642

yearbox
in?=
cp=6th century
c=7th century
cf=8th century

yp1=639
yp2=640
yp3=641
year=642
ya1=643
ya2=644
ya3=645
dp3=610s
dp2=620s
dp1=630s
d=640s
dn1=650s
dn2=660s
dn3=670s__NOTOC__

Events

By Place

Europe

* August 5 — In the Battle of Maserfield, Penda, king of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald, king of Bernicia.
* Batbayan succeeds Kubrat as ruler of the Bulgars (approximate date).

Africa

* Arabs invade Nubia for the first time; they will do so again in 652.
* Arabs conquer Alexandria.

Asia

* Battle of Nehawand: Arabs conquer Persia.
* Empress Kōgyoku ascends to the throne of Japan.
* Yeon Gaesomun seizes power over the Goguryeo kingdom and places King Bojang on the throne.
* Emperor Taizong of Tang issues a decree throughout China that increases the punishment for men who deliberately inflict injuries upon themselves (most commonly breaking their own legs) in order to avoid military conscription. This decree is an effort to eradicate this practice that has grown as a trend since the time of the rebellion against the Sui Dynasty.

By Topic

Arts and Sciences

* The earliest surviving dated Arabic papyrus, PERF 558, and the earliest known Arabic text with diacritical marks is written.

Religion

* November 24 — Pope Theodore I succeeds Pope John IV as the 73rd pope.
* A monastic settlement is founded in Hampshire, England, which later becomes Winchester Cathedral.

Births

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Deaths

* August 5 — Oswald, king of Bernicia and Bretwalda
* October 12 — Pope John IV
* Khalid bin Walid, Muslim general, conqueror of Damascus and Syria
* Yeongnyu of Goguryeo
* Yuwen Shiji, Chinese statesman