WORLD HISTORY · TIMELINE 日本語
The 7th century601–700
What were the key events of the 7th century?
In the 7th century (601–700), Muhammad preached Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, and China's Tang dynasty developed legal codes that influenced neighboring states. Japan adopted the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System and the Seventeen-Article Constitution, and state-building advanced through the Isshi Incident, the Battle of Baekgang, and the Jinshin War.
- Cap-rank system and Seventeen-Article Constitution adoptedAsia
- Muhammad preaches IslamMiddle East
- Tang legal codes influence neighboring statesAsia
- Prince Naka no Oe and allies kill Soga no IrukaAsia
- Wa navy defeated at the Battle of BaekgangAsia
- Battle at the Seta River in the Jinshin WarAsia
- Silla unifies the Korean PeninsulaAsia
- Wu Zetian takes the throne, renames dynasty ZhouAsia
Summaries are written by the site editors.
Key events of the 7th century (timeline · excerpt)
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Byzantine Emperor Maurice is forced to watch as the usurper Phocas executes his five sons before Maurice is beheaded himself.
Cap-rank system and Seventeen-Article Constitution adopted
Ono no Imoko is dispatched as envoy to the Sui court in China (Traditional Japanese date: July 3, 607).
Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628: Sassanid troops under general Shahrbaraz conquer the town of Zenobia.
Eight-month-old Heraclius Constantine is crowned as co-emperor (Caesar) by his father Heraclius at Constantinople.
King Chlothar II promulgates the Edict of Paris (Edictum Chlotacharii), a sort of Frankish Magna Carta that defends the rights of the Frankish nobles while it excludes Jews from all civil employment in the Frankish Kingdom.
Battle of Huoyi: Li Yuan defeats a Sui dynasty army, opening the path to his capture of the imperial capital Chang'an and the eventual establishment of the Tang dynasty.
Li Yuan becomes Emperor Gaozu of Tang, initiating three centuries of Tang dynasty rule over China.
Transition from Sui to Tang: Wang Shichong decisively defeats Li Mi at the Battle of Yanshi.
The Tang dynasty scores a decisive victory over their rival Xue Rengao at the Battle of Qianshuiyuan.
The Bijapur-Mumbai inscription is issued by Pulakeshin II, describing the Battle of Narmada.
A qaghan of the Western Turkic Khaganate is assassinated in a Chinese palace by Eastern Turkic rivals after the approval of Tang emperor Gaozu.
Battle of Hulao: Li Shimin, the son of the Chinese emperor Gaozu, defeats the numerically superior forces of Dou Jiande near the Hulao Pass (Henan). This victory decides the outcome of the civil war that followed the Sui dynasty's collapse in favour of the Tang dynasty.
The Muslim army under Muhammad suffers a defeat against the Quraysh in the battle of Uhud.
The Avars and Sassanids besiege Constantinople, held by Byzantine troops under Patrician Bonus.
Li Shimin, the future Emperor Taizong of Tang, ambushes and kills his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng in the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
Li Shimin, posthumously known as Emperor Taizong of Tang, assumes the throne over the Tang dynasty of China.
Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II's Persian forces, commanded by General Rhahzadh.
Khosrow II, the last great Shah of the Sasanian Empire (Iran), is overthrown by his son Kavadh II.
Conquest of Mecca: Muhammad and his followers conquer the city, and the Quraysh association of clans surrenders.
Emperor Heraclius returns the True Cross, one of the holiest Christian relics, to Jerusalem.
Emperor Taizong of Tang sends envoys to the Xueyantuo bearing gold and silk in order to seek the release of Chinese prisoners captured during the transition from Sui to Tang.
Yazdegerd III ascends the throne as king (shah) of the Persian Empire. He becomes the last ruler of the Sasanian dynasty (modern Iran).
Fatimah, daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, dies, with her cause of death being a controversial topic among the Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims.
Battle of Hatfield Chase: King Edwin of Northumbria is defeated and killed by an alliance under Penda of Mercia and Cadwallon of Gwynedd.
