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Period: 500 to Oct 29, 1500
Middle Ages
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511
Unification of the Franks
As a result of the battle between the various Frankish tribes in what is now modern-day France, the king, Clovis I, asked for victory in exchange for bringing his people to Christianity, Because of this, the battle shifted and the tribes were united into one kingdom under Clovis I's rule until 511, -
Period: Oct 29, 751 to
Carolingian Dynasty
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Oct 31, 752
Pepin the Short crowned first Carolingian king
As a result of conquering the Lombards upon invading Italy, Pepin the Short was granted the title of "King by Grace of God" by the people for whom he protected. His reign marked the beginning of the various Frankish rulers to follow until the end of the Carolingian dynasty. -
Oct 14, 1066
Battle of Hastings
As a result of tensions among the Normans [descendants of the Vikings] and the Anglo-Saxons [Germanic tribes that migrated to Britian], the Battle of Hastings quickly fell in favor of the Normans. After the Anglo Saxon's leader, Harold Godwinson, was killed by an arrow to the eye, the Normans took the throne, William the Conqueror, and declared all of England as his property, paving the way for a centralized government. -
Oct 29, 1075
Banning of Lay Investiture
Under the Germanic rule of Otto I, lay investiture, the policy that allowed a king and several nobles to elect a church officials, became yet another ability given as a result of power and social ranking, Because of this, church officials began to fear that the Germans were excersing too much control over the Church. Church reformers felt that bishops should not be under the power of any king. In 1075, Pope Gregory VII banned lay investiture. -
Period: Nov 20, 1096 to Nov 20, 1270
Crusades
Established under the Pope Urban II's reign of the Roman Church, the crusades held both economic and religious motives. However, as greed increased among the Crusades, whomever stood in their way was met with execution, leaving behind hundreds of corpses in their wake, much like the Vikings proceeding them. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/the-crusades.htm -
Jul 15, 1099
First Crusade captures Jersusalem
As the first step towards rebuilding international trade, the First Crusade easily removed Costantinople from power, now heading towards the Israeli capital of Jerusalem: the peasants were un-trained and un-prepared for the attacks. The battle began on June 5, 1099 and ended on July 15 of the same year: many of the Muslim and Jewish inhabitants massacred or taken prisoner. The capture of Jerusalem marks the end of the First Crusade. -
Sep 23, 1122
Concordat of Worms
Crafted towards the end of Investiture Controversy in 1122, Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV signed a compromise in the Germanic city of Worms. The agreement eliminated all use of lay investiture but, allowed the kings to have some freedom as to how church officials were elected, -
Oct 29, 1122
Downfall of the Carolingian Empire
However, after the death of Charles the Fat [d, 1.13.888] the Carolingian Empire soon began to crumble once a coup was established by Charle's nephew, Arnulf of Carinthia: the empire never fully restored, After being split into five seperate kingdoms, the Carolingian Empire made up modern-day Germany, Carinthia, Lorraine and Bavaria. The Carolingian dynasty fell soon after with the death Odo, Count of Vermandois, alongside his sister, Adelaide, the last Carolingian, died in 1122. -
May 29, 1176
Battle of Legnano
Fought by the Holy Roman Empire, led by Emperor Fredrick Barbarossa I, and the Lombard League of 1167, the battle of Legnano fell in favor of the Lombards, using crossbows and foot soldiers against the feudal knights of Barbarossa's armies. Though he did parish in the battle itself, Barbarossa's war with the Lombard League had only just begun. -
Oct 29, 1177
Fredrick I returns to Germany
After the battle of Legnano, Fredrick Barbarbossa I made peace with the Pope and returned to Germany, With Barbarbossa's military defeat, he remained undermined with the German princes as their power continued to grow. Once Barbarossa drowned in 1190, his empire dissolved into an array of fragmented feudal states. The Germanic kings that followed Barbarossa attempted to revive Charlemagne's empire and the alliance with the Church. It was these attempts that led to wars with Italian cities. -
Nov 27, 1189
Third Crusade attempts Jerusalem
