610s

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	6th century – 7th century – 8th century
Decades:	580s 590s 600s – 610s – 620s 630s 640s
Years:	610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture Establishments – Disestablishments

610s: events by year

Contents: 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619

By place

Byzantine Empire

• October 4 – Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows East Roman Emperor Phocas and becomes Emperor. His first major act is to change the official language of the East Roman Empire from Latin to Greek (already the language of the vast majority of the population). Because of this, after AD 610 the East Roman 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 "Ρωμιούς" – in English, Romious).

Europe

• The Avars try to invade Italy.
• Gundemar succeeds Witteric as king of the Visigoths.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• Paper technology is imported into Japan from China by the Korean Buddhist priest, Dam Jing.

Religion

• According to Islamic belief, the archangel Gabriel first appears to Muhammad, reciting to him the first verses of surat Iqra (al-`Alaq), thus beginning the revelation of the Qur'an (approximate date).
• St. Columbanus and St. Gall begin missionary work in Bregenz.
• St. John the Merciful becomes Patriarch of Alexandria.

By place

Europe

• Sisebut succeeds Gundemar as king of the Visigoths.
• Theuderic II becomes king of Austrasia.
• Rowar "King of Serpents" is assassinated.

Asia

• Battle of Salsu River: A Sui force attacks Goguryeo with a much larger force of over 300,000, but is thwarted by General Ulji Moonduk and only 2,700 Sui troops survive.

America

• Sak K'uk' succeeds Aj Ne' Yohl Mat as ruler of Palenque.

By topic

Religion

• Saint Columbanus moves to Italy to establish the monastery of Bobbio (approximate date).
• The Holy Sponge is brought to Constantinople from Palestine.

By place

Byzantine Empire

• The Byzantine emperor Heraclius marries his niece Martina.

Europe

• Clotaire II reunites the Frankish kingdoms by ordering the murder of Sigebert II.
• Aethelfrith of Northumbria defeats the Welsh and their allies at Chester.

Asia

• Shahrbaraz of Persia captures Damascus.
• Isanapura becomes the capital of the Cambodian kingdom of Chenla.

By topic

Religion

• The Abbey of St. Gall is founded.
• Muhammad begins preaching Islam in public.

By place

Europe

• The Palace of Diocletian is damaged by the Avars, who sack nearby Salona.
• Cynegils of Wessex invades Dumnonia (now known as Devon).

Asia

• The Persian Empire under general Shahrbaraz captures and sacks Jerusalem; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is damaged by fire and the True Cross is captured.
• The Persians destroy the Ghassanid kingdom.

By topic

Religion

• The Sudarium of Oviedo is taken from Jerusalem.

By place

Europe

• The Edict of Paris grants extensive rights to the Frankish nobility.
• Pippin of Landen becomes Mayor of the Austrasian Palace.
• Edwin of Northumbria takes refuge in East Anglia; he marries Cwenburga, daughter of Cearl of Mercia.

Asia

• The Turks invade China.

America

• Sak K'uk' is succeeded by Pacal the Great as ruler of Palenque.

By topic

Religion

• October 19 – Pope Adeodatus I (also known as Deusdedit) succeeds Pope Boniface IV as the 68th pope.
• Muslims begin to emigrate to Abyssinia.

By place

Europe

• Eadbald succeeds Ethelbert as king of Kent.
• Aethelfrith of Northumbria defeats the army of Powys.
• Aethelfrith meets Rædwald and the army of East Anglia in the Battle of the River Idle, and is slain by Raedwald, which establishes his claim as Bretwalda.
• Edwin becomes king of Northumbria.
• Oswald of Northumbria flees to Iona.
• Adaloald succeeds his father Agilulf as king of the Lombards (approximate date).
• The Battle of Chester (Old Welsh: Guaith Caer Legion; Welsh: Brwydr Caer) which separated the (West) Welsh from the 'North' Welsh of Cumbria - marking the formation of Wales.

Africa

• Alexandria is captured by Khosrau II of Persia.

Asia

• Persians destroy the Asia Minor city of Sardis, including its synagogue.

By topic

Religion

• The Banu Hashim clan begins to boycott Muhammad.
• A shrine on the site of the future Westminster Abbey is founded.

By place

Europe

• Heathens revolt in Kent under king Eadbald. Justus, Bishop of Rochester, flees to Gaul.
• Sigehbert I becomes king of Essex.

Asia

• Sui Gong Di succeeds Sui Yang Di as emperor of China.
• The Persian Army, under the command of General Spahbodh Shaahin, conquers Chalcedon after a long siege.
• Meccans begin a boycott of the Banu Hashim clan to which Islamic Prophet Muhammad belongs.

By place

Asia

• The Sui Dynasty ends and the Tang Dynasty begins in China. The first emperor of the Tang Dynasty is Tang Gao Zu.
• A civil war begins in Medina.
• Tong Khan becomes the khagan of Western Turkic Khaganate. He is known as the founder of Khazar Khaganate

By place

Byzantine Empire

• The Avars attack Constantinople.

Asia

• The Second Perso-Turkic War is fought and ended with Decisive Sassanid victory.
• The Meccan boycott of Hashemites and Muhammad ends.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• The calculation of the Chinese calendar begins to use true motions of the sun and moon modeled using two offset opposing parabolas.
• The Chinese begin using large orchestras.

Religion

• December 23 – Pope Boniface V succeeds Pope Adeodatus I as the 69th pope.
• Mellitus becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.
• Kubrat, ruler of the Bulgars, is baptised in Constantinople.