500s (12 events)
500
ID: 2539
Battle of Mount Badon - Arthur (or Ambrosius) defeats Saxons, halts their advance for a generation
ID: 2539
500
ID: 2822
Clovis attacks Burgundy - allies with Theodoric the Great, defeats Gundobad, increases Frankish territory
ID: 2822
500
ID: 3794
St. Benedict retreats to Subiaco cave - three years as hermit before founding monastic communities
ID: 3794
500
ID: 4861
Babylonian Talmud essentially complete - Savoraim begin minor additions and explanations
ID: 4861
500
ID: 4876
Targumim completed - Aramaic translations/paraphrases of Hebrew Bible, interpretive tradition diverges from LXX
ID: 4876
502
ID: 5256
Clovis begins church of Saints-Apostles - builds church at Genevieve's suggestion, will become her burial place
ID: 5256
503
ID: 2823
Salic Law codified - Clovis issues written law code for Franks, includes famous inheritance clause excluding women
ID: 2823
507
ID: 2824
Clovis declares war on Visigoths - claims divine mission to defeat Arian heretics, Byzantine Emperor supports with fleet
ID: 2824
507
ID: 2825
Battle of Vouillé - Clovis personally kills Alaric II in combat, Visigoths driven into Spain, Aquitaine becomes Frankish
ID: 2825
508
ID: 2826
Clovis makes Paris his capital - moves from Tournai to Paris, builds church of Saints-Apostles (later Sainte-Geneviève)
ID: 2826
508
ID: 2827
Clovis named honorary consul - Byzantine Emperor Anastasius recognizes him, parades in purple at Tours, legitimizes rule
ID: 2827
509
ID: 2828
Clovis eliminates rival Frankish kings - murders Sigebert of Cologne, Chararic, and others, unifies all Franks under Merovingians
ID: 2828
510s (5 events)
511
ID: 2829
First Council of Orleans - Clovis convenes 32 bishops, establishes Frankish Church organization, royal authority over Church
ID: 2829
511
ID: 2830
November 27, 511
Death of Clovis - dies at 45, kingdom divided among four sons: Theuderic (Reims), Chlodomer (Orleans), Childebert (Paris), Chlothar (Soissons)
ID: 2830
512
ID: 5257
January 3, 512
Death of St. Genevieve at 89 - dies after 80 years serving Paris, buried in Saints-Apostles church, immediate veneration
ID: 5257
514
ID: 3886
St. Hormisdas becomes fifty-second pope - ends Acacian schism with Formula of Hormisdas
ID: 3886
516
ID: 4169
Beowulf dies fighting dragon - aged king battles fire-drake guarding treasure hoard, both die (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle tradition)
ID: 4169
520s (7 events)
520
ID: 4170
King Arthur sees dragon in sky - fiery dragon appears as comet, Merlin interprets as prophecy of Arthur's greatness (Geoffrey of Monmouth)
ID: 4170
523
ID: 3887
St. John I becomes fifty-third pope - first pope to visit Constantinople, martyred by Theodoric
ID: 3887
524
ID: 2831
Death of Chlodomer - killed fighting Burgundians, brothers Childebert and Chlothar murder his young sons to take his kingdom
ID: 2831
526
ID: 3888
St. Felix IV becomes fifty-fourth pope - designates Boniface II as successor
ID: 3888
527
ID: 5517
Buddhism officially recognized in Silla after martyrdom of court official Ichadon
ID: 5517
529
ID: 3795
St. Benedict founds Monte Cassino - establishes monastery that becomes center of Western monasticism
ID: 3795
529
ID: 4686
Academy of Athens refugees arrive - Justinian closes Academy, philosophers flee to Persia
ID: 4686
530s (17 events)
530
ID: 3796
Rule of St. Benedict written - 'Ora et Labora', creates balanced moderate monasticism for West
ID: 3796
530
ID: 3889
Boniface II becomes fifty-fifth pope - first Germanic pope, confirms Second Orange
ID: 3889
531
ID: 2833
Frankish conquest of Thuringia - Theuderic and Chlothar destroy kingdom, massacre royal family, eastern expansion
ID: 2833
531
ID: 4657
Mazdak executed - egalitarian Zoroastrian reformer killed after threatening social order
ID: 4657
531
ID: 4684
Khosrow I Anushirvan begins reign - greatest Sassanid king, reforms, conquests, learning
ID: 4684
532
ID: 4758
Nika Riots - chariot racing factions nearly overthrow Justinian, Theodora's courage saves throne
