591

By place

Byzantine Empire

• Byzantine–Sassanid War: Emperor Maurice, seeing an opportunity to end the prolonged war to the advantage of Constantinople, assists Khosrau II to regain the Persian throne. He sends a Byzantine army under Narses into Mesopotamia, through Syria. At the same time, an expeditionary force in Armenia advances through Caucasian Iberia into Media.
• Battle of Blarathon: A Persian army of about 40,000 men under King Bahrām VI is defeated, in the lowlands near Ganzak, by the Byzantines. Bahrām flees to seek refuge with the Turks in Central Asia, and settles in Fergana. However, after some time, he is murdered by a hired assassin of Khosrau II.
• Summer - Maurice begins a series of military expeditions, to defend the Balkan provinces from the Avars and Slavs. He establishes the Danube frontier from the Delta to the fortress city of Singidunum, and permits the Byzantines to reassert their authority in the interior.

  Europe

• Agilulf, cousin of Authari, is raised on the shield by Lombard warriors in Milan. He becomes king of the Lombards, on advice of the Lombard dukes. Agilulf marries widowed queen Theodelinda and is baptized to please her.
• Arechis I succeeds his uncle Zotto as the second Duke of Benevento.
• A locust swarm destroys the harvest in Northern Italy.

  Persia

• Khosrau II is reinstalled as king of the Persian Empire. Peace with Constantinople is concluded after a war of almost 20 years. Maurice receives the Persian provinces of Armenia and Georgia. The recognition of the traditional frontiers, and the cessation of subsidies for the Caucasus forts, leaves the Byzantines in a dominant position in their relations with Persia.

  Asia

• The first city wall of Hangzhou is constructed.

  Mesoamerica

• May 21 - A Mesoamerican ballgame court is dedicated at the Mayan city of Chinkultic.

  By topic

Religion

• Pope Gregory I criticizes the bishops of Arles and Marseille for allowing the forced baptism of Jews in Provence.
• Jnanagupta, Afghan Buddhist monk, translates the Vimalakirti Sutra into Chinese.