The Chinese Empire is reunited under the leadership of emperor Wen of Sui, who defeats the Chen forces at Jiankang (modern Nanjing), ending the Chen Dynasty (the last of the Southern Dynasties) that has ruled since 557.

Yan Zhitui, scholar-official, makes the first reference to the use of toilet paper in history.

It is used in the Chinese imperial court and among the other wealthy citizens.

Bahram, having largely secured Khorasan, turns to fight the Romans, who defeat his forces at Nisibis and the Araxes River in 589, driving him back into Armenia.

Hormizd IV humiliates him, sending him women's clothing to wear.

Thus, …

…Bahram, along with the main Persian army, rebels against the Shah and marches toward Ctesiphon.

Bahram Chobin defeats the Turks and Hephthalites again in 589, capturing Balkh.

He proceeds to cross the Oxus River and manages to repulse the Turkic Invasion and take over Hephthalite territory that had been occupied by the Turks.

It is reported that an arrow shot by Bahram killed the Eastern Turkic Khagan, Bagha Qaghan, known as Ch'u-lo-hou by the Chinese.

Reccared I sends word of his conversion to Catholicism early in 589 to Septimania, where it incites a rebellion on behalf of Arianism by two prominent counts, Granista and Wildigern, and the bishop Athaloc.

The rebels seek to overthrow Reccared and the Catholic faith and to this end they call in the aid of the Catholic and Frankish king of Burgundy, Guntram.

Faroald, duke of Spoleto, captures the Ravennan seaport of Classis and utterly devastates it.

Authari, when not controlled by foreign armies, expands the Lombard dominion at the expense of Constantinople.

He takes the fortress of Comacchio and cuts off communication between Padua and Ravenna.

Authari sweeps through the peninsula all the way to Reggio, vowing to take Calabria—a vow never to be kept by any Lombard.

The Third Council of Toledo, called in 589 by king Reccared I of the Visigoths, renounces Arianism and embraces Catholicism.

Bishop Gregory of Tours Defends Tax Exemption for Tours Against Childebert II

During the reign of Childebert II of Austrasia, Bishop Gregory of Tours successfully opposes the king’s attempts to impose taxes on the citizens of Tours, claiming state immunity previously granted by Fredegund. This episode highlights the growing power of the Church in Frankish politics and its ability to challenge royal authority on fiscal matters.

1. Childebert II’s Attempt to Tax Tours

• Childebert II, ruling Austrasia, seeks to expand royal revenues by taxing the inhabitants of Tours, a city that had historically enjoyed tax exemptions due to its religious significance.
• Tours, home to the revered shrine of St. Martin, had been granted special privileges, including tax immunity.

2. Gregory of Tours’ Opposition

• As bishop of Tours, Gregory invokes the legal precedent set by Fredegund, who had upheld the city’s tax exemption.
• He argues that taxing Tours would violate established Frankish custom and Church privileges.
• Gregory successfully defends Tours’ immunity, preventing Childebert from imposing taxes on the city’s population.

3. The Significance of Gregory’s Victory

• Demonstrates the growing power of the Church, particularly bishops, in shaping fiscal policy.
• Reinforces the idea that holy cities and ecclesiastical centers were outside direct royal taxation, a privilege that would later define the medieval Church’s financial independence.
• Highlights the rivalry between Church and monarchy, as Frankish kings increasingly sought control over ecclesiastical wealth.

Conclusion: The Church’s Strength Against Royal Power

Gregory’s successful opposition to Childebert II’s taxation policy underscores the influence of the Frankish Church in protecting its economic privileges. By invoking Fredegund’s legal precedent, Gregory ensures that Tours remains exempt from royal taxation, setting a precedent for Church autonomy in Frankish fiscal affairs. This event foreshadows future medieval conflicts over secular versus religious financial authority in Europe.