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600
One, Invisible and Almighty God
In an age of darkness, there was one thing people were sure of: God. People began to live in a manner that conformed to the will of their one, almighty god. The earliest of the people were the Christian monks. As the faith spread, monasteries became centers of wealth and power. -
Jun 16, 622
Emigration/'Hegira'
Muhammad, the prophet, preached the ways of Allah. At first he was mocked, but grew in popularity both positively and negatively. Muhammad sent his followers out of Mecca, the holy land, to a nearby befriended town, when he was forced to flee from his assassins and join his followers. This event became known as the Emigration, and it marks the first day of the calendar. Muhammad's followers have counted the years from that date on.
(photo:Muhammad and follower Abu Bakr fleeing Mecca) -
800
Charlemagne: Unification of conquered peoples
Charlemagne's, king of the the Frank's, goal was to bring about the various Germanic tribes and duchies together under his sole leadership. He saw himself, not only as a great conqueror and governor of his people, but as a defender of all Christians. It was his ultimate mission to recreate the Roman Empire in a way that would be ruled by Christian Germans, eventually set in place to become the leaders of all Christendom. -
1073
Lord of Christendom/Investiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy created a dilemma between the emperor, Henry IV, and Pope Gregory VII (secular and religious powers) when it came to who would be in charge of the land. In the end, it was the Pope, not the emperor, who became the lord of Christendom. -
1096
Chivalry/Crusades
In the Age of Chivalry, there was no social mobility. As a knight, it was your job to fight for both God, and Christendom. Priests urged crusaders to liberate the land in which Christ's cross had once stood. The crusaders failed many times, and more often than they succeeded. However, the crusades were so significant, because they brought back with them knowledge; discoveries from their conquests around the world, that would enrich their understanding of their surroundings. -
1250
End of the Age of Chivalry
As the mongols expanded from Peking to Breslau, Christendom could do nothing to stop them. At this time in Germany, with the last Hohenstaufen dead, there was chaos, and with this chaos came the end of the Age of Chivalry. -
Period: 1300 to 1376
Emergence of Prosperous Cities and Towns
As another result of the crusades, around this time of the Hundred Years War, trading relationships developed into markets where all sorts of goods could be bought. After bartering, came coined silver and gold, which led to the growth and prosperity of towns, leading to more money and power. Rulers no longer lived in fortresses or seclusion, instead they built extravagant homes in the centers of towns, proving just how important towns had become. -
Period: 1400 to 1480
Renissance
As town life advanced, burgers and locals expectations of their roles in society had changed since the knights of the Middle Ages. People no longer dedicated their lives to serve God. This discovery of antiquity led to the Renaissance. The renaissance brought many new ideas and inventions along with it, in conjunction with an end to the Middle Ages. -
Period: 1490 to 1500
New World
Now that the Middle Ages had ended, peoples main focus was no longer survival first. With new inventions introduced by the crusades, like the compass, exploration was actually realistic. In addition, the Renaissance ideas encouraged curiosity; people wondered what lay beyond the previously discovered, and they looked West. -
Period: 1500 to 1560
Reformation
Shockingly, the Pope's ruling in Rome at the time had alternate agendas over their role as priests: wealth and grandiose. Indulgences were put in place as a way for them to collect profit. Martin Luther, a German monk, with the help of the printing press, voiced his discontent with several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. His followers became known as Protestants.