ID: 4758
533
ID: 3890
John II becomes fifty-sixth pope - first to change name (from Mercury), defines Theotokos
ID: 3890
533
ID: 4760
Belisarius reconquers North Africa - destroys Vandal kingdom with 15,000 men
ID: 4760
534
ID: 2832
Franks conquer Burgundy - Childebert and Chlothar finally destroy Burgundian kingdom, fully incorporated into Francia
ID: 2832
534
ID: 2834
Death of Theuderic I - son Theudebert inherits Austrasia (eastern kingdom), most powerful Merovingian ruler
ID: 2834
534
ID: 4763
Corpus Juris Civilis completed - Justinian's legal code becomes foundation of Western law
ID: 4763
535
ID: 3891
St. Agapetus I becomes fifty-seventh pope - deposes Patriarch of Constantinople, dies there
ID: 3891
536
ID: 3892
St. Silverius becomes fifty-eighth pope - exiled by Empress Theodora, martyred on island
ID: 3892
537
ID: 2540
Battle of Camlann - Arthur and Mordred kill each other (according to later tradition), end of British resistance
ID: 2540
537
ID: 3893
Vigilius becomes fifty-ninth pope - appointed by Theodora, vacillates on Three Chapters controversy
ID: 3893
537
ID: 4759
Hagia Sophia completed - Justinian exclaims 'Solomon, I have surpassed thee!', largest cathedral for 1000 years
ID: 4759
539
ID: 2835
Theudebert invades Italy - takes advantage of Gothic-Byzantine war, mints gold coins with his image (imperial prerogative)
ID: 2835
540s (5 events)
540
ID: 4685
Sack of Antioch - Khosrow I captures and depopulates major Roman city
ID: 4685
540
ID: 4761
Belisarius takes Ravenna - reconquers Italy for Byzantine Empire, Gothic kingdom falls
ID: 4761
540
ID: 4897
Birth of St. Gregory the Great in Rome - future Pope and Doctor of the Church
ID: 4897
541
ID: 4762
Plague of Justinian begins - kills 25-50 million, emperor himself nearly dies
ID: 4762
545
ID: 3798
St. Columba founds Derry monastery - first of many foundations before mission to Scotland
ID: 3798
550s (8 events)
550
ID: 4178
St. Leonard defeats forest dragon - hermit saint confronts dragon in Limousin forest (French hagiographies)
ID: 4178
550
ID: 4862
Savoraim period ends - Final anonymous additions to Talmud, text reaches current form
ID: 4862
552
ID: 4177
St. Armel leads dragon from Brittany - uses his stole to lead dragon from monastery to cliff, commands it to jump (Breton chronicles)
ID: 4177
552
ID: 4805
Narses completes reconquest of Italy - eunuch general defeats Goths after 20-year war, Italy devastated
ID: 4805
552
ID: 5485
Buddhism officially introduced to Japan from Korean kingdom of Baekje with sutras and Buddha image
ID: 5485
553
ID: 5023
Second Council of Constantinople - Three Chapters condemned under Justinian, Theodore of Mopsuestia posthumously anathematized
ID: 5023
556
ID: 3894
Pelagius I becomes sixtieth pope - supports Justinian on Three Chapters, widely rejected in West
ID: 3894
558
ID: 2836
Chlothar I reunites Frankish kingdom - after deaths of all brothers and nephews, rules all Francia alone like his father Clovis
ID: 2836
560s (12 events)
560
ID: 4182
St. Samson of Dol slays dragon - Welsh bishop kills dragon in Cornwall cave while traveling to Brittany (Celtic hagiographies)
ID: 4182
561
ID: 2837
Death of Chlothar I - kingdom divided among four sons: Charibert (Paris), Guntram (Burgundy), Sigebert (Austrasia), Chilperic (Neustria)
ID: 2837
561
ID: 3895
John III becomes sixty-first pope - Lombards invade Italy during pontificate
ID: 3895
563
ID: 2541
St. Columba founds monastery on Iona - Irish Christianity spreads to Scotland and northern England
ID: 2541
567
ID: 2838
Sigebert marries Brunhilda - Visigothic princess, beautiful and educated, rivalry with Fredegund begins
ID: 2838
567
ID: 2840
Death of Charibert I - dies of plague, Paris divided among three brothers, no direct heir
ID: 2840
567
ID: 4806
Narses recalled to Constantinople - Empress Sophia insults him: 'eunuch should spin with women', Narses vows revenge
ID: 4806
567
ID: 4807
