Directory

687 CE

Pope Conon I dies at Rome after a 1-year reign, and is succeeded by Sergius I as the 84th pope of the Catholic Church. Emperor Justinian II negotiates a peace treaty with the Umayyad Caliphate (resulting in caliph Abd al-Malik paying tribute). He removes 12,000 Christian Maronites, who continually resist the Arabs, from Lebanon. Justinian reinforces the Byzantine navy on Cyprus, and transfers cavalry troops from the Thracesian Theme in Anatolia to the Theme of Thrace in the Balkan Peninsula. Construction of the Dome of the Rock, located on the Temple Mount, is started in Jerusalem (approximate date).

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Ilterish Qaghan leads the Göktürks northward from Inner Mongolia and occupies the Mongolian Plateau, marking the restoration of the Turkic Khaganate.source

Conflict & Security

  • Battle of Tertry: King Theuderic III of Neustria is defeated by Pepin of Herstal, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, near Péronne (modern France), at the River Somme. Theuderic withdraws to Paris and is forced to sign a peace treaty. Pepin becomes "de facto" ruler of the Frankish Kingdom, and begins calling himself Duke of the Franks. He establishes a base for the future rise of the Pippinids and the Carolingians. Pepin appoints Nordebert as Duke of Burgundy, and puts him in charge of Neustria and Burgundy (as a sort of regent).source
  • King Mul of Kent and 12 companions are burnt to death, during a Kentish uprising. His brother, King Cædwalla of Wessex, ravages the kingdom in revenge.source

Religion & Belief

  • Emperor Justinian II negotiates a peace treaty with the Umayyad Caliphate (resulting in caliph Abd al-Malik paying tribute). He removes 12,000 Christian Maronites, who continually resist the Arabs, from Lebanon. Justinian reinforces the Byzantine navy on Cyprus, and transfers cavalry troops from the Thracesian Theme in Anatolia to the Theme of Thrace in the Balkan Peninsula.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Construction of the Dome of the Rock, located on the Temple Mount, is started in Jerusalem (approximate date).source

Crime & Justice

  • Adomnán, Irish abbot of Iona, visits the court of King Ecgfrith, to ransom Irish captives (60 Gaels who had been captured in a Northumbrian raid).source

Births

  • Wei Jiansu, chancellor of the Tang dynasty (d. 763)source
  • Wittiza, king of the Visigoths (approximate date)source
  • Eucherius, Frankish bishop (d. 743)source

Deaths

  • March 20 – Cuthbert, Anglo-Saxon bishopsource
  • September 21 – Pope Conon I dies at Rome after a 1-year reign, and is succeeded by Sergius I as the 84th pope of the Catholic Church.source
  • King Erwig dies after a 7-year reign, and is succeeded by his son-in-law Ergica as ruler of the Visigothic Kingdom.source
  • Cuthbert, bishop of Lindisfarne, resigns his office and retires to his hermitage on Inner Farne (Northumberland) where he dies, after a painful illness.source
  • Abd Allah ibn Abbas, cousin of Muhammadsource