600s (decade)

The 600s decade ran from January 1, 600, to December 31, 609.

600

This section is transcluded from AD 600. (edit | history)

By place

Europe

• King Chlothar II of Neustria is defeated by his nephews, Theudebert II and Theuderic II, at Dormelles (approximate date).
• Germanic and Slavic peoples have tremendous population growth, with the Slavs colonizing the Balkan Peninsula.^[1]
• Rome continues as part of the Byzantine Empire. The Italian mainland is divided into independent cities and duchies.^[2]
• Venice continues as an independent realm, having been built up from fishing villages and settled by fugitives.^[3]
• Dorestad, lying in a fork between two branches of the Rhine, is established by the Franks as a trade center.^[4]
• King Agilulf of the Lombards and Queen Theodelinda build a palace complex at Monza, northeast of Milan.
• Moravians gain independence, by holding off the attacks from the Avars and the Franks who try to invade.
• According to the Ynglinga saga, king Ingvar Harra of Sweden invades Adalsysla (present day Lääne County in Estonia), but is killed by the locals (approximate date).^[5]
• Smallpox arrives in Western Europe for the first time (approximate date).

Britain

• The Welsh bard, Prince Aneirin of the Pennines (North West of England), writes the poem, "Y Gododdin", recording the events of the Battle of Catraeth.
• The Britons of Strathclyde (Scotland), Wales and Cornwall are all separated by the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.^[6]

Asia

• The first of the Japanese embassies to Imperial China is sent (approximate date).^{[citation needed]}
• The Persians begin to use windmills for irrigation (approximate date).
• Namri Songtsen becomes the new king of Tibet (approximate date).
• Chaturanga is played in its current form in India (approximate date).
• Yangdi, a Sui emperor, extends the Grand Canal. He reportedly assumes power by poisoning his father. Ma Shu-mou, aka Mahu, was one of the canal overseers and was said to have eaten a steamed 2-year-old child each day he worked on the canal. On completion the canal extended for 1,100 miles. 5.5 million people were pressed into service to complete the 1,550 mile canal.
• Quill pens, made from the outer feathers of crows and other large birds, became popular. The first books are printed in China.
• The oldest inscription in Mon language dated from 600 AD. later found at Wat Phorang, Thailand.
• Mu becomes king of the Korean kingdom of Baekje.^[7]

Meso- and South America

• Loma Caldera (El Salvador) erupts, burying the Maya village of Joya de Cerén (approximate date).
• The Hopewell tradition (North America) ceases to be the dominant culture (approximate date).
• The city of Teotihuacan (Central Mexico) begins to grow unstable, as they exhaust their resources until their inevitable collapse (possibly caused by the Toltec) circa 700.
• Moche culture ends in the Andes (approximate date).
• Nazca culture ends in the Andes (approximate date).
• The Wari Empire is established in The Andes (approximate date)
• The Middle Horizon period starts in the Andes.

Pacific Ocean

• Early settlers from the Marquesas build the Alakoko fishpond and taro fields on Kauai, Hawaii.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• The Germanic peoples, due to the more abundant food supply available, use the "moldboard" plow, introduced by the Slavs in Eastern Europe. The plow works the land with horses and oxen.^[8]
• Possibly the first reference to chess is made in the Persian work Karnamak-i-Artakhshatr-i-Papakan.
• 600-750 - Maguey Bloodletting Ritual, fragment of a fresco from Teotihuacan, Mexico, is made. Teotihuacan culture. It is now kept at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
• 600-900 - Palace and Temple of the Inscriptions (tomb-pyramid of K'inich Janaab' Pakal), Palenque, Mexico, are built. Maya culture.
• 600-900 - Cylindrical vessel is made. Maya culture. It is now kept at the Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey.
• The Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis (Voyage of St. Brendan the Abbott) recounts a 7-year trip to a land across the sea by the Irish saint and a band of acolytes about this time.

Religion

• Feb 16 - Pope Gregory the Great decrees "God bless You" as the religiously correct response to a sneeze.^[9]
• Pope Gregory I codifies what comes to be known as the Gregorian chant^{[dubious – discuss]}.
• Construction on the monastery of St. Catherine is begun on Mount Sinai.
• Irish missionaries preach in Scotland and Germany (approximate date).
• Chinese-influenced sculptures of Buddha begin to be created in Japan.
• Sumatra, Java, and the surrounding islands are converted to Buddhism.
• Augustine of Canterbury converts Æthelberht of Kent to Christianity (approximate date).
• Nubian rulers become Christian (approximate date).

World

• The population of the Earth rises to about 208 million people (approximate date).

