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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{About year|591}}
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[[File:Khosrau II Coin.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|King [[Khosrau II]] of [[Sassanid Empire|Persia]] (590–628)]]
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Year '''591''' ('''[[Roman numerals|DXCI]]''') was a [[common year starting on Monday]] of the [[Julian calendar]]. The denomination 591 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 572–591|Byzantine–Sassanid War]]: Emperor [[Maurice (emperor)|Maurice]], seeing an opportunity to end the prolonged war to the advantage of [[Constantinople]], assists [[Khosrau II]] to regain the Persian [[throne]]. He sends a [[Byzantine army]] (35,000 men) under [[Narses (magister militum per Orientem)|Narses]] into [[Mesopotamia]], through [[Syria]]. At the same time, an expeditionary force in [[Armenia]] advances through [[Principality of Iberia|Caucasian Iberia]] into [[Atropatene|Media]] (modern [[Azerbaijan]]). 
* [[Battle of Blarathon]]: A Persian army of about 40,000 men under King [[Bahrām Chobin|Bahrām VI]] is defeated, in the lowlands near [[Ganzak]] (northwestern [[Iran]]), by the [[Byzantine Greeks|Byzantines]]. Bahrām flees to seek [[Refugee|refuge]] with the [[Göktürks|Turks]] in [[Central Asia]], and settles in [[Fergana]].<ref>Gumilev L.N.Bahram Chubin, p. 229–230</ref> However, after some time, he is murdered by a hired [[Assassination|assassin]] of Khosrau II.<ref>Usanova M. Ismoil Somonii waqfnomasi, p. 29</ref>
* Summer &ndash; Maurice begins a series of [[Maurice's Balkan campaigns#Campaigns in 591–595|military expeditions]], to defend the [[Balkans|Balkan]] provinces from the [[Avars (Carpathians)|Avars]] and [[Slavs]]. He establishes the [[Danube]] frontier (''[[Limes Moesiae]]'') from the Delta to the fortress city of [[Singidunum]] ([[Belgrade]]), and permits the Byzantines to reassert their authority in the interior.<ref>Rome at War (p. 60). Michael Whitby, 2002. {{ISBN|1-84176-359-4}}</ref>

==== Europe ====
* [[Agilulf]], cousin of [[Authari]] (called "the [[Thuringia]]n"), is raised on the shield (a ceremonial investment) by [[Lombards|Lombard]] warriors in [[Milan]]. He becomes king of the [[Kingdom of the Lombards|Lombards]], on advice of the Lombard dukes (''[[dux]]''). Agilulf marries widowed queen [[Theodelinda]] and is [[Baptism|baptized]] to please her.
* [[Arechis I of Benevento|Arechis I]] succeeds his uncle [[Zotto]] as the second  [[List of Dukes and Princes of Benevento|Duke of Benevento]].
* A [[locust]] [[swarm]] destroys the [[harvest]] in Northern [[Italy]] (approximate date).

==== Persia ====
* Khosrau II is reinstalled as king of the [[Sassanid Empire|Persian Empire]]. Peace with Constantinople is concluded after a war of almost 20 years. Maurice receives the Persian provinces of [[Western Armenia|Armenia]] and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. The recognition of the traditional frontiers, and the cessation of subsidies for the [[Caucasus]] forts, leaves the Byzantines in a dominant position in their relations with [[Iran|Persia]].

==== Asia ====
* The first [[Chinese city wall|city wall]] of [[Hangzhou]] ([[East China|Eastern China]]) is constructed.

==== Mesoamerica ====
* [[May 21]] &ndash; A [[Mesoamerican ballgame]] court is dedicated at the [[Maya civilization|Mayan]] city of [[Chinkultic]] ([[Mexico]]).

=== By topic ===

==== Religion ====
* Pope [[Pope Gregory I|Gregory I]] criticizes the [[bishop]]s of [[Arles]] and [[Marseille]] for allowing the forced baptism of [[Jews]] in [[Provence]] ([[France]]).
* [[Jnanagupta]], Afghan [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] monk, translates the [[Vimalakirti Sutra]] into [[Chinese language|Chinese]].</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Cadwallon ap Cadfan]], king of [[Kingdom of Gwynedd|Gwynedd]] (approximate date)
* [[Gundeberga]], queen of the [[Lombards]]
* [[Li Xiaogong]], prince of the [[Tang dynasty]] (d. [[640]])
* [[Su Dingfang]], general of the Tang dynasty (d. [[667]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Aredius]], [[abbot]] and [[saint]] 
* [[Faroald I of Spoleto|Faroald I]], [[Duchy of Spoleto|duke of Spoleto]] (or [[592]])
* [[Garibald I of Bavaria|Garibald I]], [[List of rulers of Bavaria|duke of Bavaria]] (b. [[540]])
* [[Golindouch]], Persian saint
* [[John Mystacon]], Byzantine general (approximate date)
* [[Peter III of Raqqa]], [[Patriarch of Antioch]]
* [[Li Delin]], Chinese official and [[List of Chinese writers|writer]] (b. [[531]])
* [[Yan Zhitui]], Chinese scholar and [[official]] (b. [[531]])
* [[Zotto]], founder of the [[Duchy of Benevento]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:591| ]]