540s

Below are some of the important events that happened from 540 to 549. It is distinct from the decade known as the ***50th decade*** which began on January 1, 541 and ended on December 31, 550.

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## 540

- Emperor Kimmei, reign of 29th emperor of Japan starts (540-571)
- Vitiges of the Ostrogoths surrendered to the Byzantine army.

### Births

- Authari, king of the Lombards
- Pope Gregory I (approximate date)
- Myrddin Wyllt, Welsh legend (approximate date)

### Deaths

- Dignāga, Buddhist founder of Indian logic
- Dionysius Exiguus (approximate date)
- Empress Yujiulü, empress of Western Wei
- Empress Yifu, empress of Western Wei
- Fridolin of Säckingen Irish missionary
- Vedast, Frankish bishop
- Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths

## 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