The 6th century

1,714 sourced entries across 100 documented years, grouped into 10 decades. A century here runs 1900–1999 rather than 1901–2000, so its decades sit inside it exactly; on the BC side the same rule puts 1–99 BC in the 1st century BC and 100 BC in the 2nd.

Decades

The 500s — 10 years, 134 entries
The 510s — 10 years, 115 entries
The 520s — 10 years, 159 entries
The 530s — 10 years, 215 entries
The 540s — 10 years, 163 entries
The 550s — 10 years, 188 entries
The 560s — 10 years, 157 entries
The 570s — 10 years, 181 entries
The 580s — 10 years, 198 entries
The 590s — 10 years, 204 entries

By subject

Conflict & Security in the 6th century — 343 entries
Religion & Belief in the 6th century — 200 entries
Geopolitics & Diplomacy in the 6th century — 120 entries
Culture & Society in the 6th century — 54 entries
Exploration & Expansion in the 6th century — 43 entries
Climate & Environment in the 6th century — 30 entries
Crime & Justice in the 6th century — 27 entries
Technology & Infrastructure in the 6th century — 14 entries
Health & Medicine in the 6th century — 13 entries
Science & Discovery in the 6th century — 8 entries

A few of the years

500The Arian Baptistry is erected by Theodoric the Great, at the same time as the Basilica of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo (Ravenna).
512The first written text in the Arabic alphabet is recorded at Zabad (Syria).
524May 1 – King Sigismund of Burgundy is executed at Orléans after an 8-year reign, and is succeeded by his brother Godomar. He rallies the Burgundian army and begins plundering Frankish territory.
536March – Ostrogothic King Theodahad cedes Provence and upper Alamannia to the Franks, gaining their support in the war. He sends a large Gothic army into Dalmatia. They defeat the Byzantines, Mundus is killed during the fighting at Salona, and the Byzantine army withdraws.
548April 13 – Emperor Lý Nam Đế of Vietnam is killed by Laotian tribesmen, while on retreat from the Hong River Plain. He is succeeded by his elder brother Lý Thiên Bảo.
560Ælla becomes king of Deira (this according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle).
572June 28 – Alboin, king of the Lombards, is murdered at Verona in his palace, at the instigation of his wife Rosamund (daughter of the Gepid king Cunimund), and her henchman, Helmechis (the king's squire); both flee to seek Byzantine protection in Ravenna. Alboin is succeeded as king by Cleph, who is not related by blood.
584September – King Chilperic I is stabbed to death while returning from a hunt near Chelles, after a 23-year reign over a territory extending from Aquitaine, to the northern seacoast of what later will be France. His wife Fredegund, who has paid for his assassination, seizes his wealth, flees to Paris with her son Chlothar II, and persuades the nobles to accept him as legitimate heir while she serves as regent, continuing her power struggles with Guntram, king of Burgundy, and her sister Brunhilda, queen mother of Austrasia.