Below are some of the important events that happened from 540 to 549. It is distinct from the decade known as the 50th decade which began on January 1, 541. and ended on December 31, 550
- Emperor Kimmei, reign of 29th emperor of Japan starts (540-571)[1]
- Vitiges of the Ostrogoths surrendered to the Byzantine army.[2]
- Ildibad succeeds Vitiges as king of the Ostrogoths.
Deaths
- Dignāga, Buddhist founder of Indian logic
- Dionysius Exiguus (approximate date)
- Fridolin of Säckingen Irish missionary
- Vedast, Frankish bishop
- Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths
- Yifu, empress of Western Wei
- Yujiulü, empress of Western Wei
Deaths
- Adhurgunbadh, Persian general
- Eraric, king of the Ostrogoths
- Ildibad, king of the Ostrogoths
Births
- Xiao Min Di, emperor of Northern Zhou
- Xiao Ming Di, emperor of the Liang Dynasty
Births
- Brunhilda, queen of Austrasia (approximate date)
- Jing Di, emperor of the Liang Dynasty
- Wu Di, emperor of Northern Zhou
- Belisarius defeats the Gothic army under king Totila.
- King Khosrau I unsuccessfully attacks the Byzantine city of Dara.
- Ly Bi is made emperor and starts the empire Van Xuân (modern Vietnam).
Births
- Dugu Qieluo, empress of the Sui Dynasty
- Jing Di, emperor of the Liang Dynasty
- Yuwen Xian, prince of Northern Zhou
Deaths
- Solomon, Byzantine general
- October 18 – Saint Wenna
Births
- Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib, father of Muhammad
- Fei Di, emperor of Northern Qi
Deaths
- Budic II, king of Brittany (approximate date)
- Clotilde, Burgundian princess
- Medardus, bishop of Vermandois (approximate date)
- Stotzas, Byzantine rebel leader
- Belisarius recaptures Rome from the Ostrogoths.
- Theodebald becomes king of Austrasia.
- King Ida starts the kingdom of Bernicia. He builds Bamburgh Castle.
- The Tonkin revolt is stopped by the Chinese Liang Dynasty.
Births
- Pei Ju
- Empress Zhu Manyue
Deaths
- Theodebert I, king of Austrasia (or 548)
- Tribonian, Byzantine lawyer and writer of the Codex Justinianus.
- Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of Gwynedd (approximate date)
- Gao Huan
Births
- Xiao Zhuang, crown prince of the Southern Dynasties (approximate date)
Deaths
- April 13 – Ly Nam De, emperor of Vietnam
- Theodebert I, king of Austrasia (or 547)
- June 28 – Theodora I, Byzantine Empress
- Theudis, king of the Visigoths
- Jianwen Di becomes ruler of the Liang Dynasty in China.
- Agila becomes king of the Visigoths.
- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory is founded in Ireland.
- The Ostrogoths under Totila recapture Rome.
- Totila conquers the city of Perugia.
Births
- Jizang, Chinese Buddhist monk
Deaths
- Theudigisel, king of the Visigoths
- Tuathal Maelgarb, King of Tara
- Gao Cheng
- Emperor Wu of Liang
- Xiao Zhengde
- Princess Xu Zhaopei
- Zhu Yi