542 Constantinople - Bubonic Plague breaks out and spreads throughout Europe.

553 Byzantine Emperor Justinian sends Lombards to Ravenna to fight the Gepids.

533 Justinian Code of Law.

534 Justinian's General Belisarius destroys the Vandals and reconquers Southern Spain and North Africa.

536 Barbar Wars Begin. Belisarius conquers Rome - Ostrogoths surrender.

542 Plague ravages the Empire.

554 End of Barbar War.

565 Avars (from Asian steppes) move into Pannonia and ally with Lombards and destroy the Gepids. Albion - King of Lombards - marries Rosamund (daughter of Gepid King).

565 Constantinople - Emperor Justinian dies. Western Empire is relinquished.

567 Lombards invade Northern Italy - led by Albion. They are the last and fiercest of the Germanic Barbarian tribes to invade Italy.

568 Pope John III rules Italy. Lombards ally with Saxons and other Barbarians against the Catholic Church.

570 Pavia becomes the capital of the Lombard state. Pope asks for Byzantine Emperor's protection.

571 Visigoths conquer Spain.

572 Verona, Italy - Queen Rosamund has her husband Albion,King of the Lombards - killed.

592 Pope Gregory I negotiates with the Lombards.

597 Pope Gregory sends Augustine to Britain as a missionary.

Barbarian Invasions of Western Europe 600-800

600 Scots leave Ireland and settle in Scotland.

601 Britain - Augustine becomes the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

601 Britain - King Ethelbert is the first Anglo-Saxon King to convert to Christianity.

605 Peace Treaty between Byzantine Empire and the Lombards. Civil wars among the Lombards

670 Moors attack North Africa.

697 Moors destroy Carthage.

703 Aripert II emerges as King of the Lombards vs Liutprand (King of Bavarians.

711 Moors conquer Hispania (Portugal and Spain).

712 Liutprand is victorious and becomes King of Lombards. He promotes Catholicism and signs a treaty with Pope Gregory II.

727 Byzantine Church led by Emperor Leo declares icons are blasphemous, causes split with Roman Catholic Church led by Pope Gregory III.

727 Lombards attack Byzantine strongholds in Italy. More civil wars among Lombards.