north. The Byzantines rebuild its walls and reclaim the province. December – Vitiges deposes his rival Theodahad at Ravenna, and marries Matasuntha (daughter of queen Amalasuntha). He becomes king of the Ostrogoths and assembles an army to fight against Belisarius. Africa March - April – Belisarius sails to Carthage with 1,000 men, to suppress a mutiny against Solomon. Meanwhile, Carthage is besieged by 9,000 rebels, including many Vandals, under Stotzas. Battle of the River Bagradas: Belisarius defeats the mutineers, and hurries back to Sicily. Asia January 26 – Senka succeeds his brother Ankan, as the 28th emperor of Japan. August – Volcanic winter of 536: Snow falls in China, which causes the harvest to be delayed. By topic Religion Before March 13 – Anthimus I is deposed as patriarch of Constantinople in favour of Menas. April 22 – Pope Agapetus I dies in Constantinople, after a reign of just ten months. He is succeeded by Silverius as the 58th pope. May 2–June 4 – Council of Constantinople. September 19 – Council of Jerusalem. The Little Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (begun in 527) is completed as the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus. Climate Extreme weather events of 535–536, thought to have been caused by an extensive veil of dust in the atmosphere, begin in the Northern Hemisphere. They continue until the following year, causing unseasonal weather and crop failure worldwide. It is possible this is caused by the eruption of a volcano: Krakatoa, Ilopango in El Salvador (Central America); in North America; or in Iceland. Births unknown date – Li Ezi, Chinese empress dowager of Northern Zhou (d. 588) probable Evagrius Scholasticus, Syrian church historian (or 537) (d. 594) Venantius Fortunatus, Merovingian bishop and poet (d. c. 600/609) Deaths January 25 – Ankan, emperor of Japan (b. c. 466) April 22 – Pope Agapetus I December – Theodahad, king of the Ostrogoths (assassinated) (b. c. 480) unknown date – Mundus, Gepid Byzantine general (killed in action) Notes and references Notes References