Summary: Pepin becomes the Holy Roman emperor, the Omayyads save their asses in Egypt, Chinese power shattered in Central Asia, Western Byzantium prey to a succession war; failed Eastern Byzantine "rentrée" in Italy 753-775 Open, harsh struggle between basileus Constantine V and the “idolatric” Byzantine monks adverse to iconoclasm 754-756 Constantine V has Iconoclasm reaffirmed and confirmed as Byzantium’s state confession, despite heavy and often violent opposition from the clergy and people, especially in Europe