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476
Romulus Augustulus, Last Western Roman Emperor, Deposed by the Barbarian King Odoacer
This is a picture of this event. This in essence ended the Western Roman Empire, although many would claim earlier or later dates for this event. -
Period: 476 to Oct 12, 1492
The Middle Ages
Click Here to Find Out More About the Middle Ages
Starting with the Fall of the Roman Empire and going to the Discovery of the New World, this was a time that came between the Ancient World of the Greeks and Romans and the Modern World we live in today. -
547
Benedict of Nursia Dies
Benedict was known for developing very strict rules about how to live life in a monastery. His Benedictine Rules still influence and impact monastic life to this day. This may be one of the most important sets of rules and ideas written down by anyone in the Church during the Middle Ages. -
Oct 10, 732
Charles Martel Wins the Battle of Tours
Charles Martel (THE HAMMER) was the Mayor of the Palace for the Merovingian king of his day. This in essence meant that he ran the kingdom of the Franks. As Mayor Charles faced pressure from Islamic expansion coming up from Spain.
He eventually met and defeated an Islamic raiding force at the Battle of Tours (or Poitiers) in 732. This battle is often credited with stopping the expansion of Islam any further into Europe and with perhaps saving Western Christianity. -
Oct 14, 1066
William the Conqueror Defeats Harold Godwinson to Become King of England
This battle radically changed the history of England. Even though William was descended from Vikings, he was French in culture and language which he, and his army, brought with them. From that point on England became more focused on French culture and less on the German and Scandanavian heritage that had been its major influences until this time. -
Nov 27, 1095
The Launching of the First Crusade
As the Coucil of Clermont finished Urban II gave a great speech which roused his fellow French countrymen to go to fight a religious war to regain the Holy Lands for Christianity.
The Crusades would last for about the next 200 years. There were some benefits that came like the opening of more trade between the Middle East and Europe and the introduction of many new technologies to Europe. However the bloodshed and tension between Christians and Muslims remains a problem to this day. -
Mar 7, 1274
Thomas Aquinas Dies
This man was one of the greatest thinkers of Western Europe during the Middle Ages. Much of his work dealt with ethics, natural law, and poltical theory. His thinking helped to give rise to the Scholastics a group of men who would help found many of the great universities in Europe during the Middle Ages. -
Aug 19, 1345
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris is Finished
Bird's Eye View This great cathdral, perhaps the finest example of a Gothic Cathedral, is finished at this time. It was started in 1163. -
May 18, 1347
Black Plague Begins to Ravish Europe
Link to the Spread of the Plague This disease is estimated to have killed anywhere from 75-200 million people worldwide in the 1300's. In Europe it may have killed as many as 1/3 to 1/2 of the population. Which in effect completely changed European History. The Plague would continue to come back to Europe in decreasingly devastating outbreaks until about the 1700's -
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Sails to New World and Opens Up the Americas to European Exploration
With this "discovery" a new area of colonization would open up for many European nations which in turn would dramatically alter their histories. From this point European nations like France, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Spain would become great world powers and European culture, art, and learning would come to dominate the world. -
Charlemagne Crowned Roman Emperor
Link on Charlemagne to Read
Charlemagene is one of the great figures of the Middle Ages. Please read the above link to find out more about him. -
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Vikings Sack the Famed Monastery of Lindisfarne in England
Read About the Sack Here
Note that this event takes place before Charlemagne has been crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800. This event starts the "Viking Age" in Europe. Eventually the Vikings would come to terrorize and conquer many parts of Europe and the Mediterranean World -
Rollo the Viking is Named Duke of Normandy
Charles III, the King of France, in order the protect the entrance to the River Seine agrees to give the headland to Rollo the Viking. In return Rollo is baptized as Christian and is given the title to the Duchy of Normandy as long as he prevents further Viking raids from coming up the river to Paris. -
Clovis I Baptised at Rheims on Christmas 496
Clovis, the leader of the Franks, was converted to Catholic Christianity and baptized which created a special alliance between the ruler of the Franks and the Pope in Rome. For much of the Middle Ages the Popes would look toward the rulers of the Franks for help and protection.
Clovis also is credited with being the first Frankish ruler to unite all the Frankish tribes (who would become a great force during the Middle Ages) and founder of the Merovingian Dynasty .
