# 642

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Calendar year

Calendar year

Years Millennium 1st millennium Centuries 6th century 7th century 8th century Decades 620s 630s 640s 650s 660s Years 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 v t e

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

642 in various calendars Gregorian calendar 642 DCXLII Ab urbe condita 1395 Armenian calendar 91 ԹՎ ՂԱ Assyrian calendar 5392 Balinese saka calendar 563–564 Bengali calendar 48–49 Berber calendar 1592 Buddhist calendar 1186 Burmese calendar 4 Byzantine calendar 6150–6151 Chinese calendar 辛丑年 (Metal Ox) 3339 or 3132 — to — 壬寅年 (Water Tiger) 3340 or 3133 Coptic calendar 358–359 Discordian calendar 1808 Ethiopian calendar 634–635 Hebrew calendar 4402–4403 Hindu calendars - Vikram Samvat 698–699 - Shaka Samvat 563–564 - Kali Yuga 3742–3743 Holocene calendar 10642 Iranian calendar 20–21 Islamic calendar 21–22 Japanese calendar N/A Javanese calendar 532–533 Julian calendar 642 DCXLII Korean calendar 2975 Minguo calendar 1270 before ROC 民前1270年 Nanakshahi calendar −826 Seleucid era 953/954 AG Thai solar calendar 1184–1185 Tibetan calendar ལྕགས་མོ་གླང་ལོ་ (female Iron-Ox) 768 or 387 or −385 — to — ཆུ་ཕོ་སྟག་ལོ་ (male Water-Tiger) 769 or 388 or −384

[Pope Theodore I](/source/Pope_Theodore_I) (642–649)

Year **642** (**[DCXLII](/source/Roman_numerals)**) was a [common year starting on Tuesday](/source/Common_year_starting_on_Tuesday) of the [Julian calendar](/source/Julian_calendar). The denomination 642 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

- Emperor [Constans II](/source/Constans_II) marries [Fausta](/source/Fausta_(wife_of_Constans_II)).

#### Europe

- [April 30](/source/April_30) – [Chindasuinth](/source/Chindasuinth), a [Gothic](/source/Goths) warlord (already 79 years old), commences a rebellion and deposes King [Tulga](/source/Tulga) in [Toledo, Spain](/source/Toledo%2C_Spain). He is proclaimed king by the [Visigothic](/source/Visigoths) nobility and anointed by the [bishops](/source/Bishop). Tulga is [tonsured](/source/Tonsure) and sent out to live his days in a [monastery](/source/Monastery).

- [Radulf](/source/Radulf%2C_King_of_Thuringia), a [Frankish](/source/Franks) aristocrat, revolts against King [Sigebert III](/source/Sigebert_III) of [Austrasia](/source/Austrasia) and defeats his army, taking the title of *rex* or king of [Thuringia](/source/Thuringia).[1]

#### Britain

- [August 5](/source/August_5) – [Battle of Maserfield](/source/Battle_of_Maserfield): King [Penda of Mercia](/source/Penda_of_Mercia) defeats and kills King [Oswald of Northumbria](/source/Oswald_of_Northumbria), age 38, at [Oswestry](/source/Oswestry) ([West Midlands](/source/West_Midlands_(region))). He commands a united [British](/source/Celtic_Britons) and [Mercian](/source/Mercia) force, which includes the Welsh army of Kings [Cadafael Cadomedd of Gwynedd](/source/Cadafael_Cadomedd_ap_Cynfeddw) and [Cynddylan of Pengwern](/source/Cynddylan). The Mercians become dominant in the [English Midlands](/source/The_Midlands%2C_England).

- [Oswiu](/source/Oswiu_of_Northumbria) succeeds his half-brother Oswald as king of [Bernicia](/source/Bernicia). He strengthens his position by marrying [Eanflæd](/source/Eanfl%C3%A6d), daughter of King [Edwin of Northumbria](/source/Edwin_of_Northumbria), then in exile in the [Kingdom of Kent](/source/Kingdom_of_Kent).[2] This marriage takes place between 642 and [644](/source/644).

#### Persia

- [Battle of Nahāvand](/source/Battle_of_Nah%C4%81vand): The [Rashidun army](/source/Rashidun_army) (30,000 men) under [Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas](/source/Sa%60d_ibn_Abi_Waqqas) defeats the Persians at [Nahāvand](/source/Nahavand) (modern [Iran](/source/Iran)). The Persian cavalry, full of confidence, mounts an ill-prepared attack. The [Arabs](/source/Arabs) retreat to a safe area, where they outmanoeuvre and destroy the Persians in a narrow mountain valley.

#### Africa

- [Battle of Dongola](/source/First_Battle_of_Dongola): ['Amr ibn al-'As](/source/'Amr_ibn_al-'As) sends an Arab expedition of 20,000 horsemen, under his cousin [Uqba ibn Nafi](/source/Uqba_ibn_Nafi), to [Makuria](/source/Kingdom_of_Makuria) (Southern [Egypt](/source/Egypt)). The Nubians strike hard against the [Muslims](/source/Muslim) near [Dongola](/source/Dongola) with [hit-and-run](/source/Hit-and-run_tactics) attacks. The Arab incursions into [Nubia](/source/Nubia) are temporarily halted.

#### Asia

- Emperor [Taizong](/source/Emperor_Taizong_of_Tang) of the [Tang dynasty](/source/Tang_dynasty) issues a [decree](/source/Decree) throughout China, that increases the punishment for men who deliberately inflict injuries upon themselves (most commonly breaking their own legs) in order to avoid military [conscription](/source/Conscription). This decree is an effort to eradicate this practice that has grown as a trend since the time of the rebellion against the [Sui dynasty](/source/Sui_dynasty).

