Editing 623

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|623}}
{{Year nav|623}}
{{M1 year in topic}}
[[File:Sámova říše.png|upright=1.35|thumb|Borders of [[Slavs|Slav]] territories under Samo's rule]]
Year '''623''' ('''[[Roman numerals|DCXXIII]]''') was a [[common year starting on Saturday]] of the [[Julian calendar]]. The denomination 623 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 ====
* [[Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628|Byzantine–Sassanid War]]: Emperor [[Heraclius]] invades [[Medieval Armenia|Armenia]], leaving his son [[Constantine III (Byzantine emperor)|Constantine]] (age 11) and co-regent [[Bonus (patrician)|Bonus]] to defend [[Constantinople]] against the [[Sassanid Empire|Persians]] still at [[Chalcedon]] (modern [[Turkey]]). He sails with 5,000 reinforcements to join the [[Byzantine army]] at [[Trabzon|Trapezus]]. Raising additional forces in [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]], Heraclius strikes through the mountains of Armenia and the northern sub-[[Caucasus|Caucasian]] principalities. He plunders [[Medes|Media]] ([[Azerbaijan]]), and avoids the Persian armies who attempt to trap him.<ref>Rome at War (AD 293–696), p. 61. Michael Whitby, 2002. {{ISBN|1-84176-359-4}}</ref>

==== Europe ====
* King [[Clothar II]] gives [[Austrasia]] to his son [[Dagobert I]], age 20, effectively granting the kingdom semi-[[autonomy]] in repayment for the support of its [[Nobility|nobles]], most notably [[Pepin of Landen]] ([[Mayor of the Palace]]), and in recognition of calls from the Austrasians for a king of their own. [[Arnulf of Metz|Arnulf]], bishop of [[Metz]], becomes advisor to Dagobert.
* [[Samo]], reputedly a [[Franks|Frankish]] merchant, is elected king of the [[Slavic peoples|Slavs]] in [[Moravia]], [[Slovakia]] and [[Lower Austria]]. A string of victories over the [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]] proves his ''utilitas'' (usefulness) to his subjects, and he secures the [[throne]] to establish his own [[Samo's Empire|kingdom]], which stretches from the upper [[Elbe]] to the [[Danube]].{{sfn|Fine|1991|p=43}}

==== Asia ====
* [[Tuyuhun invasion of Gansu]]: [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] forces under [[Chai Shao]] defeat the [[Tuyuhun]], and prevent further incursions into [[Gansu]] ([[China]]).

=== By topic ===

==== Art ====
* [[Tori Busshi]] makes "Shaka Triad", in the [[Main Hall (Japanese Buddhism)|kon-dō]] of [[Hōryū-ji]], during the [[Asuka period]] (approximate date).

==== Religion ====
* The [[Jews|Jewish]] community in [[Medina]] ([[Saudi Arabia]]) rejects the idea of [[Muhammad]] being a leader of [[Judaism]]. He and his followers stop [[bowing]] toward [[Jerusalem]] and start bowing toward [[Ka'ba]].
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== Births ==
* [[March 28]] &ndash; [[Marwan I]], Muslim [[Caliph]] (d. [[685]]) 

== Deaths ==
* [[Jizang]], Chinese [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] monk (b. [[549]])
* [[Liu Heita]], rebel leader during the [[Tang dynasty]]
* [[Lupus of Sens]], French bishop (approximate date)
* [[Princess Pingyang|Pingyang]], princess of the Tang dynasty (b. [[598]])
* [[Su Wei (politician)|Su Wei]], high official of the [[Sui dynasty]] (b. [[542]])
* [[Xu Yuanlang]], rebel leader during the Sui dynasty

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* <!--Fine 1991-->{{The Early Medieval Balkans}}
{{refend}}

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[[Category:623| ]]