Who ruled
- Byzantium Heraclius 610–641
- First Göktürk Khaganate Shibi Khan 609–619
- Western Göktürk Khaganate Heshana Khan 603–611
And beyond the steppe
- China Sui Emperor Yang 604–618
- Iran Sasanian Khosrow II 591–628
- Korea Goguryeo Yeongyang 590–618
- Byzantium Phocas 602–610 · Heraclian Heraclius 610–641
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 · Lake Telmen stands 4.8 metres above its present level, a humid phase before the drying that follows (600–700)
China
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Pei Ju's plan: the Sui emperor gives Shegui's envoy a white-feathered arrow and the promise of the title Great Khan against Heshana
Shegui Khan · Heshana Khan · Sui · Fall of Heshana Khan (611)
The sixth year of Daye in the Sui Shu; the attack that followed is dated 611 in the literature
Byzantium
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Heraclius takes the Roman throne in a coup, with the empire already losing its eastern provinces to Persia
