Year 734 (DCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 734th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 734th year of the 1st millennium, the 34th year of the 8th century, and the 5th year of the 730s decade. The denomination 734 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events

By place

Europe

• Battle of the Boarn: The Franks under Charles Martel, mayor of the palace of Neustria and Austrasia, defeat the Frisians near the mouth of the River Boarn (now the Dutch province of Friesland). During the battle, the Frisian army is beaten and King Poppo is killed.^[1] The Franks gain control of the Frisian lands west of the Lauwers (Netherlands), and begin plundering the pagan sanctuaries. The Frisians become Frankish vassals, apart from the tribes living in East Frisia in present day Germany.
• Umayyad conquest of Gaul: Muslim forces under Abd al-Malik ibn Katan al-Fihri, governor (wali) of Al-Andalus (modern Spain), enter Provence and raid the Rhône Valley. The cities of Avignon, Arles, and probably Marseille are handed over by Count Maurontus, who is in rebellion against Charles Martel.^[2]
• September 8 – Frithubeorht is consecrated Bishop of Hexham.

Mesoamerica

• Jasaw Chan K'awiil I, ruler (ajaw) of Tikal (Guatemala), dies after a 52-year reign. He is succeeded by his son Yik'in Chan K'awiil, who becomes one of Tikal's most successful and expansionary rulers during the Late Classic period.
• During the Third Tikal-Calakmul War, K’ak Tiliw Chan Yopaat gives himself the title k’uhul ajaw, thus declaring Quiriguá’s independence from Copán.

Asia

• March 23 – A large earthquake strikes the Tang Dynasty city of Qinzhou (in the vicinity of modern-day Tianshui City), causing serious damage and killing around 4000 people.^[3]
• Bilge Khagan, khagan of the Second Turkic Khaganate, is poisoned and killed by Buyruk Chor, an emissary once sent to Tang Emperor Xuanzong. He is succeeded by his son Yollıg.^[4]
• December – Khitan military chief Ketuyu and khagan Yaonian Qulie are assassinated by their subordinate Li Guozhe, ending the Ketuyu rebellion.^[5]

Births

• Fujiwara no Kurajimaro, Japanese politician (d. 775)
• Khurshid II, ruler (ispahbadh) of Tabaristan (d. 761)

Deaths

• July 30 – Tatwine, Mercian archbishop of Canterbury (b. c.670?)
• Bilge Khagan, ruler (khagan) of the Second Turkic Khaganate (b. 683/4)
• Bilihildis, Frankish noblewoman and abbess
• Bubo, Duke of the Frisians
• Approximate date – Caintigern, Irish-born hermit
• Jasaw Chan K'awiil I, ruler (ajaw) of Tikal
• December – Ketuyu, Khitan military chief ^[5]

Sources

• Xu Elina-Qian, Historical Development of the Pre-Dynastic Khitan, University of Helsinki, 2005. 273 pages.