589

Events

By place

Europe

• October 17—The Adige River overflows its banks, flooding the church of St. Zeno and damaging the walls of Verona.
• The plague hits Rome, and its victims included Pope Pelagius II.

Asia

• China: The Chen Dynasty ends; Jiankang (Nanjing), the last of the Southern dynasties, is completely destroyed; China is reunited under the Sui Dynasty.
• The Chinese scholar-official Yan Zhitui makes the first reference to the use of toilet paper in human history.

By topic

Religion

• The Third Council of Toledo, called by King Reccared of the Visigoths, renounces Arianism and embraces Catholicism.
• The Council of Narbonne is held.

Births

• Bavo, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint
• Li Jiancheng

Deaths

• Emperor Sushun, emperor of Japan
• March 1—Saint David, the patron saint of Wales
• Consort Zhang Lihua