550s
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Millennium: | 1st millennium |
| Centuries: | 5th century – 6th century – 7th century |
| Decades: | 520s 530s 540s – 550s – 560s 570s 580s |
| Years: | 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 |
| Categories: | Births – Deaths – Architecture Establishments – Disestablishments |
550s: events by year
Contents: 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559
550
By place
Byzantine Empire
- January 16 – Gothic War (535–552): The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.
- Silk-producing technology reaches Constantinople (approximate date).
Asia
- The Eastern Wei Dynasty ends and the Northern Qi Dynasty begins in northern China. Wen Xuan Di is the first ruler of the Northern Qi Dynasty.
- Two Christian missionaries smuggle a few silkworm larvae to Constantinople from China (approximate date).
- Gupta Empire falls (approximate date).
America
By topic
Arts and sciences
- Hindu mathematicians give zero a numeral representation in a positional notation system.
- Procopius writes Secret History (approximate date).
Religion
- The main redaction of the Babylonian Talmud is completed under Rabbis Ravina and Ashi (approximate date).
- Carriaric, king of the Suevi, converts to Catholicism.
- In Ireland, the Diocese of Tuam is erected.
552
By place
Europe
- Battle of Asfeld: Longobards under king Audoin defeat the Gepids.
- Cynric, king of Wessex, captures the fort at Old Sarum.
- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath is established in Ireland.
Asia
- Prince Shotoku introduces Buddhism to Japan.
- First year of the Armenian calendar.
- Liang Yuan Di succeeds Liang Yu Zhang Wang as ruler of the Chinese Liang Dynasty.
- Göktürks establish the first known Turkic state under the leadership of Bumin Khan.
By topic
Religion
- Eutychius becomes Patriarch of Constantinople.
553
By place
Europe
- The Ostrogoth Kingdom is conquered by the Byzantines after the Battle of Mons Lactarius.
Asia
- King Seong of Baekje attacks Goguryeo and Silla.
- In Turkish Empire Istemi is appointed as a yabgu in the west of the empire (present day Turkistan) and Kara Khan succeeds Bumin Khan.
By topic
Religion
- The Fifth Ecumenical Council is held.
554
By place
Byzantine Empire
- General Narses reconquers all of Italy.
- Byzantine forces seize Granada and Andalusia from the Visigoths.
Europe
- Athanagild succeeds Agila as king of the Visigoths.
Asia
- Gong Di succeeds Fei Di as ruler of the Chinese Western Wei Dynasty.
- Muhan Khan succeeds Kara Khan as the khagan of Turks (Göktürk Empire).
- Jiangling is captured; 100,000 inhabitants are enslaved and distributed to generals and officials.
- Baekje and Gaya ally and wage war upon Silla in the Korean peninsula, but are defeated.
- The second and larger of the two Buddhas of Bamyan is erected in central Afghanistan.[1]
555
By place
Byzantine Empire
- An earthquake devastates Latakia.
Asia
- The Nan Liang Dynasty begins; the first ruler is Nan Liang Xuan Di.
- Chinese Liang Dynasty: Liang Yuan Di is succeeded by Liang Zheng Yang Hou, then Liang Jing Di.
- The Mongolic Rouran Khaganate (330–555), of Xianbei provenance, ruled a massive empire before being defeated by the Göktürks (555–745) whose empire was even bigger.
By topic
Arts and sciences
- Taliesin becomes court bard to King Brochfael of Powys (approximate date).
- Around this time, the historian Jordanes writes several books, among them De origine actibusque Getarum (The origin and deeds of the Goths).
556
By place
Europe
Asia
- The Western Wei Dynasty ends in China.
By topic
Religion
- April 16 – Pope Pelagius I succeeds Pope Vigilius as the 60th pope.
557
By place
Asia
- The Northern Zhou Dynasty begins in northern China; its first ruler is Northern Zhou Xiao Min Di.
- The Liang Dynasty ends and the Chen Dynasty begins in southern China; its first ruler is Chen Wu Di.
558
By place
Byzantine Empire
- May 7 – In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian I orders the dome rebuilt.
Europe
- Clotaire I reunites the Frankish kingdom.
- Conall mac Comgaill becomes king of Dál Riata.
Asia
- The Guanghua Temple is built.[2]
- Istemi of the Western Turks, in alliance with Sassanid Persia, defeats the Hephthalites.
559
By place
Byzantine Empire
- The Kutrigurs and Huns under Zabergan invade and raid Byzantine territory, but are driven back near Constantinople by Belisarius.
Europe
Asia
- First successful human flight: a manned kite lands in the proximity of Ye, China.[3]
- Ara Gaya, a member of the Gaya confederacy, surrenders to Silla in the Korean peninsula.
Significant people
Births
Deaths
References
- ^ Cohen, Roger. "Return to Bamiyan", The New York Times, October 29, 2007. Accessed October 29, 2007.
- ^ Litchi City Putian
- ^ （永定三年）使元黄头与诸囚自金凤台各乘纸鸱以飞，黄头独能至紫陌乃堕，仍付御史中丞毕义云饿杀之。 (Rendering: [In the 3rd year of Yongding, 559], Gao Yang conducted an experiment by having Yuan Huangtou and a few prisoners launch themselves from a tower in Ye, capital of the Northern Qi. Yuan Huangtou was the only one who survived from this flight, as he glided over the city-wall and fell at Zimo [western segment of Ye] safely, but he was later executed.) Zizhi Tongjian 167.
