Numerous official missions of envoys, priests, and students are sent to China in the seventh century.

Some remain twenty years or more; many of those who return became prominent reformers.

In a move greatly resented by the Chinese, Shotoku seeks equality with the Chinese emperor by addressing a memorial "From the Son of Heaven in the Land of the Rising Sun to the Son of Heaven of the Land of the Setting Sun."

Shotoku's bold step set s a precedent: Japan never again accepts a subordinate status in its relations with China.

Although the missions continue the transformation of Japan through Chinese influences, the Korean influence on Japan declines despite the close connections there had been during the early Kofun period.

The Gorguryeo-Sui War results in the defeat of Sui and contributes to the eventual downfall of the dynasty in 618.

The shih tzu, a small, active toy breed of dog similar to the Lhasa apso in its luxurious, long dense coat, is known in China.

Prince Shotoku, intent on strengthening Japan's central government, returns to the imperial family powers that had passed to the feudal nobles.

In emulation of the Chinese bureaucratic system of government, Shotoku establishes a system of court ranks that encourage the addition of merit to the traditional qualification of heredity as a requirement for advancement and the holding of office.

The missions he dispatches to China restores communications that had been cut off in the fifth century.

During Shotoku’s regency, Buddhist monasteries, such as the (now-lost) Hokoji and Wakakusa-dera, are constructed and furnished with bronze images of Buddhas made by immigrant Korean artisans such as the Tori group.

Tori Busshi creates the Shaka Triad at Horyuji in Nara as a votive offering in memory of Prince Shotoku.

Songtsän Gampo becomes the first emperor of the Tibetan Empire after his father Namri Songtsen is poisoned.

Tibet's power expands beyond Lhasa (Tibetan Plateau) and the Yarlung Valley during his reign.

Tong Yabghu Qaghan, who becomes the new ruler (khagan) of the Western Turkic Khaganate in 618,maintains close relations with the Tang Dynasty of China, and may have married into the Imperial family.

Tong Yabghu's empire fought with the Sassanids of Iran.

In the early 620's, the khagan's nephew Böri Shad leads a series of raids across the Caucasus Mountains into Persian territory.

Many scholars have identified Tong Yabghu as the Ziebel mentioned in Byzantine sources as having campaigned (as khagan of the Khazars) with the Emperor Heraclius in the Caucasus against the Sassanid Persian Empire in 627-628.

A few scholars, including Chavannes, Uchida, Gao and Xue Zhongzeng assert that Tong Yabghu cannot be positively identified with Ziebel (or any Khazar ruler) and may actually have died as early as 626.

These scholars point to discrepancies in the dates between Byzantine and Chinese sources and argue that definitively conflating Ziebel with Tong Yabghu is an exaggeration of the extant evidence.

Following the First Siege of Constantinople by the Avars and Persians, the beleaguered Emperor Heraclius had found himself politically isolated.

He cannot rely on the Christian Armenian potentates of Transcaucasia, since they have been branded as heretics by the Orthodox Church, and even the king of Iberia prefers to befriend the religiously tolerant Persians.

Against this dismal background, he finds a natural ally in Tong Yabghu.

Earlier, in 568, the Turks under Istämi had turned to Constantinople when their relations with Persia soured over commerce issues.

Heraclius dispatches to the steppes his emissary, named Andrew, who in 625 promises to the Khagan some "staggering riches" in return for military aid.

The khagan, on his part, is anxious to secure the Chinese-Contantinople trade along the Silk Route, which had been disrupted by the Persians in the aftermath of the Second Perso-Turkic War.

He sends word to the Emperor that "I shall take revenge on your enemies and will come with my valiant troops to your help".

A unit of one thousand horsemen fights their way through Persian Transcaucasia and delivers the Khagan's message to the imperial camp in Anatolia.

Numerous Slavic tribes, rebelling against their Avar overlords, carve out their own sovereign territory in Moravia and Lower Austria.

Eastern Roman sources report that some proto-Serbs migrate southward in the seventh century, eventually settling in the lands that now make up southern Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina.

