Editing 604

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[[File:Sui Yangdi Tang.jpg|thumb|right|Emperor [[Emperor Yang of Sui|Yángdi]] of the [[Sui dynasty]] (569–618)]]
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Year '''604''' ('''[[Roman numerals|DCIV]]''') was a [[leap year starting on Wednesday]] of the [[Julian calendar]]. The denomination 604 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 ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* The [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]] regroup after they are almost destroyed; together with the [[Slavs]] they start [[Looting|pillaging]] through the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] provinces, west and south of the [[Danube]]. Due to the new Persian war, Emperor [[Phocas]] has few imperial troops available to defend the [[Balkans|Balkan Peninsula]].<ref>{{The Early Medieval Balkans|page=33 }}</ref>
* [[Byzantine-Sassanid War of 602–628#Beginning of the conflict|Byzantine–Persian War]]: King [[Khosrau II]] captures the Byzantine positions east of the [[Euphrates]]; the [[Sassanid Empire|Persians]] destroy many cities in the [[Levant|Levant region]], after prolonged [[siege]]s such as the Byzantine fortress of [[Dara (Mesopotamia)|Dara]] (modern [[Turkey]]).<ref>Essential Histories: Rome at War AD 293–696 (2002), Michael Whitby, p. 60. {{ISBN|1-84176-359-4}}</ref>

==== Europe ====
* Queen [[Brunhilda of Austrasia]] conspires to have [[Berthoald]], [[Mayor of the Palace]], assassinated. She convinces King [[Theuderic II]] to send him to inspect the royal ''[[villa]]e'' along the [[Seine]]. Brunhilda then has the noblemen who actually carried out the murder arrested and killed.
* [[December 25]] &ndash; [[Étampes|Battle of Ėtampes]]: Theuderic II, with the aid of Berthoald, defeats the [[Franks|Frankish]] forces under King [[Chlothar II]] of [[Neustria]], at [[Étampes]] (near [[Paris]]).

==== Britain ====
* [[Æthelfrith of Northumbria]] invades [[Deira (kingdom)|Deira]] and kills its king, [[Æthelric of Deira|Æthelric]].<ref>Bede, "Historia Ecclesiastica", I.34, III.6; "Historia Brittonum", chapter 61</ref> Prince [[Edwin of Northumbria|Edwin]], son of the late king [[Ælla of Deira]] (possibly a nephew of Æthelric), flees to the court of King [[Cadfan ap Iago|Iago]] of [[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]] (northwest [[Wales]]).
* [[Sæbert of Essex|Sæbert]] succeeds his father [[Sledd of Essex|Sledd]] as king of [[Kingdom of Essex|Essex]]. He is persuaded to convert to [[Christianity]] through the intervention of his uncle, King [[Æthelberht of Kent]].<ref>Geoffrey Hindley, A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons: "The beginnings of the English nation" New York: Carrol & Graf Publishers (2006), p. 33–36. {{ISBN|978-0-7867-1738-5}}</ref>

==== Asia ====
* [[August 13]] &ndash; Emperor [[Emperor Wen of Sui|Wéndi]], age 63, is assassinated by his son [[Emperor Yang of Sui|Yángdi]], after a 23-year reign in which he has attacked hereditary privilege and reduced the power of the military [[aristocracy]]. He is succeeded by Yángdi, who becomes the second emperor of the [[Sui dynasty]].
* [[Prince Shotoku]], imperial [[Regency (government)|regent]] of [[Empress Suiko]], issues a [[Seventeen-article constitution]], based on both [[Confucianism|Confucian]] and [[Japanese Buddhism|Buddhist]] principles in [[Japan]].<ref>W.G. Aston, trans., Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697, 2 vols. in 1 (London: Keagan and Co., 1896), vol. 2, p. 128–133</ref>

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* [[March 12]] &ndash; [[Pope Gregory I]] (the Great) dies at [[Rome]], after a 14-year reign. He has laid the foundations which claim papal [[Autocracy|absolutism]], pioneered the conversion of [[Great Britain|Britain]] to [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]] and enunciated what will come to be known as the "[[seven deadly sins]]". Gregory is succeeded by [[Pope Sabinian|Sabinian]] as the 65th [[pope]] of the [[Catholic Church]].
* [[May 26]] &ndash; [[Augustine of Canterbury|Augustine]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], is succeeded by [[Laurence of Canterbury|Laurence]]. He is a member of the [[Gregorian mission]] (see [[596]]).
* Æthelberht of Kent founds [[St Paul's Cathedral|St. Paul's Cathedral]]. [[Mellitus]] is appointed the first Saxon [[bishop of London]] (and [[Kingdom of the East Saxons|Essex]]).
* The [[Diocese of Rochester|See of Rochester]] is established, and [[Justus]] is appointed as [[Bishop of Rochester|bishop]]. He founds [[Rochester Cathedral]] ([[Kent]]).
</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Oswald of Northumbria|Oswald]], king (''[[bretwalda]]'') of [[Northumbria]] (approximate date)

== Deaths ==
* [[March 12]] &ndash; [[Pope Gregory I|Gregory I]], pope of the [[Catholic Church]]
* [[May 26]] &ndash; [[Augustine of Canterbury|Augustine]], [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] (approximate date)
* [[August 13]] &ndash; [[Emperor Wen of Sui]], emperor of the [[Sui dynasty]] (b. [[541]])
* [[November 4]] &ndash; [[Yohl Ik'nal]], female ruler of [[Palenque]] ([[Mexico]])
* [[December 16]] &ndash; [[Chen Shubao|Houzhu]], emperor of the [[Chen dynasty]] (b. [[553]])
* [[Æthelric of Deira|Æthelric]], king of [[Deira (kingdom)|Deira]] (approximate date)
* [[Berthoald]], [[Mayor of the Palace]] ([[Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundy]]) 
* [[Colmán Rímid]], [[High King of Ireland]]
* [[Sledd of Essex|Sledd]], king of [[Kingdom of Essex|Essex]] (approximate date)
* [[Xiao Mohe]], general of the Sui dynasty (b. [[532]])
* [[Yang Yong (Sui dynasty)|Yang Yong]], prince of the Sui dynasty

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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