Directory

666 CE

Earconwald, Anglo-Saxon abbot, establishes the Benedictine abbeys, Chertsey Abbey (Surrey) for men and Barking Abbey (now in east London) for women. Emperor Constans II grants the request of Bishop Maurus of Ravenna, allowing the city to consecrate its bishop without approval from Rome (approximate date). Wilfrid returns to Great Britain, but is shipwrecked in Sussex. When he finally reaches Northumbria, he finds he has been deposed and is forced to retire to Ripon.

Conflict & Security

  • Duke Lupus of Friuli revolts against King Grimoald I, with allied Avars. Grimoald takes and devastates Friuli, tracks down Lupus's son Arnefrit (allied with the Slavs), and beats him and kills him in battle at the castle of Nimis. Grimoald appoints Wechtar as the new duke of Friuli.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • Chinese Buddhist monks Zhi Yu and Zhi Yuo craft more south-pointing chariot vehicles (a non-magnetic, mechanical-driven directional-compass vehicle that incorporates the use of a differential).source

Religion & Belief

  • Earconwald, Anglo-Saxon abbot, establishes the Benedictine abbeys, Chertsey Abbey (Surrey) for men and Barking Abbey (now in east London) for women.source
  • Emperor Constans II grants the request of Bishop Maurus of Ravenna, allowing the city to consecrate its bishop without approval from Rome (approximate date).source

Crime & Justice

  • In modern popular culture, the year 666 is sometimes associated with the symbolic "birth" of Eddie, the mascot of the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, reflecting the number’s connection to the "number of the beast".source

Disasters & Accidents

  • Wilfrid returns to Great Britain, but is shipwrecked in Sussex. When he finally reaches Northumbria, he finds he has been deposed and is forced to retire to Ripon.source

Births

  • Zhang Jiazhen, Chinese officialsource

Deaths

  • Arnefrit, duke of Friuli (Northern Italy)source
  • Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, first child of first Rashidun caliph, Abu Bakrsource
  • Li Yifu, chancellor of the Tang dynastysource
  • Yŏn Kaesomun, military dictator of Goguryeosource
  • Linghu Defen, official of the Tang dynastysource
  • Dou Dexuan, official of the Tang dynastysource
  • Liu Xiangdao, Chancellor of the Tang dynastysource