* Islamic prophet Muhammad is born in Mecca. Muhammad is considered the last prophet of Islam, and his teachings are recorded in the Quran. Islam spread rapidly throughout the Arabian Peninsula after Muhammad's death, and it eventually became one of the world's largest religions.
* Sassanid Persians conquer Jerusalem and take the True Cross. The Sassanid Persians were a powerful empire that ruled over much of the Middle East. In 590, they invaded the Byzantine Empire and conquered Jerusalem. They took the True Cross, which was believed to be the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified, back to Persia.
* Visigoths in Spain defeat the Byzantines and unify the Iberian Peninsula. The Visigoths were a Germanic tribe that had settled in Spain in the 5th century. In 590, they defeated the Byzantine Empire in a battle near Seville. This victory allowed the Visigoths to unify the Iberian Peninsula and establish a powerful kingdom.
* Chinese emperor Yang of Sui begins construction of the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal is a network of canals that connects the Yangtze River with the Yellow River. It is one of the largest and most important engineering projects in history, and it has been used for transportation and irrigation for over 1,400 years.