By place Byzantine Empire •
February 11 – Emperor
Heraclius, age 65, dies of
dropsy at
Constantinople after a 31-year reign. He reorganized the imperial administration, but lost
Armenia, parts of
Egypt,
Palestine,
Syria and Byzantine
Mesopotamia to the
Muslim Arabs. Heraclius is succeeded by his sons
Constantine III and
Heraklonas. • The
Muslim conquest of Egypt continues, with the
siege of Alexandria. •
May – Constantine III, age 29, dies of
tuberculosis after a four-month reign, leaving his half-brother Heraklonas sole emperor. Rumors spread that Constantine has been
poisoned by Heraclius's second wife (and niece)
Martina. •
September – The
Byzantine Senate turns against Martina and her son Heraklonas, who are both
mutilated, and
exiled to
Rhodes. Supported by general
Valentinus, Constantine's son
Constans II, age 10, succeeds to the
throne. • Constans II establishes a new civil-military defensive organisation, based upon
geographical military districts. Byzantine forces maintain the frontier, along the line of the
Taurus Mountains (Southern
Turkey).
Europe •
Aega,
Mayor of the Palace and
regent (alongside of
queen mother Nanthild) of
Neustria and
Burgundy, dies during the reign of King
Clovis II. He is replaced by
Erchinoald, a relative of
Dagobert I's mother. • The
Lombards under King
Rothari conquer
Genoa (
Liguria), and all remaining
Byzantine territories in the lower
Po Valley, including
Oderzo (
Opitergium). •
Arechis I, duke of
Benevento (northeast of
Naples), dies after a 50-year reign and is succeeded by his son
Aiulf I.
Britain • Prince
Oswiu of
Bernicia conquers
Gododdin (or "The Old North") as far north as
Manau (modern
Scotland), on behalf of his half-brother, King
Oswald (approximate date). • King
Bridei II dies after a 5-year reign, and is succeeded by his brother
Talorc III as ruler of the
Picts.
Africa •
November 8 –
Siege of Alexandria: Muslim Arabs under
'Amr ibn al-'As capture
Alexandria after a six-month
siege. Byzantine officials formally capitulate to Amr, turning the city over to Arab hands. • The city of
Fustat (later
Cairo) is founded in
Egypt. It becomes the first
capital of Egypt under Muslim rule.
Asia • Emperor
Taizong of the
Tang dynasty (China) instigates a
civil war in the
Western Turkic Khaganate, by supporting Isbara Yabghu Qaghan. •
November 17 – Emperor
Jomei of
Japan, age 48, dies after a 12-year reign. •
Uija becomes the last king of the Korean kingdom of
Baekje. == Births ==