and [[Anno Domini]] (AD) designations, the 811th year of the [[1st millennium]], the 11th year of the [[9th century]], and the 2nd year of the [[810s]] decade.

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[Byzantine–Bulgarian wars#Conflict with Nikephoros I|Byzantine–Bulgarian War]]: Emperor [[Nikephoros I]] organises a new campaign against the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]], gathering an expeditionary force (most of the Roman army) from all parts of the empire. He is accompanied by high-ranking officials and [[Aristocracy|aristocrats]], including his son [[Staurakios|Stauracius]] and brother-in-law [[Michael I Rangabe]]<ref>Anonymus Vaticanus, p. 148.</ref> (both later emperors temporarily). [[Krum]], ruler (''[[Khan (title)|khan]]'') of [[Bulgaria]], sends envoys to sue for peace. Nikephoros refuses to accept the terms and marches through the [[Balkan Mountains|Balkan]] passes towards [[Pliska]], the Bulgarian capital. 
* [[July 23]] &ndash; Nikephoros I reaches Pliska, and destroys a Bulgarian army of 12,000 elite soldiers who guard the stronghold. Another hastily assembled relief force of 50,000 soldiers suffers a similar fate.<ref>Anonymus Vaticanus, pp. 148-149.</ref> The Byzantines capture the defenseless capital. Nikephoros plunders the city and captures Krum's [[treasury]].<ref>Anastasius Bibliothecarius. Chronographia tripertita, p. 329.</ref> He burns the countryside, slaughters [[sheep]] and [[pig]]s, as he pursues the retreating [[Bulgars]] southwest towards [[History of Sofia#Middle Ages|Serdica]] (modern-day [[Sofia]]).<ref>Anonymus Vaticanus, p. 150.</ref>
* [[July 26]] &ndash; [[Battle of Pliska|Battle of Vărbitsa Pass]]: Nikephoros I is trapped (probably in the [[Varbitsa Pass|Vărbitsa Pass]]) and defeated by the Bulgars, who use the tactics of [[ambush]] and surprise night attacks to immobilize the Byzantine forces. Nikephoros himself is killed; Krum has the emperor's head carried back in triumph on a pole, where it is cleaned out, lined with [[silver]] and made into a jeweled [[Skull cup#Europe|skull cup]], which he allows his [[Slavs|Slavic]] princes ([[Archon#Byzantine Empire|archon]]s) to drink from with him.<ref>{{The Early Medieval Balkans|p=97}}</ref>
* Stauracius is installed as emperor at [[Edirne|Adrianople]] (the first time a [[List of Byzantine emperors|Byzantine emperor]] is crowned outside [[Constantinople]]). Because of a [[sword]] wound near his neck (during the Battle of Pliska), Stauracius is [[Paralysis|paralyzed]]. The [[Court (royal)|imperial court]] is split between the [[Nobility|noble]] factions of his wife Theophano and his sister [[Prokopia]].<ref>{{A History of the Byzantine State and Society|page=429}}</ref>
* [[October 2]] &ndash; Michael I is declared emperor of the [[Byzantine Empire]]; Stauracius is forced by senior officials to retire to a [[monastery]].<ref>{{A History of the Byzantine State and Society|page=429}}</ref>

==== Europe ====
* [[Treaty of Heiligen]]: King [[Hemming of Denmark]] concludes a [[peace treaty]] with Emperor [[Charlemagne]] in present-day [[Rendsburg]].{{cn|date=May 2025}} The southern boundary of [[Denmark]] is established at the [[Eider (river)|Eider River]].{{cn|date=May 2025}}

==== Abbasid Caliphate ====
* [[Fourth Fitna#Civil war between al-Amin and al-Ma'mun, 809–813|Fourth Fitna]]: [[Abbasid Caliphate|Abbasid]] caliph [[al-Amin]] appoints [[Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan]] as governor of [[Greater Khorasan|Khurasan]], in northeast [[Iran|Persia]], and sends an army of 40,000 men with him against his half-brother [[al-Ma'mun]]. Ibn Mahan's army is defeated by a smaller army under [[Tahir ibn Husayn]], at [[Rey, Iran|Rayy]]. During the fighting Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan is killed. 
</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Idris al-Razi|Abu Hatim al-Razi]], Muslim [[hadith]] scholar (d. [[890]])
* [[Basil I]], emperor of the [[Byzantine Empire]] (d. [[886]])
* [[Muhammad al-Jawad]], ninth [[Twelvers|Twelver Shī'ah Imām]] (d. [[835]])
* [[Ōe no Otondo]], Japanese scholar (d. [[877]])

== Deaths ==
* [[June 17]] &ndash; [[Sakanoue no Tamuramaro]], Japanese [[List of shōguns|shōgun]] (b. [[758]])
* [[July 24]] &ndash; [[Gao Ying]], [[Chancellor of the Tang dynasty|chancellor of the Tang Dynasty]] (b. [[740]])
* [[July 26]] &ndash; [[Nikephoros I]], emperor of the Byzantine Empire
* [[Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan]], Muslim military leader
* [[Charles the Younger]], son of [[Charlemagne]] 
* [[Li Fan (Tang dynasty)|Li Fan]], chancellor of the Tang Dynasty (b. [[754]])
* [[Pei Ji (Late Tang)|Pei Ji]], chancellor of the Tang Dynasty 
* [[Pepin the Hunchback]], son of Charlemagne

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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