Circa 500-700--Christian culture thrives in Ireland after being almost obliterated on the continent by Teutonic invasion--Irish missionary active in Scotland, Iceland, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy seeking to rechristianize Western Europe.
503
Battle of Mons Badonis (Mount Badon)--source for future Arthurian legends.
War between Byzantine Empire and Persia commences.
505 War between Byzantine Empire and Persia ends.
507
Franks conquer the Visigoths in southern regions of France.
511
Death of Clovis; the Frankish Empire divided into four parts to be ruled by each of the four sons according to the practice of partible succession.
512 Arabic Alphabet of twenty-eight letters invented.
520 Decimal system invented by Indian mathematician Aryabhata and Varamihara.
523
Hilderic, Vandal chieftain, rules as King in North Africa until 530 AD.
524
War reconvenes between Byzantine Empire and Persia.
Circa 524--Boethius writes "Consolation of Philosophy" (Latin), while imprisoned and waiting execution on trumped-up charges. The work becomes pivotal in medieval thinking, and it is later translated into English successively by King Alfred, Chaucer, and Queen Elizabeth.
527
Justinian rules as Byzantine Emperor
529
Justinian orders all the Empire's laws codified and standardized in three volumes. The work takes over thirty years.
530
Gelimer rules as Vandal King in North Africa
532
Anno Domini dating system created by Dionysius Exiguus ("Denis the Short"), Scythian abbot of a monastery near Rome. The system will not become common for several centuries.
Anthemios of Trales, architect for Saint Sophia Cathedral, invents the Single-shell dome technique.
533
So-called "eternal peace" treaty signed between Byzantine Empire and Persia.
534
Byzantine general Belisarius conquers the Vandal kingdom of North Africa, overthrowing Gelimer the Vandal ruler.
535
Byzantine armies begin to reconquer Italy, a task taking nearly twenty years.
Stained glass windows invented in Saint Sophia Cathedral. Stain-glass will not become common in Western Europe for several more centuries.
540
New war breaks out between the Byzantine Empire and Persia.
542-546
Outbreak of plague in the Byzantine Empire.
550
Saint Dyfed (David) spread Christianity in Wales.
The Great Arch of Ctesiphon built.
552
Buddhism introduced to Japan.
China experiments with sailing carriages (wind-powered land transport)
553
Justinian overhauls the bureaucracy of the Egyptian part of his empire.
554
Byzantine forces conquer southeastern Spain
555 Belisarius, general of the Emperor Justinian, creates first watermill outside of China.
562
Japanese occupying forces in Korea lose power.
563
Saint Columba founds a monastery on the island of Iona and begins converting the Picts in Soctland and Northern England to Christianity.
565
Justin II, nephew of Justinian becomes Byzantine Emperor.
568
Lombards conquer northern Italy. Alcuin founds kingdom.
570
Birth of Mohammed.
572
Persians begin a sixty-year domination of Arabia.
580 Iron-chain suspension bridge invented in China.
581
Wen Ti, formerly chief minister of the Chou, founds the Sui Dynasty in China.
584
Foundation of Mercian kingdom in England among the Anglo-Saxon tribes.
587
Visigoths in Spain convert to Christianity.
589
Arabs, Khazars, and Turks invade Persia, but are driven out.
Wen Ti conquers the Southern Ch'en and reunites China.
590
Gregory I (Gregory the Great) becomes Pope.
593
Suiko, Empress of Japan.
596
Pope Gregory orders Saint Augustine the Lesser to go to England and convert the inhabitants to Christianity.
597
Saint Augustine the Lesser lands in England and converts the kingdom of Kent to Christianity. He founds the first English church in Canterbury.
600