Following the failure of the Second Crusade, Richard Lionheart began the next Crusade, taking the place of Henry II of England and joining Phillip II of France. Heading to the Middle East to reconquer the Israeli capital of Jerusalem, Despite the completion of their armies, the Crusade was largely successful, but fell short of its ultimate goal—the reconquest of Jerusalem. Six years later, the Fourth Crusade was established as yet another attempt to capture and reign of Jerusalem. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
Created as a result of revolts among the nobles following the reign of King John 'Softsword', the Manga Carta guaranteed what are now considered the basic legal rights of society. This included y no taxation without representation, allowed for fair and non excessive punishment, and a trial by jury. The Magna Carta has become the basis for today's society, including its effect on the Bill of Rights and the Consitution. -
Dec 1, 1295
The Model Parliament of England
In 1295, as a final struggle to hold onto his lands, Edward I raised taxes to support a new war against the French. Edward summoned two burgesses [citizens of wealth and property] from every borough and two knights from every borough to serve as a parliament, or legislative group. This version of Parliament later became as the Model Parliament for its new make-up of both commoners, lords, knights and nobles to discuss important issues within the kingdom. -
Period: Nov 20, 1337 to Nov 20, 1453
Hundred Years War
Fought between France and England due to personal issues in the crowned family, the Hundred Years War lasted for near;y 116 years, somewhere between 1,500,000 and 2,000,000 lives lost. As the war ended in 1453, a treaty between France and England to end all conflict within the Europe in 1475, 22 years after the original end of the war. http://www.vlib.us/medieval/lectures/hundred_years_war.html -
Period: Nov 20, 1340 to Nov 20, 1400
Bubonic Plague/Black Death
Brought to Europe through infected rats aboard grain ships, the plague, named for its rapidity to kill among humans, spread quickly, killing nearly one-third of Europe's population within five years. Millions parished and were met with horrid burials, such as: burning, dismemberment and drowning in the sea to hopefully rid the disease from the area. http://www.themiddleages.net/plague.html -
Oct 20, 1400
Introduction of Vernacular
Following the European renaissance, at a time when serious scholars and writers were writing in Latin, many could not understand the strange text due to being unable to read, let alone understand, Latin. For this, these writers brought literature through vernacular, or, the everyday language of their homeland. For example, should one come from France, the vernacular of any text would be in French, as well as English for the few that knew of the revival of learning at this time. -
Nov 20, 1414
The Great Schism
Following tensions between King Phillip IV of France and Pope Boniface VIII, the Church of Europe became split into two parties, creating two popes, and later on, three. Learning of this, the Council of Constance choose a new pope, beginnings its meetings with three popes: one of Avignon, one of Roman and a third pope elected at an earlier council in Pisa. With the help of the Holy Roman Empire, all three popes resigned and a new pope was chosen in 1417, Martin V, ending the Great Schism. -
May 30, 1431
Execution of Joan of Arc
Soon after her capture by the English in Compiègne, Joan was questioned for her involvement with God, claiming to have heard the voices of God and thought to accept their suggestions as factual statements of angels. However, she was later condemned to heresy for donning the clothes of a man, despite feudalism referring her to wear feminine clothing. Burnt at the stake, her ashes were collected and thrown into the Seine. preventing any relics from being collected in her honor. -
First Viking Raid
Although the first raid of many upon the Europeans settled in the area of Portland, England, the raid symbolized the later issues to come with the vikings. At the cost of women, treasure, land and lives taken out of selfish delight, the newly crowned Charlemagne gave the vikings a piece of land to end the raids upon his country. -
Carolingian Empire Begins
Created under the crowning of Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, the Carolingian Empire welcomed the beginning founders of France and Germany. Under the middle age prospective, the empire grew to conquer the majority of modern-day Europe, sponsored under the calvary and the early history of France and the Holy Roman Empire. -
Crowning of Charlemagne by the Pope of Rome
After expanding the the Frankish empire and the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne's claim as the most powerful king in Western Europe granted him the title of [an] 'Roman Emperor' by declaration of Pope Leo III. -
Period: to
Reign of Charlemagne
