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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.

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.

By Topic

Arts and Sciences

• Earliest surviving dated Arabic papyrus, PERF 558, and earliest known Arabic text with diacritical marks is written.

Religion

• November 24 - Theodore succeeds John IV as Pope.
• Monastic settlement founded in Hampshire, England, which later becomes Winchester Cathedral.

Births

Deaths

• August 5 - Oswald, king of Bernicia and Bretwalda
• October 12 - Pope John IV
• Khalid bin Walid, Muslim general, conqueror of Damascus and Syria
• King Yeongnyu of Goguryeo

642

642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642년 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642年 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | 642 | พ.ศ. 1185 | 642 | 642 | 642年