October 4 –
Heraclian revolt:
Heraclius arrives with a fleet from
Africa at
Constantinople. Assisted by an
uprising in the capital, he overthrows and personally beheads Emperor
Phocas. Heraclius gains the
throne with help from his father
Heraclius the Elder. His first major act is to change the official language of the
Eastern Roman Empire from
Latin to
Greek (already the language of the vast majority of the population). Because of this, after AD 610, the Empire is customarily referred to as the
Byzantine Empire (the term Byzantine is a modern term invented by historians in the 18th century; the people of the Empire itself always referred to themselves as "Ρωμαῖος" — tr. Rōmaios, Roman).
The
Volga Bulgaria arises on the territory of modern Russia, being the first civilization in the region to arise from the
Early Slavs (approximate date).
Paper technology is imported into Japan from China by the Korean Buddhist priest,
Dam Jing (approximate date).
Religion
Muhammad, Islamic prophet, begins at 40 years old to preach a religion which will be called
Islam. According to Islamic teachings, the angel
Gabriel appears to him in a cave on
Mount Hira near
Mecca (
Saudi Arabia) and calls him: "The
Prophet of Allah". Muhammad gathers followers, reciting to them the first verses of Qur'an(Iqra), thus beginning the
revelation of the
Qur'an.[3]
Cynegils becomes king of the
West Saxons, or
Wessex, after the death of his uncle
Ceolwulf (according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle). He rules from 611 to 643 and shares power to some extent with his eldest son,
Cwichelm, who may have been given Upper Wessex (approximate date).
King
Theudebert II is defeated by his brother
Theuderic II at
Toul (northeastern
France). He is captured in battle and, after having his royal
paraphernalia taken, is handed over to his grandmother
Brunhilda. He is put in a
monastery, and assassinated with his son Merovech. Theuderic, age 25, becomes sole ruler of
Austrasia and
Burgundy.
January 22 –
Constantine is crowned co-emperor (Caesar) by his father Heraclius and shortly after betrothed to his cousin,
Gregoria, daughter of
Nicetas. Only 8 months old, Constantine has no real power and his dynastic title is purely
ceremonial.
Chlothar II reunites the
Frankish Kingdom by ordering the murder of Sigebert II. He accuses Brunhilda, age 70, of killing ten kings of the
Franks (according to the Liber Historiae Francorum). She is dragged to death behind a wild horse at
Abbeville.
Islam:
Muhammad begins preaching in public. He spreads the message of Islam and encourages a personal devotion to God. Quraysh leaders of
Mecca oppose any change in the traditional tribal and religious customs.
The city of
Epidaurus (Dalmatia) is destroyed by the Avars and Slavic invaders. The
Illyrian refugees flee to the nearby island
Laus, where they found
Dubrovnik (Ragusa). The islands of
Rab,
Krk and
Cres become major
food suppliers for the surviving cities of the mainland.[19]
May 25 – Pope
Boniface IV dies after a 7-year reign, in which he has converted the
Pantheon into the Church of "Santa Maria Rotonda". He is succeeded by
Adeodatus I (also known as Deusdedit) as the 68th
pope of
Rome.
The Persian army under
Shahin Vahmanzadegan destroys the city of
Sardis, including its
synagogue. Its importance is due to a highway, leading from the interior to the
Aegean coast. Shahin marches through
Anatolia, defeating the
Byzantines numerous times.
Rædwald installs
Edwin as king of Northumbria, effectively confirming him as bretwalda. He takes power in his native
Deira and in
Bernicia. His reign marks the domination of Northumbria as leading
Anglo-Saxon state of the
British Isles.
February 24 –
Æthelberht, the first Christian Anglo-Saxon king, dies in
Kent after a 26-year reign. He is succeeded by his
pagan son,
Eadbald, who promptly marries his stepmother
Emma, in accordance with pre-Christian custom.
King
Sæberht of Essex dies after a 12-year reign, and is succeeded by his son
Sexred. He rules conjointly with his two brothers
Sæward and Sigeberht; they throw out the Christian
missionaries and return to paganism.
The
Battle of Chester (
Old Welsh: Guaith Caer Legion;
Welsh: Brwydr Caer), which separates the (West) Welsh from the 'North' Welsh of
Cumbria - marking the formation of
Wales, is fought (approximate date).
Mellitus, bishop of
London, is
exiled by Sexred and his pagan brothers (Sæward and Sigeberht). He is forced to take refuge in
Gaul, and returns to
England the following year.
The
Quraish clans begins to boycott
Muhammad and Banu Hashem, in order to put pressure on his
Muslim followers and his
Islamic preachings.