Rival chiefs, or zupani, will vie to control the Serbs for five centuries after the migration.

East Central Europe (616–627 CE): Peak of Avar Power, Slavic Expansion, and Early Political Structures in Bohemia and Moravia

Between 616 and 627 CE, East Central Europe—encompassing Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and those portions of Germany and Austria lying east of 10°E and north of a line stretching from roughly 48.2°N at 10°E southeastward to the Austro-Slovenian border near 46.7°N, 15.4°E—witnessed the peak territorial expansion and political influence of the Avar Khaganate, accompanied by intensified interactions and conflicts with neighboring peoples. Concurrently, the West Slavic territories of Bohemia and Moravia increasingly solidified early political structures, reflecting clear hierarchical leadership and territorial cohesion. The era was marked by continued Slavic migration and settlement throughout the region, shaping distinct cultural and demographic landscapes, while the Bavarians (Baiuvarii) maintained their influential intermediary role between the Frankish, Slavic, and Avar worlds.

Political and Military Developments

Peak Avar Dominance and Territorial Influence

• The Avar Khaganate reached the height of its territorial power, exerting strong military control and diplomatic influence from the Carpathian Basin deep into neighboring regions. Avar military pressure intensified along the Byzantine frontier, and northward into Slavic-held territories, solidifying the khaganate's dominance.

Strengthening of Early Bohemian and Moravian Polities

• In Bohemia, West Slavic tribal groups consolidated further under increasingly centralized leadership, establishing stable political entities capable of regional defense and internal governance.

• Similarly, Moravia strengthened political cohesion, forming distinct regional leadership hierarchies that effectively responded to external pressures from Avars and diplomatically engaged with the neighboring Bavarians.

Bavarian Diplomatic Balancing Act

• The Bavarians continued to serve as crucial diplomatic and economic intermediaries, carefully managing complex relationships with Avars, emerging Slavic polities, and the Frankish kingdom, facilitating stable trade and political alliances throughout the region.

Economic and Technological Developments

Flourishing Regional Trade Networks

• Trade through Bavaria, Bohemia, and Moravia prospered, enhancing economic connections among Frankish lands, the Byzantine Empire, and Avar-dominated territories. Prominent traded goods included metals, luxury items, textiles, agricultural products, and craftwork.

Development of Advanced Defensive Structures

• Faced with persistent Avar incursions, Bohemian and Moravian settlements significantly enhanced fortifications, hillforts, and defensive constructions, indicating advanced regional engineering and increased political organization.

Cultural and Artistic Developments

Distinctive Bohemian and Moravian Cultural Identity

• Bohemian and Moravian Slavic communities developed highly distinctive cultural identities, evident in regional pottery styles, jewelry, settlement organization, and burial practices, clearly separating their traditions from neighboring groups.

Avar Cultural Zenith

• The Avar Khaganate continued disseminating its rich Central Asian artistic traditions across the region, leaving profound influences in metallurgy, decorative jewelry, ceramics, and weapons, reflecting the cultural exchanges between nomadic and sedentary populations.

Settlement and Urban Development

Growth and Strengthening of Bohemian and Moravian Centers

• Bohemia and Moravia experienced significant expansion of fortified urban settlements and rural villages, reflecting increasingly organized regional governance structures and social stability.

Centralized Avar Urban and Administrative Centers

• Important regional settlements such as Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg), Vindobona, and Aquincumcontinued to prosper under centralized Avar authority, sustaining their roles as pivotal administrative, commercial, and strategic centers.

Social and Religious Developments

Emergence of Stable Social Structures in Bohemia and Moravia

• Clear hierarchical structures emerged in Bohemia and Moravia, centered around tribal leadership, warrior elites, and community governance, laying critical foundations for medieval duchies and principalities.

Continued Avar Hierarchical Organization

• Avar society maintained its stable, hierarchical structure, centered around the Khagan’s authority and military elite, reinforcing regional dominance and cohesion across a diverse population base.