- Taizong [supports a revolt](/source/Tang_campaigns_against_the_Western_Turks) by Turkic tribes against the rebellious [Tu-lu Qaghan](/source/Yukuk_Shad) of the [Western Turkic Khaganate](/source/Western_Turkic_Khaganate).

- Empress [Kōgyoku](/source/Empress_K%C5%8Dgyoku) ascends to the throne of Japan, after her husband (and uncle) Emperor [Jomei](/source/Emperor_Jomei)'s death in [641](/source/641).

- Winter – [Yŏn Kaesomun](/source/Y%C5%8Fn_Kaesomun) seizes power over [Goguryeo](/source/Goguryeo) ([Korea](/source/Three_Kingdoms_of_Korea)), and places King [Bojang](/source/Bojang_of_Goguryeo) on the throne.

### By topic

#### Arts and sciences

- The earliest surviving dated Arabic-language [papyrus](/source/Papyrus) ([PERF 558](/source/PERF_558)), found in [Heracleopolis](/source/Heracleopolis_Magna) (Egypt), and the earliest known Arabic text with [diacritical](/source/Diacritic) marks is written.

#### Architecture

- Arabs begin construction of the [Mosque of Amr](/source/Mosque_of_Amr_ibn_al-As) at [Cairo](/source/Cairo), the first [mosque](/source/Mosque) built in Egypt and in all of Africa.

#### Religion

- [October 12](/source/October_12) – [Pope John IV](/source/Pope_John_IV) dies after a 2-year reign. He is succeeded by a [Jerusalem](/source/Jerusalem)-born [cleric](/source/Clergy) of Greek descent, [Theodore I](/source/Pope_Theodore_I), as the 73rd [pope](/source/Pope) of Rome.

- A [monastic](/source/Monasticism) settlement is founded in [Hampshire](/source/Hampshire) (England) which later becomes [Winchester Cathedral](/source/Winchester_Cathedral).

## Births

- [Ceolfrith](/source/Ceolfrith), Anglo-Saxon [abbot](/source/Abbot) (approximate date)

- [Hasan al-Basri](/source/Hasan_of_Basra), Arab [theologian](/source/Theology) (d. [728](/source/728))

- [Julian](/source/Julian_of_Toledo), archbishop of [Toledo](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Toledo) (d. [690](/source/690))

- [Máel Ruba](/source/M%C3%A1el_Ruba), Irish abbot (d. [722](/source/722))

- [Mujahid ibn Jabr](/source/Mujahid_ibn_Jabr), Muslim scholar (or [645](/source/645))

## Deaths

- [March 21](/source/March_21) – [Cyrus of Alexandria](/source/Cyrus_of_Alexandria), Patriarch of Alexandria and governor of Egypt

- [August 5](/source/August_5) or [641](/source/641) – [Oswald](/source/Oswald_of_Northumbria), king of [Northumbria](/source/Northumbria)

- [October 12](/source/October_12) – [Pope John IV](/source/Pope_John_IV)

- [Emma](/source/Emma_of_Austrasia), Anglo-Saxon queen

- [Eowa](/source/Eowa_of_Mercia), king of [Mercia](/source/Mercia) ([English Midlands](/source/The_Midlands))

- [Domnall Brecc](/source/Domnall_Brecc), king of [Dál Riata](/source/D%C3%A1l_Riata)[3]

- [Domnall mac Áedo](/source/Domnall_mac_%C3%81edo), high king of Ireland

- [Flaochad](/source/Flaochad), [Mayor of the Palace](/source/Mayor_of_the_Palace) ([Burgundy](/source/Kingdom_of_Burgundy))

- [Heraklonas](/source/Heraklonas), Byzantine emperor (approximate date)

- [Khalid ibn al-Walid](/source/Khalid_ibn_al-Walid), Arab general (b. [592](/source/592))

- [Mardanshah](/source/Mardanshah), Persian general

- [Nanthild](/source/Nanthild), Frankish queen

- [Pulakeshin II](/source/Pulakeshin_II), king of [Chalukya](/source/Chalukya_dynasty) (India)

- [Willibad](/source/Willibad), patrician (of [duke](/source/Duke)) of [Burgundy](/source/Kingdom_of_Burgundy)

- [Yeongnyu](/source/Yeongnyu_of_Goguryeo), king of [Goguryeo](/source/Goguryeo) ([Korea](/source/Three_Kingdoms_of_Korea))

- [Yuwen Shiji](/source/Yuwen_Shiji), [chancellor](/source/Chancellor_of_the_Tang_dynasty#Heads_of_the_Legislative_Bureau) of the [Tang dynasty](/source/Tang_dynasty)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Reuter, Timothy](/source/Timothy_Reuter) (1991). *Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800–1056*. New York: Longman. p. 55. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-582-08156-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-582-08156-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBede_Book III[httpwwwfordhameduhalsallbasisbede-book3html_Chapter XV]_2-0)** [Bede Book III](#CITEREFBede_Book_III), [Chapter XV](http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book3.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Lynch, Michael, ed. (February 24, 2011). *The Oxford companion to Scottish history*. Oxford University Press. p. 5. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-969305-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-969305-4).[*[full citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources#What_information_to_include)*]

### Sources

- [Bede](/source/Bede). ["Book III"](http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book3.html). *[Ecclesiastical History of the English People](/source/Ecclesiastical_History_of_the_English_People)*. Internet History Sourcebooks Project.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [642](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/642) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/642?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.