610 e.v.

## Africa

John V (the Merciful) becomes patriarch of Alexandria.

## Asia

Certain archangels ~ Khalid, Eli, and Gabriel ~ have begun to feel that Christ was too lax, and that it's necessary to create a religion that's "harder," these angels being nostalgic for the glory at the height of the Roman Empire. After Khalid had spoken with Yves at great length about the desire to create a new, tougher, more rigorous religion, Yves sends Gabriel to visit the prophet Mohammed with their ideas. Thusly, he receives what will become the Qu'ran over the following 25 years and begins at 40 years old to preach a religion which will be called Islam. According to Islamic teachings, the archangel Gabriel appears to him in a cave on Mount Hira near Mecca (Saudi Arabia) and calls him "The Prophet of Allah". Muhammad gathers followers, reciting to them the first verses of Qur'an (Iqra), thus beginning the revelation of the Qur'an. Safiyya bint Huyayy, future wife of Muhammad, is born. Waraka ibn Nawfal, the paternal first cousin of Khadija, the first wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, dies.

Paper technology is imported into Japan from China by the Korean Buddhist priest, Dam Jing.

Anania Shirakatsi, Armenian astronomer, is born (will die in 685 e.v.)

Lai Ji, official of the Tang Dynasty, is born (will die in 662 e.v.)

### October 4

Heraclian revolt: Heraclius arrives with a fleet from Africa at Constantinople. Assisted by an uprising in the capitol, he overthrows and personally beheads Emperor Phocas. Heraclius gains the throne with help from his father Heraclius the Elder. His first major act is to change the official language of the Eastern Roman Empire from Latin to Greek (already the language of the vast majority of the population). Because of this, after this year, the Empire is customarily referred to as the Byzantine Empire (the term Byzantine is a modern term invented by historians in the 18th century; the people of the Empire itself always referred to themselves as "Ρωμαῖος" — tr. Rōmaios, Roman).

## Europe

The Avars invade the Duchy of Friuli, an important buffer between the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy and the Slavs. During the fighting Gisulf II dies and his duchy is overrun.

King Witteric is assassinated during a banquet at Toledo, by a faction of Catholic nobles. He is succeeded by Gundemar, duke of Narbonne, who becomes king of the Visigoths in Hispania. Ergica, king of the Visigoths, is born.

King Theuderic II loses Alsace, Champagne and Thurgau to his elder brother Theudebert II of Austrasia. His Burgundian army is defeated east of the Jura Mountains against the Alemanni. Nanthild, Frankish queen, is born.

The Volga Bulgaria arises on the territory of modern Russia, being the first civilization in the region to avert from the Early Slavs.

Selyf ap Cynan succeeds his father Cynan Garwyn as king of Powys (Wales).

Pope Boniface IV presides over a Council of Rome for the restoration of monastic discipline. Attendees include Mellitus, first bishop of London. Barbatus, bishop of Benevento, is born. Grimoald, King of the Lombards, is born.

Columbanus and Gallus begin their missionary work in Bregenz, near Lake Constance (Switzerland).

Tassilo I, King of Bavaria, dies (born in 560 e.v.)