Significant people

Births

Transcluding articles: 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, and 609

600

• September 11 – Yuknoom the Great a Maya ruler of Calakmul
• Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muslim caliph and Shī‘ah imām (approximate date)
• Audomar, bishop of Thérouanne (approximate date)
• Bhāskara I, Indian mathematician (approximate date)
• Birinus, bishop of Dorchester (approximate date)
• Candrakīrti, Indian Madhyamaka philosopher
• Cunibert, bishop of Cologne (approximate date)
• Judoc, Breton noble and Catholic saint (d. 668)
• Li Shimin, son of Chinese General Li Yuan (the Duke of Tang)
• Remaclus, bishop of Maastricht (approximate date)
• Wandregisel, Frankish monk and abbot (approximate date)
• Yan Liben, Chinese painter (approximate date)

601

• September 13 – Ali, central figure in Shia Islam (d. 661)
• Hongren, Chán (Buddhist) patriarch of the Tang dynasty (d. 674)
• Ma Zhou, chancellor of the Tang dynasty (d. 648)
• Sigebert II, king of Austrasia and Burgundy (d. 613)
• Zhangsun, empress of the Tang dynasty (d. 636)

602

• Adaloald, king of the Lombards (d. 626)
• Li Chunfeng, Chinese mathematician and historian (d. 670)
• Liu Rengui, general and official of the Tang dynasty (d. 685)
• Muawiyah I, founder of the Umayyad Caliphate (d. 680)
• Theodore of Tarsus, archbishop of Canterbury (d. 690)
• Xuanzang, Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler (d. 664)
• Zhiyan, Chinese (Buddhist) patriarch (d. 668)
• Muawiyah bin Abi-Sufyan, Caliph of Syria (d. 680)

603

• Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali, Muslim scholar (approximate date)
• Dagobert I, king of the Franks (d. 639)
• Li Daozong, prince of the Tang dynasty (approximate date)
• Li Yuanji, prince of the Tang dynasty (d. 626)
• Pacal the Great, ruler (ajaw) of Palenque (d. 683)
• Muyeol, king of Silla (Korea) (d. 661)
• Yeon Gaesomun, dictator of Goguryeo (d. 666)

604

• Oswald, king (bretwalda) of Northumbria (approximate date)

605

• Chlodulf, bishop of Metz
• Colmán, bishop of Lindisfarne (approximate date)
• Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad (approximate date)
• Yang You, puppet emperor of the Sui dynasty (d. 619)
• Sisenand, king of the Visigoths (approximate date)
• Yang Tong, puppet emperor of the Sui dynasty (d. 619)

606

• Hafsa bint Umar, daughter of Umar and wife of Muhammad
• Han Yuan, chancellor of the Tang dynasty (d. 659)

607

• Ali ibn Abi Talib, ruler of the Rashidun Caliphate (d. 661)
• Hao Chujun, general of the Tang dynasty (d. 681)
• Shenxiu, Chinese Zen Buddhist patriarch (d. 706)
• Yang Gao, prince of the Sui dynasty (d. 618)

608

• Charibert II, king of Aquitaine (approximate date)
• Philibert of Jumièges, Frankish abbot (approximate date)

609

• Audoin, bishop of Rouen (d. 686)
• Hafsa bint Umar, wife of Muhammad (approximate date)

Deaths

Transcluding articles: 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, and 609

600

• March 13 - Leander, bishop of Seville possibly in 601)
• Aedh Buidhe, king of Uí Maine (Ireland)
• Beop, king of Baekje (Korea)^[7]
• Bhavavarman I, king of Cambodia
• Cainnech of Aghaboe, Irish abbot and saint (b. c.515)
• Uatu mac Áedo, king of Connacht (Ireland)
• Venantius Fortunatus, bishop of Poitiers, one of the last representatives of Classical Latin poetry
• Yang Jun, prince of the Sui dynasty (b. 571)

601

• March 13 or 600 – Leander, bishop of Seville
• Agilulf, bishop of Metz
• Reccared I, king of the Visigoths (b. 559)
• Bertha of Kent, Frankish-born Anglo-Saxon queen consort, canonized (b. c.565) (approximate date)
• Sophia, Byzantine Empress consort (approximate date)

602

• September 10 – Dugu Qieluo, empress of the Chinese Sui dynasty (b. 544)
• November 27 – Maurice, Byzantine emperor (b. 539)
• Nu'man III, king of the Lakhmids
• Ariulf, Lombard duke of Spoleto
• Bayan I, ruler (khagan) of the Avars
• Comentiolus, Byzantine general (magister militum)
• Peter, Byzantine general (curopalates)
• Theodosius, Byzantine co-emperor
• Tiberius, Byzantine prince
• Lady Xian, Chinese general (b. 512)^[29]

603

• Fintan of Clonenagh, Irish abbot
• Liuva II, king of the Visigoths (b. 583)
• Mungo, Brythonic bishop (or 614)
• Tardu, ruler (khagan) of the Göktürks