A
shrine on the site of the future
Westminster Abbey (London) is founded (approximate date).
The
Avars send envoys to Constantinople for a meeting with Heraclius. He is warned about an
ambush, and flees for safety behind the city walls in time. Angry at the failure to capture the
Byzantine emperor, the Avars plunder
Thrace and return to the
Danube River, carrying off 270,000 people.[27]
Winter – Li Yuan demotes Sui emperor
Yángdi to the status of Taishang Huang (retired emperor), and declares
Yang You emperor, while he gives himself authority over the western Sui
commanderies (prefecture), under the title of "Prince of Tang".
The Persians besiege
Alexandria; the defence of the city is led by
Nicetas (cousin of emperor
Heraclius). The Byzantine resistance is undermined by a
blockade of the harbor; the usual
grain supplies are cut off from Egypt to
Constantinople.
The
Avars attack the outskirts of Constantinople. Numerous
Slavic tribes rebel against Avar overlordship; they carve out their own sovereign territory in
Moravia and
Lower Austria (approximate date).
Asia
The Meccan boycott of the Hashemites and Muhammad ends.
^The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (E) records this battle under the year 605, but this is considered incorrect; see
Michael Swanton's translation of the ASC (1996, 1998, paperback), page 23, note 2. Between 613/616 is the generally accepted date, as first proposed by
Charles Plummer, Venerabilis Beda Opera Historica (1896)
^Crawford, Peter (2013). The War of the Three Gods: Romans, Persians and the Rise of Islam. Pen and Sword. pp. 41–43.
ISBN9781473828650.
^Alan Harding, "Medieval Law and the Foundations of the State", (Oxford University Press, 2001), p. 14
^S. Wise Bauer, "The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade", W.W. Norton & Company, 2010), p. 251
^Golden 1992, p. 135. According to Chinese historical sources, the marriage was never carried out because of interference by the Eastern Göktürk
Illig Qaghan, whose territory sat between his territory and Tang territory, and who felt threatened by the proposed marriage.
Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 192.
Foss, Clive (October 1975). "The Persians in Asia Minor and the end of antiquity". The English Historical Review. 90 (357): 721–747.
doi:
10.1093/ehr/XC.CCCLVII.721.
JSTOR567292.
October 4 –
Heraclian revolt:
Heraclius arrives with a fleet from
Africa at
Constantinople. Assisted by an
uprising in the capital, he overthrows and personally beheads Emperor
Phocas. Heraclius gains the
throne with help from his father
Heraclius the Elder. His first major act is to change the official language of the
Eastern Roman Empire from
Latin to
Greek (already the language of the vast majority of the population). Because of this, after AD 610, the Empire is customarily referred to as the
Byzantine Empire (the term Byzantine is a modern term invented by historians in the 18th century; the people of the Empire itself always referred to themselves as "Ρωμαῖος" — tr. Rōmaios, Roman).
The
Volga Bulgaria arises on the territory of modern Russia, being the first civilization in the region to arise from the
Early Slavs (approximate date).
Paper technology is imported into Japan from China by the Korean Buddhist priest,
Dam Jing (approximate date).
Religion
Muhammad, Islamic prophet, begins at 40 years old to preach a religion which will be called
Islam. According to Islamic teachings, the angel
Gabriel appears to him in a cave on
Mount Hira near
Mecca (
Saudi Arabia) and calls him: "The
Prophet of Allah". Muhammad gathers followers, reciting to them the first verses of Qur'an(Iqra), thus beginning the
revelation of the
Qur'an.[3]
Cynegils becomes king of the
West Saxons, or
Wessex, after the death of his uncle
Ceolwulf (according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle). He rules from 611 to 643 and shares power to some extent with his eldest son,
Cwichelm, who may have been given Upper Wessex (approximate date).
King
Theudebert II is defeated by his brother
Theuderic II at
Toul (northeastern
France). He is captured in battle and, after having his royal
paraphernalia taken, is handed over to his grandmother
Brunhilda. He is put in a
monastery, and assassinated with his son Merovech. Theuderic, age 25, becomes sole ruler of
Austrasia and
Burgundy.
January 22 –
Constantine is crowned co-emperor (Caesar) by his father Heraclius and shortly after betrothed to his cousin,
Gregoria, daughter of
Nicetas. Only 8 months old, Constantine has no real power and his dynastic title is purely
ceremonial.
Chlothar II reunites the
Frankish Kingdom by ordering the murder of Sigebert II. He accuses Brunhilda, age 70, of killing ten kings of the
Franks (according to the Liber Historiae Francorum). She is dragged to death behind a wild horse at
Abbeville.
