660s

This is a list of events occurring in the 660s, ordered by year.

660

By place

Europe

• Slavic principality of Carantania is first mentioned in historical sources.
• Childeric II is proclaimed king of Austrasia.
• Swithelm succeeds Sigeberht II as king of Essex.
• Felix assumes the titles of Duke of Vasconia and Aquitaine.

Asia

• Baekje in southwestern Korea is overthrown by the alliance of the Tang and Silla, led by General Su Dingfang, General Kim Yu-shin and Kim Beopmin. The Japanese envoys detained in Tang are paroled.
• Empress Saimei of Japan makes an order to dispatch a force to the Korean Peninsula to save Baekje.
• Emperor Gaozong of Tang suffers a stroke; his wife Wu Zetian starts to rule.
• Naka no Ōe no Ōji of Japan for the first time makes a clepsydra at Asuka, by which he causes the people to know the hours.

661

By place

Europe

• Perctarit and Godepert become co-rulers of the Lombards, following the death of their father Aripert.

Asia

• The Imperial fleet of Japan invades Kyūshū by the order of Empress Saimei. On its way, Princess Nukata composes a famous poem at Nikitatsu in the province of Iyo.
• Empress Saimei builds the palace of Asakura in Kyūshū from trees cut down from the shrines. Two months later she died. People say it is because the gods are angry for destroying the shrines.
• Emperor Tenji ascends to the throne of Japan after Empress Saimei's death.
• King Munmu becomes the 30th ruler of the Silla dynasty.

By topic

Religion

• Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib is assassinated; with his assassination the Rashidun Caliphate ends and Muawiyah I founds the Umayyad caliphate.^[1]

662

By place

Europe

• The regent Grimuald usurps the kingship of the Lombards, driving Perctarit into exile and killing Godepert.

Asia

• The Emperor of Japan orders Abe no Hirafu to escort Buyeo Pung to Baekje, where he is made to take up the succession to the dignity.

663

By place

Byzantine Empire

• Byzantine Emperor Constans II invades south Italy.

Europe

• Part of the city wall of Benevento is reconstructed.
• A brief outbreak of plague hits Britain.

Asia

• Battle of Baekgang: Korean Baekje forces and their Japanese allies are defeated in this naval battle by Korean and Chinese armies in a joint Silla–Tang victory.
• An anonymous monk reaches the summit of mount Fuji.

664

By place

Asia

• Arab armies conquer Kabul.^[2]
• Kuo Wu Tsung of Tang comes to Japan and spends 7 months there.

By topic

Religion

• September – The Synod of Whitby is held in Northumbria.

665

By place

Europe

• Swithelm is succeeded by Sighere and Sebbi as kings of Essex.
• Batbayan succeeds Kubrat in Onoguria.

Asia

• The city of Seongnam is renamed Hansanju.

By topic

Religion

• According to the Annales Cambriae, the Anglo-Saxons convert to Christianity after the Second Battle of Badon.
• Sighere of Essex encourages his subjects to reject Christianity and return to their indigenous religion.

666

By place

Europe

• Chertsey Abbey is founded.
• Barking Abbey is founded.
• Wilfrid returns from France newly consecrated as Bishop of York.

China

• Chinese Buddhist monks Zhi Yu and Zhi You craft more South Pointing Chariot vehicles for Emperor Tenji of Japan, as recorded in the Nihon Shoki (the South Pointing Chariot is a non-magnetic, mechanical-driven directional-compass vehicle that incorporates the use of a differential gear).

667

By place

Europe

• The city of Oderzo is destroyed by the Lombards.

Asia

• The Daysan River floods Edessa in Asia.

668

By place

Europe

• Childeric II succeeds Clotaire III as King of the Franks.
• Kotrag leads Khazars in overthrowing his brother Batbayan who moves south into caucasus with his Balkars, Asparukh moves into Moesia, while the remaining two sons of Kubrat move into Pannonian and ultimately also Keramissian plains.

Byzantine Empire

• September 15 – Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse, Italy.
• Mezezius is proclaimed Emperor by the army in Syracuse in the absence of the sons of Constans II.
• Constantine IV, son of Constans II, becomes Byzantine Emperor, succeeding Constans II. He organizes an expedition to kill the usurper Mezezius.

Africa

• Arab forces conquer the Garamantes.

Asia

• The ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo, in southern Manchuria and northern Korea, is overthrown by the alliance of Tang China and Silla. Unified Silla period starts.
• The Emperor of Japan hunts on the Moor of Ōmi-Gamōno. The letters exchanged between Prince Ōama and Princess Nukata are recorded in Man'yōshū.

By topic

Religion

• Theodore of Tarsus is made archbishop of Canterbury.

669

Significant people

Births

Deaths

References