Narses allegedly invites Lombards - sends message to Alboin: 'Italy is rich, come take it' (disputed by historians)
ID: 4807
567
ID: 4808
Alboin defeats Gepids - kills King Cunimund, makes skull into drinking cup, forces daughter Rosamund to marry him
ID: 4808
568
ID: 2839
Chilperic murders Galswintha - kills Brunhilda's sister to marry servant Fredegund, begins decades of vengeance
ID: 2839
568
ID: 4809
Lombards invade Italy - Alboin leads entire nation across Alps, 200,000+ people, April 2, 568
ID: 4809
569
ID: 4810
Lombards take Milan - major city falls without siege, Byzantine defenses collapse
ID: 4810
570s (11 events)
572
ID: 4811
Fall of Pavia after 3-year siege - becomes Lombard capital, Alboin establishes kingdom
ID: 4811
572
ID: 4812
Assassination of Alboin in Verona - Rosamund has him murdered after he forces her to drink from father's skull
ID: 4812
573
ID: 2841
Civil war between Sigebert and Chilperic begins - brothers fight over territories, Brunhilda vs Fredegund feud intensifies
ID: 2841
573
ID: 4813
Death of Narses - legend says his lead coffin carried to Constantinople fulfilled promise to 'return in way that would harm them'
ID: 4813
574
ID: 4814
Italy permanently divided - Lombards control north, Byzantines hold Ravenna and south, fragmentation until 1861
ID: 4814
574
ID: 4815
Lombard duchies established - 36 independent duchies created, no king for 10 years (574-584)
ID: 4815
575
ID: 2842
Assassination of Sigebert I - killed by Fredegund's assassins while victoriously besieging Chilperic, Brunhilda captured
ID: 2842
575
ID: 3896
Benedict I becomes sixty-second pope - Rome besieged by Lombards, dies during famine
ID: 3896
576
ID: 2843
Gregory becomes Bishop of Tours - begins writing 'History of the Franks', primary source for Merovingian period
ID: 2843
579
ID: 3897
Pelagius II becomes sixty-third pope - seeks help against Lombards, dies of plague, ordains Gregory
ID: 3897
579
ID: 4687
Death of Khosrow I - end of Sassanid golden age, succession crisis follows
ID: 4687
580s (6 events)
584
ID: 2844
Assassination of Chilperic I - murdered while hunting, killer unknown, Fredegund suspected, infant Chlothar II inherits
ID: 2844
584
ID: 5094
Venice under Byzantine Exarchate of Ravenna - lagoon settlements organized under Byzantine administration, nominal imperial control
ID: 5094
587
ID: 2845
Treaty of Andelot - Guntram recognizes nephew Childebert II as heir, temporary peace between kingdoms
ID: 2845
589
ID: 4206
Dragon washed up after Tiber flood - enormous dragon corpse found after flood, followed by plague, Gregory the Great leads processions
ID: 4206
589
ID: 4708
Sui Dynasty reunifies China - ends 400 years of division since Han fall
ID: 4708
589
ID: 4863
Geonic period begins - Heads of Babylonian academies become authorities for worldwide Jewry
ID: 4863
590s (9 events)
590
ID: 3799
St. Columbanus founds Luxeuil - Irish monasticism spreads to continent with strict penitential practices
ID: 3799
590
ID: 3898
St. Gregory I the Great becomes sixty-fourth pope - sends Augustine to England, develops Gregorian chant
ID: 3898
590
ID: 4816
Lombards begin converting to Catholicism - Queen Theodelinda leads conversion from Arianism
ID: 4816
590
ID: 4898
September 3, 590
St. Gregory the Great elected Pope - first monk to become Pope, initiates Gregorian reforms and sends missionaries to England
ID: 4898
593
ID: 2846
Death of Guntram - dies peacefully, Childebert II inherits Burgundy, briefly controls Austrasia and Burgundy
ID: 2846
593
ID: 3800
Pope Gregory writes Dialogues - Book II on St. Benedict spreads Benedictine ideal throughout Church
ID: 3800
596
ID: 2847
Death of Childebert II - dies at 26, possibly poisoned, kingdoms divided between young sons Theudebert II and Theuderic II
ID: 2847
597
ID: 2542
Augustine arrives in Kent - sent by Pope Gregory to convert English, Ethelbert of Kent converts
ID: 2542
597
ID: 2848
Death of Fredegund - dies naturally in bed, Chlothar II still child, Brunhilda dominates as grandmother of two kings
ID: 2848