540s

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	5th century – 6th century – 7th century
Decades:	510s 520s 530s – 540s – 550s 560s 570s
Years:	540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture; Establishments – Disestablishments

Below are some of the important events that happened from 540 to 549.

540

Plague of Justinian: Bubonic plague appears suddenly in the Egyptian port of Pelusium. It spreads to Alexandria and, the following year, to Constantinople. This is the beginning of a 200-year long pandemic that will devastate Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Totila is elected king by the Ostrogothic nobles after the death of his uncle Ildibad.
The Uyghurs come under the rule of the Hephthalites

The Byzantine garrison (1,000 men) in Naples surrenders to the Ostrogoths.
King Khosrau I invades Syria.
The Hephthalites threaten the Persian Empire from the East. They extend their gain more territory in Central Asia.
King Pulakesi I starts the Chalukya Dynasty.

The Ostrogoths under king Totila retake Rome.
Audoin succeeds Walthari as king of the Lombards.
Audoin leads the Lombards across the Danube and becomes an ally of the Byzantines.

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	5th century – 6th century – 7th century
Decades:	510s 520s 530s – 540s – 550s 560s 570s
Years:	540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture Establishments – Disestablishments