Death of Aribert; Lombardy is divided between his two sons. Constans, detested by all classes, leaves Constantinople and goes to Italy; the senate detains the Empress and his sons.
663. Constans visits Rome and carries away much spoil and retires to Syracuse.
664. Caliph Moawiyah appoints as his lieutenant in Persia, India, and the East his half-brother, Ziyad, "the greatest man of the age."
668. Constans is assassinated in a bath at Syracuse; Constans IV succeeds to the throne of the Eastern Empire.
The Sicilians set up Mecezius as emperor. Constantinople is first besieged by the Saracens.
669. Sicily is invaded by the Saracens, who capture Syracuse.
670. Kairwan, or Kayrawan, a holy Mahometan city in Northern Africa, founded.
Death of Clotaire III; Theodoric, or Thierry III, becomes king of Neustria and Burgundy.
671. Ebroin and Thierry are compelled by the Franks to retire into a monastery; Childeric for a time reigns alone.
672. Death of Ziyad; his son, appointed by Caliph Moawiyah lieutenant of Khorassan, penetrates into Bokhara and defeats the Turks.