The First Millenium

[Vince]

604 is finally here.

Sabinian becomes Pope, and he doesn’t achieve sainthood. Unsuccessful as the Pope’s representative in Constantinople, he had been recalled to Rome. As Pope, he worked hard to stabilize finances, even selling grain at high prices during a siege. He introduced the custom of ringing bells at Holy Communion during Mass.

It’s a big year for Japan. With the four home islands firmly under government control, Japan issues a new constitution that stresses virtue rather than laws. And so the Japanese Empire, which survives until 1945, begins.

Dara is a bad place to live. The Byzantines built it into a heavily-fortified city right outside Persia, and every time they go to war, the Persians destroy Dara first. This year, they do it again.

Chlothar the Young became a king in central Europe at the age of thirteen. As bloodthirsty as his mother, he attacks two small kingdoms ruled by his nephews, but they defeat him. Luckily for Chlothar, they then declare war on each other. It will take another decade, but eventually Chlothar will rule all the Franks.

The first of five Saint Paul's Cathedrals is built in London. This modest structure was the seat of the bishop of London and mother church of London, but it was destroyed shortly after being built.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 605.

China completes the "Safe Crossing" Bridge, the first fully stone arched bridge in history. Replacing the Trajan Bridge as the most magnificent bridge then built, it is still in use. China also speeds up the unification of various parts of the Grand Canal, still the longest canal in the world.

The Lakhmids were an Arab Christian kingdom that had been annexed by Persia and served as a buffer state between them and the other Arabs. Taking advantage of Persia's war with Byzantia, they rebel, leaving a large portion of the Persian border unprotected.

In southern Mexico, Aj Ne' Yohl Mat (died August 11, 612) becomes king of the Maya city of Palenque. During his reign his kingdom was invaded by people from Calakmul.

Alexander the Physician dies. He wrote extensively, based on his own experience, and did a successful study of depression.

 

[Vince]

What kind of year is 606?

Mercia is a small German kingdom in England that has only been around for a few decades. Someone built a fort and therefor had a kingdom. Cearl becomes king and manages to hold off his invading neighbors.

With the collapse of the powerful Gupta Empire, India has divided into several kingdoms that are often at war with each other. Shashanka becomes the first king of Bengal, which expands during his lifetime into a large, successful kingdom. A few decades after his death, it collapses.

Fatimah, daughter of Mohammed and his first wife, is born. She eventually becomes a powerful political figure and is revered by Moslems today.

 

[Vince]

607

Surviving only nine months as Pope, Boniface III fought to make Papal elections honest. He excommunicated anyone planning to appoint a successor while the Pope lived. He defeated an attempt by the Patriarch of Constantinople to have the Emperor declare the Patriarch to be head of the Catholic Church, instead getting an official decree that the Pope was the head of the church. For this reason, some sources list him as the founder of the Catholic Church. Despite his insistence on honesty, he was not made a saint.

On March 13, the 12th recorded passage of Halley's Comet occurs. Centuries later, Edmund Halley, an Englishman, will prove that all of these appearances are by the same comet.

A letter brought to the Emperor of China by an emissary from Japan in 607 stated that the "Emperor of the Land where the Sun rises sends a letter to the Emperor of the land where Sun sets," thereby implying an equal footing with China which angers the Chinese emperor. However, nothing comes of it.
607.

In Rome, the Pantheon is converted into a church. Built in 126 in honor of all the gods, it is one of the best-preserved ancient Roman buildings and is still used as a church in honor of Mary and all the martyrs.

 

[Vince]

608

Nine months after the death of his predecessor, Boniface IV becomes Pope. He converts some pagan temples into churches and works vigorously to support the bishop of London in spreading Catholicism in England. He is strongly opposed by Saint Columban, who unsuccessfully demands that the Pope call a synod to try him for false doctrine. Boniface converted his home into a monastery and retired there, but remained Pope until his death in 615.

In the northwest corner of Turkey, Chalcedon is a port on the Black Sea that helps control access to the Mediterranean. The Persians attack, and although it takes them eight years to do it, CHalcedon will be ost forever to Byzantium.

The Catholic Church records the first observance of Halloween, in honor of all the saints. Over the centuries, Halloween will become a blend of various customs and religions.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 609!

It’s 1,103 miles long, it’s the longest canal in the world, and it is still in use. The Chinese finish the “Grand Canal of China.†The Emperor sails a 65 mile long naval flotilla all the way to the capital.