604

• March 12 – Gregory I, pope of the Catholic Church
• May 26 – Augustine, Archbishop of Canterbury (approximate date)
• August 13 – Emperor Wen of Sui, emperor of the Sui dynasty (b. 541)
• November 4 – Yohl Ik'nal, female ruler of Palenque (Mexico)
• December 16 – Houzhu, emperor of the Chen dynasty (b. 553)
• Æthelric, king of Deira (approximate date)
• Berthoald, Mayor of the Palace (Burgundy)
• Colmán Rímid, High King of Ireland
• Sledd, king of Essex (approximate date)
• Xiao Mohe, general of the Sui dynasty (b. 532)
• Yang Yong, prince of the Sui dynasty

605

• Alexander of Tralles, physician (approximate date)
• Brandub mac Echach, king of Uí Ceinnselaig (Ireland)
• Constantina, Byzantine empress (approximate date)
• Damian, Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria

606

• February 22 – Pope Sabinian
• Colmán of Cloyne, Irish monk and poet
• Cyriacus II, patriarch of Constantinople
• Jianzhi Sengcan, patriarch of Chán
• John Climacus, monk and writer
• Paterius, bishop of Brescia (Italy)
• Protadius, Mayor of the Palace (Burgundy)
• Pybba, king of Mercia (approximate date)
• Yang Su, general of the Sui dynasty
• Yang Zhao, prince of the Sui dynasty (b. 584)

607

• November 12 – Pope Boniface III
• Desiderius, archbishop of Vienne (approximate date)
• Gao Jiong, general of the Sui dynasty
• Trudpert, Irish missionary (or 644)

608

• Áedán mac Gabráin, king of Dál Riata^[30]

609

• Qamishoʿ, Syriac Orthodox Grand Metropolitan of the East.^[31]
• Venantius Fortunatus, Latin poet and bishop (or 600)
• Yang Lihua, empress of Northern Zhou (b. 561)
• Zuhayr bin Abi Sulma, Arabian poet (approx.)

References

1. McNeill, William H, "Plagues and Peoples". (Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden City, New York 1977)
2. McEvedy, Colin, "The Penguin Atlas of Medieval History". (Rupert Hart-Davis and Crowell-Collier, U.S.A. 1978)
3. Trager, James, "The Peoples Chronology". (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York, 1979)
4. Sawyer P.H., "Kings & Vikings A.D, 600–1100". (Methuen, London & New York, 1982)
5. Tvauri, Andres (2012). The Migration Period, Pre-Viking Age, and Viking Age in Estonia. p. 29. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
6. McVedy, Colin, "The Penguin Atlas of Ancient History". (Fletcher & Son Ltd., Norwich, England 1967)
7. "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
8. Tannahill, Reay, "Food in History". (Stein & Day, New York 1973)
9. "🤧 The "God Bless You" Decree, February 16, 600 A.D." Law Office of Justin R. McCarthy. 2019-02-16. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
10. Roger Collins, "Visigothic Spain 409–711", (Blackwell Publishing,2004, p.73
11. Ann Christys, "Christians in Al-Andalus, 711–1000", p. 37 (Curzon Press, 2002). ISBN 0-7007-1564-9
12. Fine, John V. A. Jr. (1991) [1983]. The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 33. ISBN 0-472-08149-7.
13. Guidoboni, Traina, 1995, p. 118
14. The "Latin Library". Ad Fontes Academy, (2008)
15. Roger Collins, "Visigothic Spain 409–711", p. 73
16. Jeffrey Richards. The Popes and the Papacy in the Early Middle Ages, 476–752, p. 246
17. Fine, John V. A. Jr. (1991) [1983]. The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 33. ISBN 0-472-08149-7.
18. Essential Histories: Rome at War AD 293–696 (2002), Michael Whitby, p. 60. ISBN 1-84176-359-4
19. Bede, "Historia Ecclesiastica", I.34, III.6; "Historia Brittonum", chapter 61
20. Geoffrey Hindley, A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons: "The beginnings of the English nation" New York: Carrol & Graf Publishers (2006), p. 33–36. ISBN 978-0-7867-1738-5
21. W.G. Aston, trans., Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697, 2 vols. in 1 (London: Keagan and Co., 1896), vol. 2, p. 128–133
22. "Ajen Yohl Mat". Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
23. "Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens" by Simon Martin and Nikolai Grube
24. "Harsha | Indian emperor". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
25. ASC Parker MS. AD 607
26. Essential Histories: Rome at War AD 293–696 (2002), Michael Whitby, p. 60. ISBN 1-84176-359-4
27. Kaegi 2003, p. 41
28. MacDonald 1976, p. 18
29. Wade, Geoff (2014). Asian Expansions: The Historical Experiences of Polity Expansion in Asia. Routledge. p. 77. ISBN 9781135043537.
30. The Oxford companion to Scottish history. Oxford University Press. February 24, 2011. p. 5. ISBN 9780199693054.
31. Wilmshurst, David (2019). "West Syrian patriarchs and maphrians". In Daniel King (ed.). The Syriac World. Routledge. pp. 806–813.

Bibliography

• Kaegi, Walter E. (2003). Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521814591.

• MacDonald, William L. (1976). The Pantheon : design, meaning, and progeny. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-01019-1.