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500
Frankish State Developed
Clovis, founds the Frankish State and conquers parts of France and Belguim converting his territories to Western Catholic Christianity. -
Jan 1, 1025
Byzantine Mistake
The Byzantine aristocracy gains control over the government and begins to limit the freedom of the peasantry, thereby beginning the destruction of the economic base of Byzantine civilization. -
Jan 1, 1056
Great Schism begins
The "Eastern Schism" (as it is known in the Roman Catholic Church) or "Great Schism" (as it is known in the Orthodox Church) can be dated to 1054, when Cardinal Humbert and two papal legates delivered a bull of excommunication against Patriarch Caerularius of Constantinople (as well as Leo of Achrida and their adherents); other sources give the date of the schism as 1056. -
Period: Jan 1, 1056 to Jan 1, 1417
Great Schism
This period was a seperation of the Catholic church, with small periods of off and on conflict throughout the period. -
Jan 1, 1066
William the Conquerer
William the Conqueror invades England and asserts his right to the English throne at the Battle of Hastings. The Norman Conquest fuses French and English cultures because William is both the King of England and the Duke of Normandy. The language of England evolves into Middle English with an English syntax and grammar and a heavily French vocabulary. French art and literature prevail over previous English art and literature, and the French language eventually becomes the language of the politica -
Jan 1, 1100
Henry I
Henry I, the son of Willaim the Conqueror, institutes a system of representatives dedicated to travelling the country and administering justice. He dies in 1135. Around the same time, a new asceticism is sought for monks who wish to engage in contemplation and self-examination. Two new orders are created: the Carthusian and the Cistercian. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, leader of the Cistercians, establishes 343 monasteries by the time of his death. Accompanying the fervent worship of Christ Jesus du -
Jan 1, 1417
End of the Great Schism
The Council of Constance, the largest Church meeting in medieval history, ends the Great Schism. The council gains secular support and elects Martin V as pope. It replaces papal monarchy with a conciliar government, which recognizes a council of prelates as the pope's authority, and mandates the frequent meeting of the council. This new period is known as the Italian territorial papacy, which lasts until 1517. -
Jan 1, 1429
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc, a peasant girl in France, seeks out the French leader and relates her divinely-inspired mission to drive the English out of France. She takes control of the French troops and liberates most of central France. -
Jan 1, 1455
War of the Roses
Henry VI of England (1422-1461) wages the Wars of the Roses. The two sides of the war are the red rose (Henry's family at Lancaster) and the white rose (the house of York). Yorkist Richard III gains the kingship for a short time. -
Carolus Magnus
Pepin's son, Carolus Magnus (Charlemagne), succeeds his father and is one of the most important rulers of medieval history. In time, his empire, known as the Carolingian dynasty, includes the greater section of central Europe, northern Italy and central Italy in addition to realms already conquered by Frankish rule. Charlemagne's system of government divides the vast realm into different regions, ruled by local "counts" who are overseen by representatives of Charlemagne's own court. In addition -
Fall of the Empire
Charlemagne dies without leaving competent successors to continue the glory of the Carolingian dynasty. His sole surviving son, Louis the Pious, divides his inheritance between his own three sons, who engage in civil war. Charlemagne's united realm is invaded by Scandinavian Vikings, Hungarians and Muslims during these civil wars. The Carolingian Empire falls apart.