Islam:
Muhammad begins preaching in public. He spreads the message of Islam and encourages a personal devotion to God. Quraysh leaders of
Mecca oppose any change in the traditional tribal and religious customs.
The city of
Epidaurus (Dalmatia) is destroyed by the Avars and Slavic invaders. The
Illyrian refugees flee to the nearby island
Laus, where they found
Dubrovnik (Ragusa). The islands of
Rab,
Krk and
Cres become major
food suppliers for the surviving cities of the mainland.[19]
May 25 – Pope
Boniface IV dies after a 7-year reign, in which he has converted the
Pantheon into the Church of "Santa Maria Rotonda". He is succeeded by
Adeodatus I (also known as Deusdedit) as the 68th
pope of
Rome.
The Persian army under
Shahin Vahmanzadegan destroys the city of
Sardis, including its
synagogue. Its importance is due to a highway, leading from the interior to the
Aegean coast. Shahin marches through
Anatolia, defeating the
Byzantines numerous times.
Rædwald installs
Edwin as king of Northumbria, effectively confirming him as bretwalda. He takes power in his native
Deira and in
Bernicia. His reign marks the domination of Northumbria as leading
Anglo-Saxon state of the
British Isles.
February 24 –
Æthelberht, the first Christian Anglo-Saxon king, dies in
Kent after a 26-year reign. He is succeeded by his
pagan son,
Eadbald, who promptly marries his stepmother
Emma, in accordance with pre-Christian custom.
King
Sæberht of Essex dies after a 12-year reign, and is succeeded by his son
Sexred. He rules conjointly with his two brothers
Sæward and Sigeberht; they throw out the Christian
missionaries and return to paganism.
The
Battle of Chester (
Old Welsh: Guaith Caer Legion;
Welsh: Brwydr Caer), which separates the (West) Welsh from the 'North' Welsh of
Cumbria - marking the formation of
Wales, is fought (approximate date).
Mellitus, bishop of
London, is
exiled by Sexred and his pagan brothers (Sæward and Sigeberht). He is forced to take refuge in
Gaul, and returns to
England the following year.
The
Quraish clans begins to boycott
Muhammad and Banu Hashem, in order to put pressure on his
Muslim followers and his
Islamic preachings.
A
shrine on the site of the future
Westminster Abbey (London) is founded (approximate date).
The
Avars send envoys to Constantinople for a meeting with Heraclius. He is warned about an
ambush, and flees for safety behind the city walls in time. Angry at the failure to capture the
Byzantine emperor, the Avars plunder
Thrace and return to the
Danube River, carrying off 270,000 people.[27]
Winter – Li Yuan demotes Sui emperor
Yángdi to the status of Taishang Huang (retired emperor), and declares
Yang You emperor, while he gives himself authority over the western Sui
commanderies (prefecture), under the title of "Prince of Tang".
The Persians besiege
Alexandria; the defence of the city is led by
Nicetas (cousin of emperor
Heraclius). The Byzantine resistance is undermined by a
blockade of the harbor; the usual
grain supplies are cut off from Egypt to
Constantinople.
The
Avars attack the outskirts of Constantinople. Numerous
Slavic tribes rebel against Avar overlordship; they carve out their own sovereign territory in
Moravia and
Lower Austria (approximate date).
Asia
The Meccan boycott of the Hashemites and Muhammad ends.
^The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (E) records this battle under the year 605, but this is considered incorrect; see
Michael Swanton's translation of the ASC (1996, 1998, paperback), page 23, note 2. Between 613/616 is the generally accepted date, as first proposed by
Charles Plummer, Venerabilis Beda Opera Historica (1896)
^Crawford, Peter (2013). The War of the Three Gods: Romans, Persians and the Rise of Islam. Pen and Sword. pp. 41–43.
ISBN9781473828650.
^Alan Harding, "Medieval Law and the Foundations of the State", (Oxford University Press, 2001), p. 14
^S. Wise Bauer, "The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade", W.W. Norton & Company, 2010), p. 251
^Golden 1992, p. 135. According to Chinese historical sources, the marriage was never carried out because of interference by the Eastern Göktürk
Illig Qaghan, whose territory sat between his territory and Tang territory, and who felt threatened by the proposed marriage.
Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 192.
Foss, Clive (October 1975). "The Persians in Asia Minor and the end of antiquity". The English Historical Review. 90 (357): 721–747.
doi:
10.1093/ehr/XC.CCCLVII.721.
JSTOR567292.