540s

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	5th century – 6th century – 7th century
Decades:	510s 520s 530s – 540s – 550s 560s 570s
Years:	540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture; Establishments – Disestablishments

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

540

Emperor Kimmei, reign of 29th emperor of Japan starts (540-571)^[1]
Vitiges of the Ostrogoths surrendered to the Byzantine army.^[2]
Ildibad succeeds Vitiges as king of the Ostrogoths.

Births

Authari, king of the Lombards
Pope Gregory I (approximate date)^[3]
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

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

References

↑ McCullough, Helen Craig. (1966). Yoshitsune: a fifteenth-century Japanese chronicle, p. 322.
↑ Wolfram, Herwig. (1990). History of the Goths, p. 349.
↑ "Pope St. Gregory ('the Great')," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2012-10-15.

[1] McCullough, Helen Craig. (1966). Yoshitsune: a fifteenth-century Japanese chronicle, p. 322.

[2] Wolfram, Herwig. (1990). History of the Goths, p. 349.

[3] "Pope St. Gregory ('the Great')," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2012-10-15.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	5th century – 6th century – 7th century
Decades:	510s 520s 530s – 540s – 550s 560s 570s
Years:	540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture Establishments – Disestablishments