616

By place

Byzantine Empire

• Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628: The Jews of Jerusalem gain complete control over the city; much of Judea and Galilee becomes an autonomous Jewish province of the Persian Empire. The Jewish Temple is rebuilt by Nehemiah ben Hushiel, who establishes a High Priesthood.
• The Persian army under Shahin Vahmanzadegan destroys the city of Sardis, including its synagogue. Its importance is due to a highway, leading from the interior to the Aegean coast. Shahin marches through Anatolia, defeating the Byzantines numerous times.

  Europe

• Adaloald, age 14, succeeds his father Agilulf as Lombard king of Italy. He reigns under his mother Theodelinda as regent. The Lombard Kingdom gradually begins to convert to Catholicism, and establishes peace with the Exarchate of the Byzantine Empire.
• King Sisebut orders in the Council of Toledo that Jews are to convert to Christianity. Children are taken from their parents and put in monasteries, where they learn the teaching of evangelism in the Visigothic Kingdom.

  Britain

• King Rædwald of East Anglia conquers Northumbria at the Battle of the River Idle. King Æthelfrith is killed during the fighting and his children are forced to flee north. His heir, prince Eanfrith, seeks refuge with his mother's family, probably in Gododdin, and moves further north into Pictland. Princes Oswald, Oswiu and others escape to the court of King Eochaid Buide of Dál Riata, where they are converted to Christianity by the monks of Iona.
• Rædwald installs Edwin as king of Northumbria, effectively confirming him as bretwalda. He takes power in his native Deira and in Bernicia. His reign marks the domination of Northumbria as leading Anglo-Saxon state of the British Isles.
• February 24 - Æthelberht, the first Christian Anglo-Saxon king, dies in Kent after a 26-year reign. He is succeeded by his pagan son, Eadbald, who promptly marries his stepmother Emma, in accordance with pre-Christian custom.
• King Sæberht of Essex dies after a 12-year reign, and is succeeded by his son Sexred. He rules conjointly with his two brothers Sæward and Sigeberht; they throw out the Christian missionaries and return to paganism.
• The Battle of Chester, which separates the Welsh from the 'North' Welsh of Cumbria - marking the formation of Wales, is fought.
• Cadfan ap Iago succeeds his father Iago ap Beli, as king of Gwynedd .

  By topic

Religion

• Mellitus, bishop of London, is exiled by Sexred and his pagan brothers. He is forced to take refuge in Gaul, and returns to England the following year.
• The Banu Hashim clan begins to boycott Muhammad, in order to put pressure on his Muslim followers and his Islamic preachings.
• A shrine on the site of the future Westminster Abbey is founded.