# 616

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/616
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/616.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/616
> Source revision: 1340802927
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Calendar year

This article is about the year 616. For the number, see [616 (number)](/source/616_(number)).

Calendar year

Years Millennium 1st millennium Centuries 6th century 7th century 8th century Decades 590s 600s 610s 620s 630s Years 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 v t e

616 by topic Leaders Political entities State leaders Religious leaders Categories Births Deaths v t e

616 in various calendars Gregorian calendar 616 DCXVI Ab urbe condita 1369 Armenian calendar 65 ԹՎ ԿԵ Assyrian calendar 5366 Balinese saka calendar 537–538 Bengali calendar 22–23 Berber calendar 1566 Buddhist calendar 1160 Burmese calendar −22 Byzantine calendar 6124–6125 Chinese calendar 乙亥年 (Wood Pig) 3313 or 3106 — to — 丙子年 (Fire Rat) 3314 or 3107 Coptic calendar 332–333 Discordian calendar 1782 Ethiopian calendar 608–609 Hebrew calendar 4376–4377 Hindu calendars - Vikram Samvat 672–673 - Shaka Samvat 537–538 - Kali Yuga 3716–3717 Holocene calendar 10616 Iranian calendar 6 BP – 5 BP Islamic calendar 6 BH – 5 BH Japanese calendar N/A Javanese calendar 506–507 Julian calendar 616 DCXVI Korean calendar 2949 Minguo calendar 1296 before ROC 民前1296年 Nanakshahi calendar −852 Seleucid era 927/928 AG Thai solar calendar 1158–1159 Tibetan calendar ཤིང་མོ་ཕག་ལོ་ (female Wood-Boar) 742 or 361 or −411 — to — མེ་ཕོ་བྱི་བ་ལོ་ (male Fire-Rat) 743 or 362 or −410

King [Edwin of Northumbria](/source/Edwin_of_Northumbria) (616–633)

Year **616** (**[DCXVI](/source/Roman_numerals)**) was a [leap year starting on Thursday](/source/Leap_year_starting_on_Thursday) of the [Julian calendar](/source/Julian_calendar). The denomination 616 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [Anno Domini](/source/Anno_Domini) [calendar era](/source/Calendar_era) became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

## Events

### By place

#### Byzantine Empire

- [Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628](/source/Byzantine%E2%80%93Sassanid_War_of_602%E2%80%93628): The [Jews](/source/Jews) of [Jerusalem](/source/Jerusalem) gain complete control over the city; much of [Judea](/source/Judea) and [Galilee](/source/Galilee) becomes an autonomous Jewish province of the [Persian Empire](/source/Sassanid_Empire). The [Jewish Temple](/source/Second_Temple) is rebuilt by [Nehemiah ben Hushiel](/source/Nehemiah_ben_Hushiel) ([exilarch](/source/Exilarch) of Jerusalem), who establishes a High Priesthood.

- The Persian army under [Shahin Vahmanzadegan](/source/Shahin_Vahmanzadegan) destroys the city of [Sardis](/source/Sardis), including its [synagogue](/source/Synagogue). Its importance is due to a highway, leading from the interior to the [Aegean](/source/Aegean_Sea) coast. Shahin marches through [Anatolia](/source/Anatolia), defeating the [Byzantines](/source/Byzantine_Greeks) numerous times.

#### Europe

- [Adaloald](/source/Adaloald), age 14, succeeds his father [Agilulf](/source/Agilulf) as [Lombard](/source/Lombards) king of Italy. He reigns under his mother [Theodelinda](/source/Theodelinda) as [regent](/source/Regency_(government)). The [Lombard Kingdom](/source/Kingdom_of_the_Lombards) gradually begins to convert to [Catholicism](/source/Catholicism), and establishes peace with the [Exarchate](/source/Exarchate_of_Ravenna) of the [Byzantine Empire](/source/Byzantine_Empire).

- King [Sisebut](/source/Sisebut) orders in the [Council of Toledo](/source/Councils_of_Toledo) that Jews are to convert to [Christianity](/source/Christianity). Children are taken from their parents and put in [monasteries](/source/Monastery), where they learn the teaching of [evangelism](/source/Evangelism) in the [Visigothic Kingdom](/source/Visigothic_Kingdom).

#### Britain

- King [Rædwald of East Anglia](/source/R%C3%A6dwald_of_East_Anglia) conquers [Northumbria](/source/Northumbria) ([Northern England](/source/Northern_England)) at the [Battle of the River Idle](/source/Battle_of_the_River_Idle). King [Æthelfrith](/source/%C3%86thelfrith_of_Northumbria) is killed during the fighting and his children are forced to flee north. His heir, prince [Eanfrith](/source/Eanfrith_of_Bernicia) (age 26), seeks refuge with his mother's family, probably in [Gododdin](/source/Gododdin) (modern [Scotland](/source/Scotland)), and moves further north into [Pictland](/source/Picts). Princes [Oswald](/source/Oswald_of_Northumbria) (age 12), [Oswiu](/source/Oswiu_of_Northumbria) (age 4) and others escape to the court of King [Eochaid Buide](/source/Eochaid_Buide) of [Dál Riata](/source/D%C3%A1l_Riata), where they are converted to Christianity by the [monks](/source/Monk) of [Iona](/source/Iona).[1]

- Rædwald installs [Edwin](/source/Edwin_of_Northumbria) as king of Northumbria, effectively confirming him as *[bretwalda](/source/Bretwalda)*. He takes power in his native [Deira](/source/Deira) and in [Bernicia](/source/Bernicia). His reign marks the domination of Northumbria as leading [Anglo-Saxon](/source/Anglo-Saxons) state of the [British Isles](/source/British_Isles).

