Directory

618 CE

A year defined by the fall of the Sui dynasty and the founding of the Tang dynasty in China, which would become one of the most culturally brilliant and powerful empires in world history.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Li Yuan, a Sui dynasty military governor, seized the capital Chang'an and forced the abdication of the last Sui emperor, founding the Tang dynasty and taking the throne as Emperor Gaozu.
  • The Sui dynasty collapsed after Emperor Yang's disastrous military campaigns against Korea and his extravagant construction projects, including the Grand Canal, which had exhausted the population and treasury.
  • The early Tang government faced the challenge of subduing numerous rival warlords and regional powers that had emerged during the collapse of Sui authority across China.

Climate & Environment

  • Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was approximately 277 parts per million, as later confirmed by ice core analysis.

Culture & Society

  • The estimated world population was approximately 210 million.