Title: 540s Content: Below are some of the important events that happened from 540 to 549. __NOTOC__ ==540== * Emperor Kimmei, reign of 29th emperor of Japan starts (540-571)McCullough, Helen Craig. (1966). Yoshitsune: a fifteenth-century Japanese chronicle, p. 322. * Vitiges of the Ostrogoths surrendered to the Byzantine army.Wolfram, Herwig. (1990). History of the Goths, p. 349. * Ildibad succeeds Vitiges as king of the Ostrogoths. ===Births=== * Authari, king of the Lombards * Pope Gregory I (approximate date) "Pope St. Gregory ('the Great')," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2012-10-15. * Myrddin Wyllt, Welsh legend (approximate date) === Deaths === * Dignāga, Buddhist founder of Indian logic * Dionysius Exiguus (approximate date) * Fridolin of Säckingen Irish missionary * Vedast, Frankish bishop * Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths * Yifu, empress of Western Wei * Yujiulü, empress of Western Wei ==541== * Plague of Justinian: Bubonic plague appears suddenly in the Egyptian port of Pelusium. It spreads to Alexandria and, the following year, to Constantinople. This is the beginning of a 200-year long pandemic that will devastate Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. * Totila is elected king by the Ostrogothic nobles after the death of his uncle Ildibad. * The Uyghurs come under the rule of the Hephthalites === Births === * July 21 - Wéndi, emperor of the Sui Dynasty === Deaths === * Adhurgunbadh, Persian general * Eraric, king of the Ostrogoths * Ildibad, king of the Ostrogoths ==542== * Plague of Justinian: Bubonic plague kills at least 230,000 in Constantinople. * King Childebert I and his brother Chlothar I invade Visigothic Spain. === Births === * Xiao Min Di, emperor of Northern Zhou * Xiao Ming Di, emperor of the Liang Dynasty === Deaths === * August 27 - Caesarius, bishop of Arles ==543== * The Byzantine garrison (1,000 men) in Naples surrenders to the Ostrogoths. * King Khosrau I invades Syria. * The Hephthalites threaten the Persian Empire from the East. They extend their gain more territory in Central Asia. * King Pulakesi I starts the Chalukya Dynasty. === Births === * Brunhilda, queen of Austrasia (approximate date) * Jing Di, emperor of the Liang Dynasty * Wu Di, emperor of Northern Zhou === Deaths === * Octa, king of Kent (approximate date) ==544== * Belisarius defeats the Gothic army under king Totila. * King Khosrau I unsuccessfully attacks the Byzantine city of Dara. * Ly Bi is made emperor and starts the empire Van Xuân (modern Vietnam). === Births === * Dugu Qieluo, empress of the Sui Dynasty * Jing Di, emperor of the Liang Dynasty * Yuwen Xian, prince of Northern Zhou === Deaths === * Solomon, Byzantine general * October 18 - Saint Wenna ==545== * King Khosrau I signs a five-year truce with the Byzantine Empire. === Births === * Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib, father of Muhammad * Fei Di, emperor of Northern Qi === Deaths === * Budic II, king of Brittany (approximate date) * Clotilde, Burgundian princess * Medardus, bishop of Vermandois (approximate date) * Stotzas, Byzantine rebel leader ==546== * The Ostrogoths under king Totila retake Rome. * Audoin succeeds Walthari as king of the Lombards. * Audoin leads the Lombards across the Danube and becomes an ally of the Byzantines. === Deaths === * Walthari, king of the Lombards ==547== * Belisarius recaptures Rome from the Ostrogoths. * Theodebald becomes king of Austrasia. * King Ida starts the kingdom of Bernicia. He builds Bamburgh Castle. * The Tonkin revolt is stopped by the Chinese Liang Dynasty. === Births === * Pei Ju * Empress Zhu Manyue === Deaths === * Theodebert I, king of Austrasia (or 548) * Tribonian, Byzantine lawyer and writer of the Codex Justinianus. * Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of Gwynedd (approximate date) * Gao Huan ==548== * Emperor Justinian I removes Belisarius from military service. * Theudigisel names himself ruler over the Visigothic Kingdom. === Births === * Xiao Zhuang, crown prince of the Southern Dynasties (approximate date) === Deaths === * April 13 - Ly Nam De, emperor of Vietnam * Theodebert I, king of Austrasia (or 547) * June 28 - Theodora I, Byzantine Empress * Theudis, king of the Visigoths ==549== * Jianwen Di becomes ruler of the Liang Dynasty in China. * Agila becomes king of the Visigoths. * The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ossory is founded in Ireland. * The Ostrogoths under Totila recapture Rome. * Totila conquers the city of Perugia. === Births === * Jizang, Chinese Buddhist monk === Deaths === * Theudigisel, king of the Visigoths * Tuathal Maelgarb, King of Tara * Gao Cheng * Emperor Wu of Liang * Xiao Zhengde * Princess Xu Zhaopei * Zhu Yi