- [February 24](/source/February_24) – [Æthelberht](/source/%C3%86thelberht_of_Kent), the first Christian Anglo-Saxon king, dies in [Kent](/source/Kingdom_of_Kent) after a 26-year reign. He is succeeded by his [pagan](/source/Paganism) son, [Eadbald](/source/Eadbald_of_Kent), who promptly marries his stepmother [Emma](/source/Emma_of_Austrasia), in accordance with pre-Christian custom.[2]

- King [Sæberht of Essex](/source/S%C3%A6berht_of_Essex) dies after a 12-year reign, and is succeeded by his son [Sexred](/source/Sexred). He rules conjointly with his two brothers [Sæward](/source/S%C3%A6ward_of_Essex) and Sigeberht; they throw out the Christian [missionaries](/source/Missionary) and return to paganism.

- The [Battle of Chester](/source/Battle_of_Chester) ([Old Welsh](/source/Old_Welsh): **Guaith Caer Legion**; [Welsh](/source/Welsh_language): **Brwydr Caer**), which separates the (West) Welsh from the 'North' Welsh of [Cumbria](/source/Cumbria) - marking the formation of [Wales](/source/Wales), is fought (approximate date).

- [Cadfan ap Iago](/source/Cadfan_ap_Iago) succeeds his father [Iago ap Beli](/source/Iago_ap_Beli), as king of [Gwynedd](/source/Kingdom_of_Gwynedd) (Wales) (approximate date).

### By topic

#### Religion

- [Mellitus](/source/Mellitus), bishop of [London](/source/London), is [exiled](/source/Exile) by Sexred and his pagan brothers (Sæward and Sigeberht). He is forced to take refuge in [Gaul](/source/Gaul), and returns to [England](/source/England) the following year.

- The [Quraish](/source/Quraish) clans begins to boycott [Muhammad](/source/Muhammad) and Banu Hashem, in order to put pressure on his [Muslim](/source/Muslim) followers and his [Islamic](/source/Islam) preachings.

- A [shrine](/source/Shrine) on the site of the future [Westminster Abbey](/source/Westminster_Abbey) (London) is founded (approximate date).

## Births

- [September 28](/source/September_28) – [Javanshir](/source/Javanshir), king of [Caucasian Albania](/source/Caucasian_Albania) (d. [680](/source/680))

- [Grimoald the Elder](/source/Grimoald_the_Elder), [Mayor of the Palace](/source/Mayor_of_the_Palace) of [Austrasia](/source/Austrasia) (d. [657](/source/657))

## Deaths

- [February 24](/source/February_24) – [Æthelberht](/source/%C3%86thelberht_of_Kent), king (*[bretwalda](/source/Bretwalda)*) of [Kent](/source/Kingdom_of_Kent)[2]

- [Æthelfrith](/source/%C3%86thelfrith_of_Northumbria), king of [Northumbria](/source/Northumbria) (approximate date)

- [Agilulf](/source/Agilulf), king of the [Lombards](/source/Lombards) (approximate date)

- [Anastasius](/source/Pope_Anastasius_of_Alexandria), [Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria](/source/Pope_of_the_Coptic_Orthodox_Church_of_Alexandria)

- [Gundoald](/source/Gundoald%2C_Duke_of_Asti), Bavarian nobleman

- [Iago ap Beli](/source/Iago_ap_Beli), king of [Gwynedd](/source/Kingdom_of_Gwynedd) (approximate date)

- [John the Merciful](/source/John_the_Merciful), [Patriarch of Alexandria](/source/Patriarch_of_Alexandria)

- [Nechtan II](/source/Nechtan_nepos_Uerb), king of the [Picts](/source/Picts) (approximate date)

- [Sæbert](/source/S%C3%A6bert_of_Essex), king of [Essex](/source/Kingdom_of_Essex) (approximate date)

- [Secundus of Non](/source/Secundus_of_Non), Lombard [abbot](/source/Abbot)

- [Selyf ap Cynan](/source/Selyf_ap_Cynan), king of [Powys](/source/Kingdom_of_Powys)

- [Yŏn T'aejo](/source/Y%C5%8Fn_T'aejo), prime minister of [Goguryeo](/source/Goguryeo) (approximate date)

- [Yuan Humo](/source/Empress_Yuan_Humo), empress of [Northern Zhou](/source/Northern_Zhou)

- [Yuwen Shu](/source/Yuwen_Shu), general of the [Sui dynasty](/source/Sui_dynasty)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Bede, *Historia Ecclesiastica*, II.12

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HE-II.5_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HE-II.5_2-1) Bede, *Historia Ecclesiastica*, II.5

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [616](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/616) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/616?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.