Who ruled
- Rouran Khaganate Anagui 520–552
- Sasanian Persia Khosrow I 531–579
And beyond the steppe
- China Eastern Wei Emperor Xiaojing 534–550 · Western Wei Emperor Wen 535–551
- Iran Sasanian Khosrow I 531–579
- Korea Goguryeo Yangwon 545–559
- Byzantium Justinian Justinian I 527–565
Eastern steppe
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Environment · Late Antique Little Ice Age: the cold phase the Altai tree rings define from 536 to about 660 (536–660)
Climate and the steppe empires · First Göktürk Khaganate · Avars
The coldest decade in the Altai is the 540s
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Environment · A third, smaller eruption closes the volcanic cluster that opened the cold phase