The canal is only one of several expensive construction projects that is wearing out the Chinese treasury. Shibi Khan, the new ruler of the eastern Turks, resents his people's subjection to the Chinese, and henotices that the Chinese are neglecting their army.

The Persians capture Edessa, in southeast Turkey...again. For the next few centuries, the city will go back and forth under various conquerors.

A census shows that China has about fifty million people.

 

[Vince]

A lot of things happen in 610.

Sergius I was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 610 to 638. He championed the doctrine that Jesus had two Natures but only one will.

The Byzantine Empire has been occupied by war with Persia, and Avars and Slavs have been advancing through Constantinople's empire in Europe. Constantinople's governor in Egypt, Heraclius, sails with a small army to Constantinople, and with Emperor Phocas having lost much of his support, Heraclius easily defeats him. Phocas is executed and Heraclius became emperor.

During his 31 year reign, Heraclius eventually recovers much of the territory lost to the Persians, and he makes Greek, not Latin, the official language of the Empire. At that time, the majority of Byzantines spoke Greek.

Meanwhile, Benjamin of Tiberias, a wealthy Jew living in Palestine, raises and equips a Jewish army to free Jerusalem from Byzantium. He allies with Persia as they begin an eighteen year long war.

The Avars launch an unsuccessful invasion of Italy.

Paper technology from Japan is introduced to China. The principles of paper-making have not changed: pulp is dissolved in water, and the water is removed. During the process, the pulp is pressed into a thin sheet.

 

[Vince]

Nothing happens in 611.

Eudoxia Epiphania is born, the only child of the new Emperor and his first wife. When she later turns fifteen, she is sent off to marry a Turkish ruler, but he dies before she gets there, so she returns home.

Cynegils begins his thirty-one year reign as king of Wessex. He fights two large but indecisive battles during his reign.

 

[Vince]

612

China invades the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo with 1,133,800 men. However, Goguryeo continually resisted their enemy. Defeating the Chinese, the Gorguryeon forces chase them to the Salsu River, open the dams on them, and smash the survivors. China’s losses are so severe that the Sui Dynasty collapses as a result.

Sisebut becomes king of the Visigoths. During his nine year reign he drives the rest of Byzantium out of Spain, persecutes Jews and forms successful alliances with his neighbors.

After years of warfare with his relatives, Theuderic II, king of Burgundy, kills his brother and rules all of central France. But he dies shortly afterwards.

 

[Vince]

Hopefully, 613 will be an interesting year.

The Byzantine emperor Heraclius marries his sister's daughter Martina shortly after his wife dies. Despite objections, their marriage is successful.

In Britain, the Welsh suffer another major defeat by the English. The non-German remnants of Romans and local Celts, the Welsh are being steadily driven into the area today known as Wales.

The many small kingdoms of Cambodia are slowly uniting into one nation. Chenla has successfully absorbed its neighbors and now gets a capital.

Muhammad has begun preaching publicly in his hometown, Mecca, and he is being ignored or is thought to be crazy.

 

[Vince]

614 is a rough year to be a Christian.

The Persians sack Jerusalem and massacre 65,000 Christians. Brilliant, cruel, and often incompetent, Chosroes II of Persia had originally favored the Christians, but later felt that they were siding with his many rivals to the throne. With the Byzantine Empire beset by internal division and outside wars, he allowed his generals to win a series of conquests but was eventually defeated.

Benjamin of Tiberias, who had raised a Jewish army and helped in the conquest of Jerusalem, becomes a leader of an autonomous Jewish community in Jerusalem.

The Avars continue their conquests in southeastern Europe.

 

[Vince]

615 is an interesting year,

Pope Saint Adeodatus I (died November 8, 618) was Pope from 615 to 618. Reversing the policies of his predecessor, he removed monks from high offices and replaced them with clergy. He was also the first priest in 82 years to be made Pope without attaining a higher church office first.

Defeated at the Battle of Chester, the Welsh are now isolated from the rest of Britain. So they continue to develop their own language and culture.

Shibi Qaghan, leader of the eastern Turks, rebels against his Chinese overlords. Weighed down by expensive construction projects, the Chinese are unable to control him, and the eastern Turks are able to expand their territory. He invites Chinese representatives to a peace conference, where he slaughters all of them.

Twelve year old Pacal the Great begins his 68 year reign over Palenque in southern Mexico. His magnificent tomb and heavily-engraved coffin lid are two of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history, During his lifetime, he expanded his kingdom within the Mayan Empire.

