Rebel forces under Li Yuān defeat the Sui troops near the Fen River and capture the Chinese capital, Chang'an.

Li has gained support from Shibi, ruler (khagan) of the Eastern Turks, who secures his northern frontier and supplies him with two thousand horses.

Li Yuan demotes Sui emperor Yang to the status of Taishang Huang (retired emperor) and declares Yang You emperor, while he gives himself authority over the western Sui prefectures under the title of "Prince of Tang".

The Avars have reached the walls of Constantinople by 617, and launch a series of raids on the imperial capital from the north.

To the south of the great city, the Persian army under Shahin Vahmanzadegan conquers Chalcedon (opposite Constantinople) and reaches the Bosporus, threatening Constantinople.

Emperor Heraclius begins peace negotiations, promising an annual tribute of one thousand talents of gold and silver.

Shahin withdraws with his army to Syria to focus on the invasion of Egypt.

Jerusalem's  Christian population  remains strong, and after only a few months a riot occurs, in which a mob of the young Christians unites and kills Nehemiah ben Hushiel and his "council of the righteous.”

They drag their bodies through the street and dump them over the city wall.

The Persians renege on their promises to the Jews and forbid them to settle within a three-mile radius of the city.

Tasso and his brothers Kakko, Radoals, and Grimoald, while reining over the Lombard Duchy of Friuli, rule over the Slavs of the valley of the Gail River up to Matrei and impose a tribute upon them.

Æthelfrith’s son Oswald, following the death of his father, moves to the Scottish island of Iona and is there converted to Christianity.

Sigeberht becomes king of Essex after his father Sæward and uncle Sexred are killed in battle against the West Saxons.

Justus, bishop of Rochester, flees to Gaul in 617 during a revolt by pagans in Kent under king Eadbald.

The short-lived Sui dynasty ends in spring 618 with Li Yuan’s capture of Luoyang and the assassination of Emperor Yang at Jiangdu (in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) in a coup led by the general Yuwen Huaji.

Li Yuan has Emperor Gong yield the throne to him when the news reaches Chang'an, and becomes Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty, one of the most notable dynasties in Chinese history.

It will last for almost three hundred years.

As Emperor Gaozu, Li Yuan restores much of the institutions of Sui's first ruler, Emperor Wen, reversing a number of changes that Emperor Yang had made.

He creates Emperor Gong the Duke of Xi, Li Jiancheng, his oldest son, is named crown prince, while Li Shimin is made the Prince of Qin and Li Yuanji the Prince of Qi.

The Sui officials at Luoyang meanwhile declare another grandson of Emperor Yang, Emperor Gong's brother Yang Tong, the Prince of Yue, as emperor, and refuse to recognize the regime change in Chang'an.

The weakened Sui dynasty collapses into petty states.

Emperor Gaozu immediately faces a major challenge from Xue Ju, an agrarian leader who has declared himself the Emperor of Qin.