Seventh Century

The seventh century was the period from 601 to 700 CE in the Gregorian/Julian calendar. It was a century of major change in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, particularly following the rise of Islam and the expansion of new states.

During this time, the earlier Byzantine (Eastern Roman) and Sasanid Persian empires were engaged in prolonged wars that exhausted both sides. Western Europe was fragmented among small Germanic kingdoms, while China was unified under the Tang dynasty.

Middle East and the beginning of Islam

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) began preaching Islam in Mecca in the early part of this century, and subsequently migrated to Medina—the hijra, which marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. Following his death in 632, the Rashidun Caliphs oversaw expansion into the Levant, Iraq, Egypt, and Persia. By the end of the century, the Umayyad state based in Damascus controlled vast territories.

Byzantine and Persia

The prolonged war between Byzantine and the Sasanids ended with Byzantine victory in the early 630s, but both sides suffered heavy losses in resources and troops. The Sasanid empire collapsed during this century, while Byzantine lost the Levant and Egypt, retreating to a power base centered on Anatolia and Constantinople.

East and South Asia

China saw the Sui dynasty replaced by the Tang in 618, bringing a period of stability, prosperity on the Silk Road, and cultural flourishing. Japan adopted administrative systems and institutions from China. In India, following the reign of Harsha, the land again fragmented into regional kingdoms.

Africa and Europe

In the Horn of Africa, the Aksumite kingdom saw its maritime trade decline as commercial routes shifted. North Africa came under the control of Muslim forces by the end of the century. In Europe, the church and the Frankish (Merovingian) kingdoms held the most power, while Anglo-Saxon England underwent religious transformation.