Siege of Damascus: The Rashidun Arabs under Khalid ibn al-Walid capture Damascus from the Byzantine Empire.
Arab–Byzantine wars: The Battle of Yarmouk between the Byzantine Empire and the Rashidun Caliphate begins.
Battle of the Yarmuk: Marking the first great wave of Muslim conquests and the rapid advance of Islam outside Arabia, Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid defeat the Byzantine Empire and take control of the Levant.
The Rashidun Caliphate defeats the Sasanian Empire at the Battle of al-Qādisiyyah in Iraq.
The Battle of Moira is fought between the High King of Ireland and the Kings of Ulster and Dál Riata. It is claimed to be the largest battle in the history of Ireland.
Arab–Byzantine wars: Antioch surrenders to the Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of the Iron Bridge.
Heraclonas and David, sons of Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, are proclaimed augustus and caesar respectively, possibly due to the bad health of their elder brother Heraclius Constantine.
Battle of Heliopolis: The Muslim Arab army under 'Amr ibn al-'As defeat the Byzantine forces near Heliopolis (Egypt).
Isshi Incident: Prince Naka-no-Ōe and Fujiwara no Kamatari assassinate Soga no Iruka during a coup d'état at the imperial palace.
Prince Naka no Oe and allies kill Soga no Iruka
Chinese forces under general Li Shiji besiege the strategic fortress city of Anshi (Liaoning) during the Goguryeo–Tang War.
Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surrender after a forty-day siege led by Tang dynasty general Ashina She'er, establishing Tang control over the northern Tarim Basin in Xinjiang.
Pope Martin I is arrested and taken to Constantinople, due to his opposition to monothelitism.
Pope Martin I, having been abducted by Byzantine authorities from Rome for his opposition to Monothelitism, is tried in Constantinople.
After a prolonged siege by rebels who demand his abdication, caliph Uthman is assassinated as the rebels enter his palace.
First Fitna: In the Battle of Siffin, troops led by Ali ibn Abu Talib clash with those led by Muawiyah I.
Silla forces under general Kim Yu-sin defeat the army of Baekje at the Battle of Hwangsanbeol.
The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph.
Silla–Tang armies crush the Baekje restoration attempt and force Yamato Japan to withdraw from Korea in the Battle of Baekgang.
Wa navy defeated at the Battle of Baekgang
Emperor Tenji of Japan introduces a water clock (clepsydra) called Rokoku. The instrument, which measures time and indicates hours, is placed in the capital of Ōtsu.
King Wamba of the Visigoths puts down a revolt by Hilderic, governor of Nîmes (France) and rival for the throne.
Silla unifies the Korean Peninsula
Climax of the Siege of Thessalonica by the Slavs in a three-day assault on the city walls.
Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain.
Pope Leo II is elected head of the Catholic Church, although he will not be consecrated until 17 August.
The Battle of al-Harrah concludes, with Yazid I's army killing 11,000 people of the city of Medina.
Pope Benedict II is consecrated as pope following imperial approval from the Byzantine Emperor. He is the last pope to require the confirmation of the emperor; the next popes require only that of the more closely situated exarch of Ravenna.
Battle of Marj Rahit: Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of Syria.
The Battle of Dun Nechtain is fought between a Pictish army under King Bridei III and the invading Northumbrians under King Ecgfrith, who are decisively defeated.
The Umayyad forces suffer a decisive defeat against the pro-Alid forces under Ibrahim ibn al-Ashtar in the battle of Khazir.
Wu Zetian takes the throne, renames dynasty Zhou
Empress Wu Zetian ascends to the throne of the Tang dynasty and proclaims herself ruler of the Chinese Empire.
At the Seventeenth Council of Toledo, Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims, sentencing all Jews to slavery.
En no Ozuno, a Japanese mystic and apothecary who will later be regarded as the founder of the folk religion Shugendō, is banished to Izu Ōshima.
Source: Wikipedia date pages ("January 1" … "December 31") / CC BY-SA 4.0. Regions are assigned by the site editors.
Dates and events are based on Wikipedia and other references. Summaries and regions are written by the site editors.