Long-Term Consequences and Historical Significance

The era 616–627 CE was critical in East Central Europe's historical evolution, marked by the apex of Avar territorial influence, the clear establishment of early state structures in Bohemia and Moravia, and continued Slavic territorial expansion. Bavaria’s diplomatic prominence further stabilized and enriched regional dynamics. The era laid essential foundations for subsequent political, social, and cultural developments, permanently shaping the medieval historical landscape and future identities in East Central Europe.

The Second Perso-Turkic War begins in 619 with an invasion of Sassanid Persia by the Göktürks and Hephthalites under Tong Yabghu.

The war ends with the defeat of the Turks and Hephthalites by the Sassanids under General Smbat Bagratuni.

The Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 is fought throughout the Middle East and eastern Europe: in Egypt, the Levant, Mesopotamia, the Caucasus, Anatolia, and even before the walls of Constantinople itself.

Such long standing imperial possessions as Chalcedon and Alexandria fall to the Persians; civil authority in Roman possessions throughout Asia Minor erodes as Emperor Heraclius grants his generals (strategoi) both civil and military authority over those lands that they occupy with their “themes,” as the army groups, or corps, are called.

The long-standing and complex economic rivalry between the two empires is reduced to a holy war—the West’s first Crusade—between Christianity and Zoroastrianism, in which both sides destroy each other’s places of worship.

While the Persians prove largely successful during the first stage of the war from 602 to 622, conquering much of the Levant, Egypt, and parts of Anatolia, the ascendancy of Emperor Heraclius in 610 leads, despite initial setbacks, to the Persians' defeat.

Heraclius' campaigns in Persian lands from 622 to 626 force the Persians onto the defensive and allow his forces to regain momentum.

The Persians, allied in 626 with the Avars, make a final attempt to take Constantinople, but are defeated there.

Heraclius in 627 invades the Persians' heartland and forces them to sue for peace.

Eastern Southeast Europe (616–627 CE): Navigating New Challenges

Settlement and Migration Patterns

Persistent Migration and Urban Integration

Between 616 and 627 CE, Eastern Southeast Europe faced ongoing migratory pressures, primarily from Slavic and Avar groups. Urban centers and rural settlements effectively integrated incoming populations, continually adapting infrastructure and urban planning to maintain societal stability.

Reinforced Fortifications

Cities such as Constantinople, Philippopolis, Adrianople, and Serdica continued strengthening their defensive infrastructures. Enhanced fortifications played crucial roles in safeguarding populations and ensuring consistent urban growth and resilience.

Economic and Technological Developments

Sustained Economic Resilience

Regional economies continued demonstrating resilience through stable agricultural productivity and active trade networks. Constantinople remained an essential commercial hub, significantly facilitating resource distribution and economic vitality.

Defensive Technological Innovations

Technological developments maintained their focus on military defenses, fortification improvements, and logistical advancements. These innovations reinforced regional security and provided essential support for economic stability and community safety.

Cultural and Artistic Developments

Cultural Persistence and Development

Despite external pressures, cultural life remained vibrant, integrating classical traditions and emerging Christian influences. Artistic production, including public monuments and religious architecture, continued reinforcing regional identity and cultural continuity.

Intellectual Resilience

Scholarly institutions maintained their critical roles in preserving and advancing classical and theological knowledge. Intellectual and educational activities persisted actively, effectively responding to societal needs and ensuring cultural resilience.

Social and Religious Developments

Adaptive and Efficient Governance

Administrative structures continued to function efficiently, enhancing governance, resource management, and civic oversight. Adaptive provincial administration effectively supported regional stability and managed external challenges proactively.

Expanding Influence of Christianity

Christianity’s societal role further expanded, deeply integrating into regional social, cultural, and political structures. The continued growth of religious institutions provided critical community support, reinforcing societal cohesion and resilience.

Long-Term Consequences and Historical Significance

The period from 616 to 627 CE was defined by the region’s proactive management of demographic shifts, fortified urban resilience, sustained economic stability, and persistent cultural and intellectual vitality. These elements significantly contributed to Eastern Southeast Europe's ongoing resilience and preparedness, laying critical foundations for future historical stability.