 Eastern Hemisphere at the beginning of the 7th century.  Eastern Hemisphere at the end of the 7th century. The 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/ Common Era. OverviewThe Muslim conquests began after the death of Muhammad in 632. Islam expanded beyond the Arabian Peninsula under the Rashidun Caliphate (632–661) and the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750). The Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century led to the downfall of the Sassanid Empire. Also conquered during the 6th century were Syria, Armenia, Egypt, and North Africa. The Eastern Empire continued suffering setbacks during the rapid expansion of the Arab Empire. Although life in the countryside deteriorated, Constantinople grew to become the largest and wealthiest city in the world. It is estimated that the Plague of Justinian killed as many as 100 million people across the world. It caused Europe's population to drop by around 50% between 550 and 700. It also may have contributed to the success of the Arabs. In the Iberian Peninsula, the seventh century was the Siglo de Concilios, that is, century of councils, referring to the Councils of Toledo. In the 7th century, Harsha united Northern India, which had reverted to small republics and states after the fall of the Gupta Empire in the 6th century. In China, the Sui Dynasty was replaced by the Tang Dynasty. Silla allied itself with the Tang Dynasty, subjugating Baekje and defeating Goguryeo to unite the Korean Peninsula under one ruler. The Asuka Period persisted in Japan throughout the 7th century. Events The first surah in a handwritten copy of the Qur'an - The Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy emerges at the beginning of this century.
[Roberts, J: "History of the World.". Penguin, 1994.]
- End of sporadic Buddhist rule in the Sindh.
- Serbs enter their present territory early in the 7th century AD, settling in six distinct tribal delimitations.
- 606: Boniface elected papal successor on the death of Pope Sabinian. He sought and obtained a decree from Byzantine Emperor Phocas which stated that "the See of Blessed Peter the Apostle should be the head of all the Churches". This ensured that the title of "Universal Bishop" belonged exclusively to the Bishop of Rome.
- Guangzhou, China, becomes a major international seaport, hosting maritime travelers from Egypt, East Africa, Arabia, Persia, India, Sri Lanka, and South East Asia, including Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and Nestorian Christians.
- 622: Year one of the Islamic calendar begins, during which the Hijra occurs—Muhammad and his followers emigrate from Mecca to Medina in September.
- 623: The Frankish merchant Samo, supporting the Slavs fighting their Avar rulers, becomes the ruler of the first known Slav state in Central Europe.
Significant persons- Li Shiji, Chinese general and later prime minister
Inventions, discoveries, introductionsDecades and years
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