626

Year 626 (DCXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 626 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Millennium: 1st millennium
Centuries:
Decades:
Years:
626 in various calendars
Gregorian calendar626
DCXXVI
Ab urbe condita1379
Armenian calendar75
ԹՎ ՀԵ
Assyrian calendar5376
Balinese saka calendar547–548
Bengali calendar33
Berber calendar1576
Buddhist calendar1170
Burmese calendar−12
Byzantine calendar6134–6135
Chinese calendar乙酉年 (Wood Rooster)
3322 or 3262
     to 
丙戌年 (Fire Dog)
3323 or 3263
Coptic calendar342–343
Discordian calendar1792
Ethiopian calendar618–619
Hebrew calendar4386–4387
Hindu calendars
 - Vikram Samvat682–683
 - Shaka Samvat547–548
 - Kali Yuga3726–3727
Holocene calendar10626
Iranian calendar4–5
Islamic calendar4–5
Japanese calendarN/A
Javanese calendar516–517
Julian calendar626
DCXXVI
Korean calendar2959
Minguo calendar1286 before ROC
民前1286年
Nanakshahi calendar−842
Seleucid era937/938 AG
Thai solar calendar1168–1169
Tibetan calendar阴木鸡年
(female Wood-Rooster)
752 or 371 or −401
     to 
阳火狗年
(male Fire-Dog)
753 or 372 or −400
Emperor Tai Zong of the Tang dynasty

Events

Byzantine Empire

  • Siege of Constantinople: A horde of Avars, consisting of about 80,000 men (including large contingents of Slavs, Bulgars, and other "barbarians"), attack the walls of Constantinople. A small Persian army arrives on the Bosphorus, on the Asiatic side. The Theodosian Walls are stormed with the most up-to-date siege equipment, in the form of traction trebuchets. The Avars also have mobile armoured shelters (medieval 'sows') and siege towers; the latter are covered in hides for fire protection.[1] The defense of the capital (12,000 well-trained Byzantine troops) is in the hands of Patriarch Sergius I and Bonus (magister militum).
  • July 31 The Avars and Persian allies under Shahrbaraz launch an attack along the entire length of the Theodosian Walls (about 5.7 kilometres); the main effort is concentrated against the central section, particularly the low-lying mesoteichion. After a fierce infantry battle on the walls, the Byzantine army holds off many assaults on the city. Emperor Heraclius makes arrangements for a new army under his brother Theodore to operate against the Persians in western Anatolia, while he returns to his own army in Pontus.
  • August 7 In the waters of the Golden Horn, the Persian fleet is destroyed while ferrying reinforcements. The Avars, having suffered terrible losses, running short of food and supplies, burn their siege engines. They abandon the siege and retreat to the Balkan Peninsula. The Byzantines achieve a decisive victory at Blachernae, under the protection of the Church of the Virgin Mary.
  • Byzantine–Persian War: Heraclius, his army reduced by campaigning to less than 30,000 men, is on the defensive in Pontus. Apparently he leaves a strong Byzantine garrison in Trapezus, and withdraws north-eastward along the Black Sea into Colchis, where he halts the Persians by aggressive defensive-offensive operations along the Phasis River. By attracting the Persian army under Shahin Vahmanzadegan in Anatolia, he provides Theodore with the opportunity to defeat them. By the end of the summer he threatens the communication of the Persians at Chalcedon (modern Turkey).
  • Heraclius invites the Croats, a Slavic tribe living in Galicia, Silesia, and Bohemia, to settle in Illyricum. They are given the land between the Drava River and the Adriatic Sea for ridding of Avars. The Serbs are allowed to move from their homeland north of the Carpathians to a territory east of the Croats. Heraclius asks Pope Honorius I to send missionaries to both groups.
  • Winter Heraclius makes an alliance with Tong Yabghu Qaghan, ruler (khagan) of the Western Turkic Khaganate, for a joint invasion of the Persian Empire the following spring. He promises his daughter Eudoxia Epiphania, age 15, in marriage to Tong Yabghu and sends her under escort with wondrous gifts.

Europe

  • Arioald succeeds his brother-in-law Adaloald as king of the Lombards, and afterwards Arioald goes insane. Arioald has his wife locked up in a monastery, accusing her of plotting against him with Grasulf II, duke of Friuli (northern Italy).

Britain

  • King Edwin of Northumbria defeats the West Saxons under Cynegils, who has tried to thwart the growing strength of Edwin by having him assassinated. Edwin obliges Cynegils to acknowledge Northumbria's supremacy.
  • April 19 Eanflæd, daughter of Edwin of Northumbria, is born at a royal residence by the River Derwent. She is baptised by Paulinus, bishop of York.
  • Edwin of Northumbria invades the Isle of Man and then Anglesey. King Cadwallon is defeated in battle, and is besieged on Puffin Island.[2]
  • Edinburgh (Scotland) is founded by Edwin of Northumbria (approximate date).
  • Penda becomes king of Mercia (approximate date).[3]

Persia

  • Summer King Khosrau II plans an all-out effort against Constantinople. He returns to Anatolia with two armies of unknown size, presumably more than 50,000 men each. One of these (possibly commanded by Khosrau himself) is to contain Heraclius in Pontus; another under Shahin Vahmanzadegan is defeated by Theodore.

Asia

  • July 2 Li Shimin travels to the Tang capital Chang'an to bid farewell to his younger brother Li Yuanji, who has been given command of a Chinese expedition against the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Hearing of a plot to murder him, he and a few supporters seize the northern entrance to the emperor's palace. Li Shimin ambushes and eliminates his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng, in the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
  • September 4 Emperor Gao Zu abdicates in favor of his son Li Shimin after an 8-year reign. He passes the throne to him (as Emperor Tai Zong).

Births

Deaths

  • June 19 Soga no Umako, leader of the Soga clan
  • July 2 Li Jiancheng, prince of the Tang dynasty (b. 589)
  • July 2 Li Yuanji, prince of the Tang dynasty (b. 603)
  • Adaloald, king of the Lombards (approximate date)
  • Cearl, king of Mercia (approximate date)
  • Fatimah bint Asad, mother of Ali ibn Abi Talib (b. 555)
  • Fiachnae mac Báetáin, king of Dál nAraidi (Ireland)
  • Gaugericus, bishop of Cambrai (approximate date)
  • Sexred, king of Essex (approximate date)
  • Shahin Vahmanzadegan, Persian general (approximate date)
  • Warnachar II, Mayor of the Palace (approximate date)

References

  1. The Walls of Constantinople AD 324–1453, p. 47. Stephen Turnbull, 2004. ISBN 978-1-84176-759-8
  2. Bede Book II, Chapter IX.
  3. Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Manuscript A (ASC A), 626

Sources

  • Bede. "Book II". Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Internet History Sourcebooks Project.
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