572

By place

Byzantine Empire

• Byzantine–Sassanid War: Emperor Justin II refuses to pay the annual tribute to Khosrau I, putting an end to the 50-year peace treaty that was established ten years earlier. The Armenians are considered allies to the Byzantine Empire, and Justin sends a Byzantine army into Persian territory, besieging the fortress city of Nisibis.

  Europe

• June 28 - Alboin is murdered at Verona in his palace, at the instigation of his wife Rosamund, and her henchman, Helmechis ; both flee to seek Byzantine protection in Ravenna.
• Alboin is succeeded as king of the Lombards by Cleph, who is not related by blood.
• Siege of Pavia: King Alboin captures Ticinum ; after a three-year siege the Byzantine garrison surrenders to the Lombards. The city is of strategic importance, lying at the rivers Po and Ticino, and becomes the capital of the Kingdom of the Lombards.

  Britain

• Theodric succeeds his brother Æthelric as king of Bernicia. He rules until 579.

  Asia

• Taspar Qaghan succeeds his brother Muqan Qaghan as ruler of the Turkic Khaganate.
• Bidatsu succeeds his father Kinmei and ascends to the throne of Japan as the 30th emperor.

  Mesoamerica

• Calakmul defeats Tikal, bringing an end to the First Tikal-Calakmul War.
• Sky Witness, ruler of Calakmul, dies.