Europe

By Nic6666
  • 476

    476 AD, fall of Rome

    The Roman Empire was attacked by tribes such as the Goths and the Vandals. Civil wars in parts of the empire further weakened the rule of Rome and respect for Roman law dwindled as a result.
  • Period: 476 to Dec 31, 1453

    Middle ages

  • May 17, 732

    Charles the Hammer and the Battle of Tours

    Charles Martel, also known as Charles the Hammer was a Frankish political and military leader who worked under the Merovingian Kings as the Mayor of the Palace. In 732 AD, he defeated Moorish invaders in the Battle of Tours which permanently ended the Islamic invaders and their expansion in western Europe. Charles Martel is considered as one of the founding fathers of feudalism and knighthood of Europe. He prepared the grounds for the establishment of Carolingian Empire.
  • Feb 17, 1066

    The Battle of Hastings

    On 14th October 1066, William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy defeated the last Anglo-Saxon king Harold II. William the Conqueror established the Norman Empire and to protect his empire, he rewarded all his Norman supporters who fought for him in the war with large piece of land of England. He divided all land of England in manors and established the feudal system and manoralism.
  • Feb 17, 1215

    Declaration of Magna Carta

    The Magna Carta Libertatum, or the Great Charter of Liberties of England was originally issued in 1215 AD. This charter is considered to be the first step towards the constitutional government of England. The Charter of Magna Carta restricted the power of the Emperor and proved the importance of a Constitution.
  • Feb 17, 1316

    The Great Famine

    Whole northern Europe suffered the Great Famine in 1315 which prolonged itself till 1317. During these two years of famine, a big portion of the population died of hunger and diseases. During those days of famine, crime rate increased to extreme and there were too many incidences of cannibalism, rapes, and infanticides. The Great Famine brought unrest in peasants and the members of nobility also suffered a setback and as a result, they became more bloodthirsty and gave up the oath of chivalry.
  • Feb 17, 1337

    The Hundred Years’ War

    The Hundred Years’ War began in 1337 when the Kingdom of England waged war against the Kingdom of France. While there were many periods of peace and ceasefire between England and France during the period, however, this war was continued again and again in different conflicts till 1453.
  • Feb 17, 1349

    The Black Death

    The Black Death or the Black Plague proved to be the most threatening epidemic of the European Middle Ages that significantly weakened the feudal system and the Church of Europe. Huge masses of people met untimely death because of this plague and it significantly reduced the economic and political power of the kingdoms of Europe. In order to take advantages of the situations, peasants revolted against their manors and asked for better treatment.
  • Feb 17, 1378

    The Great Schism

    The Church suffered the first jolt in 1054, when the Church was divided in Eastern and Western Christian Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church believed that the Western Roman Catholic Church was corrupt and exploitative. The Western Christendom suffered much bigger jolt during 1378 to 1417, when there were three contestants for the Papacy. This internal tussle for ultimate power of papacy significantly reduced the influence and power of the Church over common people.
  • Dec 31, 1453

    Fall of Constantinople

    The Conquest of Istanbul was the capture of the capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire by an invading army of the Ottoman Empire on Tuesday, 29 May 1453. The Ottomans were commanded by 21-year-old Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, who defeated an army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos. The conquest of Constantinople followed a seven-week siege that had begun on Friday, 6 April 1453.

  • Charlemagne, the Emperor of Romans

    Charlemagne or Charles the Great was a Frankish king who expanded the Frankish kingdom and covered almost all of the Western and Central Europe. He was declared as the Emperor of Romans in 800 AD and he enjoyed the empire successfully till his death. He associated his political steps with the Church and encouraged a revival of art, religion and culture with the help of the Church.

  • Treaty of Verdun

    After his death, Louis the Pious was declared his successor who ruled as the Emperor of Romans. However, after his death, the Carolingian empire faced a Civil War because of the internal tussle between the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious who struggled for the emperorship. At last, the Carolingian empire was divided in three parts in August 843 AD through the Treaty of Verdun which ended the three years long Civil War.

  • The Ottonian Holy Roman Empire of Germany

    Otto I was the successor of Henry the Fowler, the duke of Saxony who became the first Saxon Emperor. Just like his father, Otto I succeeded in protecting Germans against Magyar invaders. He chose to create a German monastery and this natural allegiance of German Church and Kingdom helped him to gain control over the rebellion dukes and establish his Ottonian Empire.
    In 962 AD, the papacy of Italy invited him and declared him as the Emperor of Italy and he established his Holy Roman Empire.