547 Explained

Year 547 (DXLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 547 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

By place

Europe

• Gothic War: Belisarius recaptures Rome from the Ostrogoths, but his Italian campaign is unsuccessful (he is starved of supplies and reinforcements from Constantinople).
• The mosaic panels of Justinian I and Theodora I with attendants, in the Basilica of San Vitale (Ravenna), are made (approximate date).
• Theudebald, age 13, succeeds his father Theudebert I after a reign of 14 years, and becomes king of Austrasia (or 548).

Britain

• King Ida establishes the kingdom of Bernicia. He builds Bamburgh Castle (northeast England) as a fortress that will become the seat of Anglo-Saxon kings (according to the Historia Brittonum).

Africa

• Battle of Marta: The Byzantine army under John Troglita is defeated by Moorish tribes in Tripolitania. He flees to Lunci (9 km south of Mahares), and is forced to withdraw north to the fortress of Laribus (near modern El Kef).

Asia

• The Tonkin revolt (Vietnam), led by Lý Nam Đế, is suppressed by the Chinese Liang dynasty.

By topic

Religion

• The Basilica of San Vitale (Ravenna) is consecrated by bishop Maximianus of Ravenna.

Births

• Pei Ju, official of the Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty (d. 627)
• Zhu Manyue, empress of Northern Zhou (d. 586)

Deaths

• February 10  - Scholastica, Christian nun
• March 21, death of twin brother of St Scholastica, Saint Benedict, famous for building the Monastery of Mt Cassino and for his Benedictine Monastic Rule, Patron Saint of Europe, dies
• Gao Huan, general of Northern Wei (b. 496)
• Maelgwn Hir ap Cadwallon, king of Gwynedd (approximate date)
• Theudebert I, king of Austrasia (or 548)
• Tribonian, Byzantine jurist and author of the Codex Justinianus

References

Bibliography

• Book: Pringle, Denys. The Defence of Byzantine Africa from Justinian to the Arab Conquest: An Account of the Military History and Archaeology of the African Provinces in the Sixth and Seventh Century. Oxford, United Kingdom. British Archaeological Reports. 1981. 0-86054-119-3.