670s

This is a list of events occurring in the 670s, ordered by year.

670

By place

Europe

• On the death of his brother Clotaire, Childeric II becomes king of all of the Frankish kingdoms (Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy).

Africa

• The city of Kairouan is founded in what is now Tunisia.

Asia

• The Kingdom of Khotan is conquered by Tibet.
• A Goguryeo restoration movement, led by Geom Mojam in northern Korea, places Anseung on the throne.
• A family register, Kogo-nenjaku, is prepared in Japan.

By topic

Religion

• Hōryū-ji, the Buddhist temple in Japan, burns down; its reconstruction is immediately begun.
• The diocese of Dorchester-on-Thames in England is replaced by the Diocese of Winchester.

671

By place

Europe

• Perctarit returns from exile to become king of the Lombards.
• Battle of Two Rivers: King Ecgfrith of Northumbria defeats the Picts.
• The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports "This year happened that great destruction among the fowls."

Asia

• June 10 – A clepsydra is placed in the capital of Japan.^[1]
• Chinese Buddhist pilgrim I-Ching visits the capital of the partly Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya, Palembang, Indonesia, and stays for 6 months to study Sanskrit grammar. He reports over 1,000 buddhist monks in residence.
• Silla seizes control of the former Baekje capital of Sabi from the Tang Protectorate General to Pacify the East.

672

By place

Europe

• Wamba succeeds Reccaswinth as king of the Visigoths.

Asia

• Emperor Kōbun reigns briefly as emperor of Japan, followed by his uncle Emperor Temmu who overthrew his nephew in a brief but violent battle called The Jinshin War.

By topic

Religion

• April 11 – Pope Adeodatus II succeeds Pope Vitalian as the 77th pope.

673

By place

Europe

• Hlothhere becomes king of Kent.
• The city of Ely, England is founded. The Monastery is founded by (Saint) Æthelthryth. At about this time a small nunnery is also founded in her name in Stow Green.

Asia

• March 20 – Emperor Temmu assumes the Chrysanthemum throne of Japan at the Palace of Kiyomihara in Asuka.
• May 5 – Princess Oku is made to dwell in the Abstinence-palace of Hatsuse by the Emperor's order.

674

By place

Asia

• In Korea, Anapji was constructed by order of King Munmu.
• November 12 – In Japan, Princess Oku proceeds to the Ise Jingu.

Europe

• Dagobert II and Theuderic I succeed Childeric II as king(s) of the Franks
• The first glass windows are placed in English churches.
• Cenfus and then Aescwine succeed to the throne of Wessex.
• Monkwearmouth monastery founded by Benedict Biscop in the Kingdom of Northumbria.

Byzantine Empire

• The first Arab siege of Constantinople begins.

By topic

Religion

• January 29 – In Japan, Prince Mino is appointed Commissioners for the erection of the great Temple of Takechi (Ōmiya no Ōdera).
• February 8 – Japanese Buddhist Priest Gisei is made the rank of Junior Sōzu.

675

By place

Europe

• Æthelred succeeds his brother Wulfhere as king of Mercia.
• Frithuwold of Surrey is baptised and so is his son; Surrey becomes Christian.

Asia

• The twenty-five-year-old Wang Bo (王勃) writes Tengwang Ge Xu to celebrate the Tengwang Pavilion.
• January 5 – In Japan, a platform to observe the stars for astrologers is erected for the first time.
• March 14 – Princess Tōchi and Princess Abe of Japan proceed to Ise Jingu.
• March 16 – Emperor Temmu, Japan's current emperor, decrees the end of serfdom. He also orders an end to granting lands to Princes of the Blood, to Princes and to Ministers and Temples.
• May 8 – The Japanese Emperor issues a decree to distribute the tax-rice for peasants in poverty, as well as a decree regulating of fishing and hunting, ordering a halt to eating the flesh of cattle, horses, dogs, monkeys or barn-yard fowls.
• Some Japanese ministers who oppose the Emperor are banished to an isolated island. A man climbs the hill east of the Palace, curses the Emperor and kills himself.
• September 16 – A typhoon strikes Japan.

By topic

Religion

• The abbeys of Abingdon, England and Bath are founded.
• Aldhelm is made abbot of Malmesbury Abbey.

676

By place

Europe

• Æthelred invades Kent.

Asia

• In Japan, Emperor Temmu promulgate a decree about taxes from fiefs and the employment of persons for the service from the outer provinces. Men of distinguished ability are allowed to enter the service, even though they are of the common people, regardless of their ranks.

By topic

Religion

• November 2 – Pope Donus succeeds Pope Adeodatus as the 78th pope.
• Cuthbert of Lindisfarne withdraws to a hermitage.

677

By place

Europe

• According to the Chronicon Pictum, the last of the Onogur tribes fleeing Khazars in the Ukraine come to Hrpad in Pannonia and the area becomes known as Hungary (but not yet Magyarorszag).

Asia

• Tang China declares the deposed Bojang of Goguryeo "King of Joseon," placing him in charge of the Liaodong area under the Protectorate General to Pacify the East.

678

By place

Byzantine Empire

• The first Arab siege of Constantinople (674–678) ends.

Asia

• April 27 – Japanese Emperor Temmu holds divination for the purpose of proceeding to the Abstinence-palace.
• May 3 – When the Japanese Emperor and the officers are about to leave for the Abstinence-palace at the hour of sunrise, Princess Tōchi suddenly takes ill and dies within the Palace. For this reason the Emperor is unable to proceed. No Sacrifice to the Gods of Heaven and Earth results in take place.
• May 10 – Princess Tōchi is buried at a place named Akō. The Emperor, her father, is graciously pleased to raise lament for her.

By topic

Religion

• June 27 – Pope Agatho succeeds Pope Donus as the 79th pope. He is the first to stop paying tribute to the Byzantine Emperor upon election.
• In Japan, the national worshiping to the Gods of Heaven and Earth is planned, and the Emperor tries to select a woman as a Saiō to make her serve the Gods. However, the plan is not successful because the woman, Princess Tōchi, suddenly dies.

679

By topic

Religion

• Adamnan becomes abbot of the monastery on Iona.

Significant people

Births

Deaths

References