626

This article is about the year 626. For the car, see Mazda 626. For other uses, see 626 (disambiguation).

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	6th century 7th century 8th century
Decades:	600s 610s 620s 630s 640s
Years:	623 624 625 626 627 628 629

626 in various calendars

Gregorian calendar	626 DCXXVI
Ab urbe condita	1379
Armenian calendar	75 ԹՎ ՀԵ
Assyrian calendar	5376
Balinese saka calendar	547–548
Bengali calendar	33
Berber calendar	1576
Buddhist calendar	1170
Burmese calendar	−12
Byzantine calendar	6134–6135
Chinese calendar	乙酉年 (Wood Rooster) 3323 or 3116     — to — 丙戌年 (Fire Dog) 3324 or 3117
Coptic calendar	342–343
Discordian calendar	1792
Ethiopian calendar	618–619
Hebrew calendar	4386–4387
Hindu calendars
- Vikram Samvat	682–683
- Shaka Samvat	547–548
- Kali Yuga	3726–3727
Holocene calendar	10626
Iranian calendar	4–5
Islamic calendar	4–5
Japanese calendar	N/A
Javanese calendar	516–517
Julian calendar	626 DCXXVI
Korean calendar	2959
Minguo calendar	1286 before ROC 民前1286年
Nanakshahi calendar	−842
Seleucid era	937/938 AG
Thai solar calendar	1168–1169
Tibetan calendar	阴木鸡年 (female Wood-Rooster) 752 or 371 or −401     — to — 阳火狗年 (male Fire-Dog) 753 or 372 or −400

Emperor Tai Zong of the Tang Dynasty

Year 626 (DCXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 626 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events

By place

Byzantine Empire

• Siege of Constantinople: A horde of Avars about 80,000 men (including large contingents of Slavs, Bulgars, and other "barbarians") attack the walls of Constantinople. A small Persian army arrive on the Bosporus on the Asiatic side. The Theodosian Walls are stormed with the most up-to-date siege equipment in the form of traction trebuchets. The Avars have also mobile armoured shelters (medieval 'sows') and siege towers, the latter are covered in hides for fire protection.The defense of the capital (12,000 well-trained Byzantine troops) is in the hands of patriarch Sergius I and Bonus (magister militum).
• July 31 – The Avars and Persian allies under Shahrbaraz launch an attack along the entire length of the Theodosian Walls (about 5.7 kilometre), the main effort is concentrated against the central section, particurarly the low-lying mesoteichion. After an fierce infantry battle on the walls, the Byzantine army hold off many assaults on the city. Emperor Heraclius makes arrangements for a new army under his brother Theodore to operate against the Persians in western Anatolia while he returns to his own army in Pontus.
• August 7 – In the waters of the Golden Horn the Persian fleet is destroyed while ferrying reinforcements. The Avars, having suffer terrible losses, running short of food and supplies, burn their siege engines. They abandon the siege and retreat to the Balkan Peninsula. The Byzantines achieve an decisive victory at Blachernae under the protection of the Church of the Virgin Mary.
• Byzantine–Persian War: Heraclius, his army reduced by campaigning to less than 30,000 men, is on the defensive in Pontus. Apparently he leaves a strong Byzantine garrison in Trapezus and withdraws north-eastward along the Black Sea into Colchis, where he halts the Persians by aggressive defensive-offensive operations along the Phasis River. By attracting the Persian army under Shahin Vahmanzadegan in Anatolia, he provides Theodore with the opportunity to defeat them. By the end of the summer he threatens the communication of the Persians at Chalcedon (modern Turkey).
• Winter – Heraclius makes an alliance with Tong Yabghu Qaghan, ruler (khagan) of the Western Turkic Khaganate, for a joint invasion of the Persian Empire the following spring. He promises his daughter Eudoxia Epiphania, age 15, in marriage to Tong Yabghu and sends her under escort with wondrous gifts.

Europe

• Arioald succeeds his brother-in-law Adaloald as king of the Lombards after he is gone insane. Arioald has his wife locked up in a monastery, accusing her of plotting against him with Grasulf II, duke of Friuli (Northern Italy).

Britain

• King Edwin of Northumbria defeats the West Saxons under Cynegils, who has tried to thwart the growing strength of Edwin by having him assassinated. Edwin obliges Cynegils to acknowledge Northumbria's supremacy.
• April 19 – Eanflæd, daughter of Edwin of Northumbria, is born at a royal residence by the River Derwent. She is baptised by Paulinus, bishop of York.
• Edinburgh (Scotland) is founded by Edwin of Northumbria (approximate date).
• Penda becomes king of Mercia (approximate date).

Persia

• Summer – King Khosrau II plans an all-out effort against Constantinople. He returns to Anatolia with two armies — of unknown size, presumably more than 50,000 men each. One of these (possibly commanded by Khosrau himself) is to contain Heraclius in Pontus; another under Shahin Vahmanzadegan is defeated by Theodore.

Asia

• July 2 – Li Shimin travels to the Tang capital Chang'an to bid farewell his younger brother Li Yuanji, who has been given command of an Chinese expedition against the Eastern Turkic Khaganate. Hearing of a plot to murder him, he and a few supporters seize the northern entrance to the emperor's palace. Li Shimin ambushes and eliminates his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng, in the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
• September 4 – Emperor Gao Zu abdicates in favor of his son Li Shimin after a 8-year reign. He passes the throne to him (as emperor Tai Zong).

Births

• April 19 – Eanflæd, queen of Northumbria
• Heraklonas, Byzantine emperor (d. 641)
• Hussein ibn Ali, grandson of Muhammad (d. 680)
• Tenji, emperor of Japan (d. 672)

Deaths

• Adaloald, king of the Lombards (approximate date)
• Cearl, king of Mercia (approximate date)
• Fiachnae mac Báetáin, king of Dál nAraidi (Ireland)
• July 2 – Li Jiancheng, prince of the Tang Dynasty (b. 589)
• July 2 – Li Yuanji, prince of the Tang Dynasty (b. 603)
• Shahin Vahmanzadegan, Persian general (approximate date)
• June 19 – Umako Soga, leader of the Soga clan