650s

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	6th century – 7th century – 8th century
Decades:	620s 630s 640s – 650s – 660s 670s 680s
Years:	650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture Establishments – Disestablishments

This is a list of events occurring in the 650s, ordered by year.

By place

Europe

• Khazars conquer the Great Bulgarian Empire in southern Russia.
• Khazars defeat Abd ar-Rahman ibn Rabiah of Rashidun Arabs in Caucasus

Asia

• The first Chinese paper money is issued, yet these banknotes will not become government-issued until the Song Dynasty era Sichuan province issues them in the year 1024, with the central government of China following suit in the 12th century.
• A white pheasant is presented to the Emperor of Japan, who is pleased and begins a new nengo to be called Hakuchi, meaning the white pheasant.

By topic

Religion

• St. Martin's Church is built in Canterbury, England.

Arts and sciences

• Hungry Tigress Jataka, panel of the Tamamushi Shrine, Horyu-ji, is made. Asuka period. It is now kept at Horyu-ji Treasure House (approximate date).

By place

Europe

• Rodoald succeeds his father Rothari as king of the Lombards.

Africa

• Second Battle of Dongola between Makuria and Arab Egypt. Establishes the Baqt.

Asia

• A new palace of Japan is moved to Naniwa.
• The registers of population are prepared in Japan. Fifty houses are made a township, and for each township there is appointed an elder. The houses are all associated in groups of five for mutual protection, with one elder to supervise them one with another. This system prevails until the era of World War II.
• Khazaria becomes an independent state (approximate date).
• Construction of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Chang'an (modern Xi'an), Tang Dynasty China, is completed in this year during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang.
• 'Abd al Rahman bin 'Awf frees 30,000 slaves at his death.

By place

Europe

• Sigeberht II the Good succeeds Sigeberht I the Little as king of Essex.
• Aripert, nephew of Theodelinda, succeeds Rodoald as king of the Lombards.

Asia

• Japanese ambassadors, student priests and students sail for Tang, but they are drowned by sinking of the ship on their way to Tang. Only five men survive.
• Naka no Ōe no Ōji changes his residence to Asuka with Empress Hashibito and other Imperial family members and ministers. Only the Emperor stays in the Naniwa Palace.

By topic

Religion

• Pope Martin I is arrested on orders of Byzantine Emperor Constans II.

By place

Europe

• Rhodes is invaded by an Arab force; remains of the Colossus of Rhodes are sold off.
• King Reccaswinth issues a Visigothic law code.

Asia

• Nakatomi no Kamatari of Japan is granted the Shikwan (the Purple Cap).
• A Japanese ambassador is sent to Tang again. The Controlling Envoy, Takamuku no Kuromaro, reaches the capital of Tang, where he has an audience of the Chinese Emperor.

By topic

Religion

• September 17 – Martin I arrives in Constantinople, where he is eventually deposed as pope by the emperor Constans II.

By place

Europe

• November 15 – Northumbrian king Oswiu defeats Mercian king Penda in the Battle of Winwaed.
• Peada succeeds his father Penda as king of Mercia.
• Clovis II is succeeded by Clotaire III as king of the Franks.

Byzantine Empire and Arab Empire

• Constans II's fleet is defeated by the Abdullah bin Sa'ad bin Abi Sarh the Arab at Finike at the Battle of the Masts.

Asia

• Empress Saimei ascends to the throne of Japan.
• Arab armies conquer Khurasan.

By place

Europe

• Oswiu of Northumbria annexes Mercia.

Asia

• The Battle of Bassorah (also known as Battle of the Camel) between Ali and Aisha, part of the first civil war in Islam, takes place in modern-day Basra, Iraq.
• Empress Saimei of Japan builds a new palace at Asuka, because her former residences took fire. This canal is called "the Mad Canal" by the people of that day, wasting the labor of tens of thousand workers and a large amount of money.

By topic

Religion

• Ali succeeds Uthman as Caliph.
• When a Chinese prince (later to be Emperor Zhongzong of Tang) is made crown prince, his lavish palatial mansion in Chang'an is converted into a Daoist abbey.

By place

Asia

• The Chinese Tang Dynasty under Emperor Gaozong of Tang defeats a Turkish army.
• Emperor Gaozong of Tang commissions the pharmacology publication of an official materia medica, which documents 833 different substances taken from various stones, minerals, metals, plants, herbs, animals, vegetables, fruits, and cereal crops used for medicinal purposes.

By topic

Religion

• June 2 – Pope Eugene I dies and is subsequently canonized.
• July 26 – Battle of Siffin: Ali Ben Abu Talib fights Muawiyah over the Caliphate of Islam and captures Anbar.
• July 30 – Pope Vitalian succeeds Pope Eugene I as the 76th pope.
• Saint Hilda founds an abbey on the Yorkshire coast at Whitby.

By place

Europe

• The Union of Slavic Tribes falls apart after King Samo's death.
• Cadwaladr launches the last Welsh offensive against the Saxons in Britain.

Asia

• As recorded in the Nihon Shoki of 720, the Tang Dynasty Chinese Buddhist monks and engineers Zhi Yu and Zhi You recreate several South Pointing Chariots for the Japanese Emperor Tenji. This is a 3rd century device originally made by Ma Jun that acts as a mechanical-driven directional-compass vehicle.
• Tang China defeats Western Turkic Kaganate. West kaganate becomes vassal of China. During power vacuum, Turgesh tribe emerges as the leading power of Onok

By place

Europe

• Ealdormen in Mercia rebel against Northumbrian rule and proclaim Wulfhere king.

Asia

• Japanese envoys are sent on a mission to the Tang empire and have an audience with the Emperor. However, as the Tang Government determined that in the next year they will take administrative measures in regard to Japan, the envoys are detained.

Significant people

• Popes: Martin I, Eugene I, Vitalian
• Byzantine Emperor: Constans II