 

[Vince]

616 is a very big year for England.

Eadbald becomes king of Kent, rejecting the Christianity of his father. A weak figure, he later converts.

Expanding inward from the coast, Northumbria wins another major battle against the native Britains. Dominating northern England, Northumbria is then defeated by East Anglia, and its expansion against other German kingdoms is halted.

In Italy, Adaloald becomes king of the Lombards. He rules for ten years, going insane and being deposed.

The Persians continue their successes, capturing Alexandria, Egypt. In Asia Minor, they destroy the city of Sardis.

 

[Vince]

617 has its problems.

Busy with wars elsewhere, Persia abandons Jerusalem, leaving the Jews to the vengeful Byzantine Empire.

Heathens revolt in Kent under the pagan King Eadbald. Justus, Bishop of Rochester, flees to Gaul.

After years of siege the Persians conquer Chalcedon, a major port in northwestern Turkey. Controlling access to the Mediterranean, the city is lost to Byzantium forever.

 

[Vince]

618

In China, the Tang Dynasty comes into power. For the next three centuries they will greatly expand China’s territory, power, and prestige. We’ll be hearing from them again, as China determines to conquer the Korean peninsula.

In Saudi Arabia, civil war breaks out between various Arab tribes. The Jews and the Bedouins actively participate. The war ends in an uneasy truce.

Tong Khan becomes ruler of the western Turks. He forms a strong alliance with China's Tang Dynasty, freeing the Turks to start raiding Persia.

 

[Vince]

619 is a good year for the Pope.

Pope Boniface V (died October 25, 625) was pope from 619 to 625. He diligently helped the English church and made some changes in clerical authority. He also established “the right of sanctuary,†allowing accused criminals the right to remain in a church building until they were guaranteed a fair trial. He was never made a saint, perhaps because so many of his laws were later repealed.

Defeated by the Persians thirty years earlier, the western Turks once again invade Persia. With the Persians busily at war with Byzantium, the Turks and their allies expect an easy victory. But the Persians send their elite forces against them, smashing the Turks in a decisive victory, and then slaughtering much of the retreating Turkish army.

The Avars attack Constantinople itself.

The Chinese modify their calendar to the correct movements of the sun and moon.

 

[Vince]

620 is a good year for Mexico (which doesn't exist yet).

The town of Cholula is founded in central Mexico. It was later said to be the oldest continuously occupied town in all of North America. Archaeological evidence indicates that the site had already been inhabited for eighteen centuries and had been an important city in the second century BC.

The Byzantines are already reeling in defeat from the Persians and Avars, when the Slavs attack Thessaloniki.

Central India defeats an invasion from northern India, and within a few decades all of central India is a single, successful kingdom.

In Saudi Arabia, the city of Medina converts to Islam, making Mohammed their ruler.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 621.

In China, the powerful Tang Dynasty decisively defeats two rebellious warlords, capturing all their territory.

Sisebut, king of the Visigoths in Spain, dies. His young son Reccared II is quickly married to his own mother and placed on the throne, where he is soon killed by his uncle Suintila. Taking the throne for ten years, Suintila finds himself surrounded by peace. This enables him to drive out the last of the Byzantines, and he is the first king to rule the entire Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal). He names his German kingdom "Spania."

 

[Vince]

622 is the first year of the Islamic calendar.

The Hejira (“Flight†or “Migrationâ€) occurs; Muhammad and his followers emigrate from Mecca to Medina.

Xuanzang, a Chinese Buddhist, is ordained as a monk. Thriving under the stability of the Tang Dynasty, he travels throughout China, collecting Buddhist scripts. Realizing that many of them are corrupted, he spends seventeen years traveling through India, attempting to get the correct versions. his descriptions of India and China provide both nations with valuable historical records.

 

[Vince]

623

Rejected by the Jews as their leader, Muhammad and his followers stop bowing toward Jerusalem and begin bowing toward Mecca, and Muhammad abandons Saturday as the Sabbath and makes Friday his special day of the week. He wins his first major military victory at the Battle of Badr, defeating a Meccan army three times larger than his own.

In eastern and central Europe, the Slavs form their first nation.

The Visigoths finish retaking southern Spain from the Byzantines, 70 years after the Byzantines took it from them.

Having returned from exile, Justus becomes the fourth archbishop of Canterbury. He appoints other bishops and sends missionaries to Northumbria.