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Period: 600 to 1550
600 - 1550
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Jun 16, 622
The Emigration or "Hegira"
Since the Muslim prophet, Muhammad, was preaching in an oasis town that had trouble with Mecca, the guardians of the Kaaba wanted to execute him for treason. Muhammad sent his followers out of Mecca to the town for their own safety, and Muhammad followed soon after. This event marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. -
754
English priest/monk Boniface is killed
Boniface chopped down the sacred tree of Odin, the German god of battle, to prove that he was a false god. He wanted to show that there was one true God. After this act, many people came to him to be baptized, but those who opposed his ideas killed him. The end of paganism in Germany marked the beginning of Christian worship. -
Dec 24, 800
Charlemagne is proclaimed the new Roman Emperor
Charlemagne was the King of the Franks, and his one goal was to bring all of the Germanic tribes together as one. Besides that, he was also a very devote Christian and declared himself the leader of all Christians. The Pope did not oppose him, but he in fact supported him. He would soon proclaim Charlemagne the Roman emperor, chosen by God himself. -
900
The Relationship between the Germans and the Pope becomes Unstable
After Charlemagne's death, the united German tribes had once again become broken up. Some German rulers had become Roman Emperors, but over time, disagreements started to appear. Otto the Great is one version of a ruler who stood closest to the legacy Charlemagne left by being crowned in 962. Later on, King Henry IV started a dispute with Pope Gregory VII resulting in the divide of the relationship between the Germans and the Church. -
1096
The Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem is founded
The Crusades began when French knight Godfrey of Bouillon led an army to Jerusalem to liberate the land of where Christ's tomb had laid. The town was controlled by Muslims at the time, so the crusaders had to fight for it. Because Jerusalem was located in the center of many Muslim territories, it was very hard to defend and many more knights would be sent to the land to defend it. This lead to many more crusades that were both successful and unsuccessful. -
1189
The Third Crusade
The Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa wanted to rule Italy because he wanted to collect taxes from the citizens. The Italians refused to see themselves ruled by a German king, so they revolted against him. Although Barbarossa wasn't entirely successful in ruling Italy, he was the perfect model of what a knight should be. Because of this, he chose to begin the Third Crusade, which would lead to him being drowned in a river in Asia Minor. -
1420
Shift of Beliefs - The Renaissance Begins
During this time, the teachings of the Ancient Greeks and Romans were brought to light. These new ideas showed that there was more than just religion. This change of mind began in Florence when the people realized that everything they did shouldn't be just for God. They started to value themselves in how they viewed the world. -
1431
Joan of Arc leads the French to success in The Hundred Years War
A seventeen-year-old, uneducated shepherdess named Joan of Arc convinced the French to let her head the army in full armor to drive the English away. The reason to why Joan chose to do this is because she said God had called her on to this task. She was successful and drove the English away from the land, but she was eventually captured and burned at the stake for witchcraft. -
1492
Columbus discovers the New World
Columbus set sail for the East Indies with the reluctant support of the Christian queen and king of Spain. He ended up landing on an island of the American coast and accidentally discovered the New World. His main goal was to get as much gold as he could, but while he did this, he exploited the natives to this land and committed heinous acts for Christianity. -
1517
Martin Luther publishes the Ninety-Five Thesis
Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk who saw the corruption in the church and wanted to make it known to the public. When a seller of indulgences came to Wittenberg to collect funds for the building of the new St Peter's, Later posted his Ninety-Five Thesis on the doors of a church. This document was copied for all to read, and Luther gained many supporters. This was the beginning of the Reformation.