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6th century

The 6th century is the period from 501 - 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. This century is widely considered to mark the end of Classical Antiquity the beginning of the Dark Ages.

Overview

Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire late in the previous century, Europe fractured into many small Germanic Kingdoms, which competed constantly for land and wealth. From this upheaval the Franks finally became dominant, and carved out a sizeable domain encompassing much of modern France and Germany. Meanwhile, the surving Eastern Roman Empire began to expand under the emperor Justinian, who eventually recaptured North Africa from the Vandals, and attempted to fully recover Italy as well in the hope of re-establishing Roman control over the lands once ruled by the Western Roman Empire. Following Justinian's death, most of his gains were lost.

Events

• The first academy of the east the Academy of Gundeshapur founded in Iran by Khosrau I of Persia.
• Irish colonists and invaders, the Scots, began migrating to Caledonia (later known as Scotland)
• Glendalough monastery, Wicklow Ireland founded by St. Kevin
• The monastery on Iona is founded by St. Columban
• Zen Buddhists enter Vietnam from China.
• Buddhist Jataka stories are translated into Persian by order of the Zoroastrian king Khosrau.
• 537: Battle of Camlann, final battle of King Arthur
• Buddhism introduced to Japan from Baekje in 552, thus contributing to the changes that occurred in the Asuka period.
• Outbreak of bubonic plague in Constantinople and the rest of the Byzantine Empire (Plague of Justinian).
• Establishment of Karantania, first stable and independent state of Slovenians and of Slavs.
• The Kutriguri Bulgars move into modern Romania.
• Jewish influence in Aksum.
• Nubia is largely converted to Coptic Christianity.
• The area of modern Aargau falls to the Franks.
• The Kingdom of Funan dies out.
• Black Death raged over south east Asia.
• Silk Road farther into Europe.
• 589-618: Sui Dynasty of China
• Old Irish language develops
• Old Dutch language develops
• Abraha attacks Kaaba in Mecca (circa 571)

Significant persons

• Pope Gregory the Great (590-604)
• Arthur, defeated the Anglo-Saxons
• Justinian, Byzantine Emperor (527-565)
• Khosrau I of Persia, Sassanid king (531-579)
• Belisarius, last great Roman general
• Gregory of Tours (c. 538-594)
• Beowulf, (fictional?) king of the Geats
• Jordanes, author of the Getica.
• Procopius, Byzantine historian.
• Bozorgmehr, Persian sage.
• Muhammad, prophet of Islam, born in 570.
• Empress Suiko of Japan
• Taliesin, Welsh poet
• Abraham Kidunaia
• Austell

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• Dionysius Exiguus creates the Anno Domini system, inspired by the birth of Jesus, in 525. This is the system upon which the Gregorian calendar and Common Era systems are based.
• Backgammon (nard) invented in Persia by Burzoe
• Chess, as chaturanga, entered Persia from India and was modified to shatranj.
• Breast-strap horse harness in use in Frankish kingdom
• Byzantine Empire acquires silk technology from China
• Vaghbata, Indian medical books
• In 589 AD, the Chinese scholar-official Yan Zhitui makes the first reference to the use of toilet paper in history.

Decades and years

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Contents

• Overview
• Events
• Significant persons
• Inventions, discoveries, introductions
• Decades and years