Fancy Florence

Florence takes over Pisa (F)

1406

Florence took over Pisa because it gave them access to the Mediterranean sea and too many trade routes along the Arno river. This conquest helped Florence gain more dominance in Tuscany and eliminate one of its major rivals.

Capital of China changes (W)

1406

During the Ming dynasty, China changed its capital from Nanjing to Beijing. This change in capitals helped China have more protection against the Mongols because Beijing was better suited to be able to respond quickly if the Mongols were to attack from the North.

Battle of Agincourt (E)

1415

The Battle of Agnicourt was one in a series of fights in the Hundred Years War, an everlasting conflict between France and England that lasted almost 100 years. The battle resulted in the victory of the English and helped King Henry V claim the French throne.

The Medici Family Begins to Rule (F)

1432

The Medici family were patrons of the arts and extremely powerful political leaders during the time of the renaissance in Europe. The Medici's were located in Florence and had a significant and profound impact on the people and culture of Florence.

Mongols capture emperor Yingzong (W)

1449

During the Ming Dynasty at the battle of the Tumu Fortress, the Oirat Mongols captured the ming emperor, Emperor Yingzong. This happened because the Oirat leader Esen Tayisi was not satisfied with the gifts and payments form the Ming. The emperor was eventually released back to China in 1450.

Constantinople falls (E)

1453

Constantinople was a large, wealthy city that served as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. It fell to The Ottoman empire after they surrounded Constantinople with armed forces for 55 days.

House of Tutor begin in England (E)

1485

The House of Tudor was an English royal dynasty that consisted of 5 monarchs, King Henry Vll, King Henry Vlll, King Edward Vl, Queen Mary l, and Queen Elizabeth l. During their rein they united England and Wales, established the Church of England, and defeated the Spanish Armada.

Girolamo Savonarola controls Florence (F)

1494

Girolamo Savonarola was an Italian Christian preacher who tried to establish democratic republic in Florence. After King Charles Vll or France invaded Florence and the Medici family was no longer in power, Girolamo Savonarola became the leader of Florence.

The Great Zimbabwe Becomes Abandoned (W)

1500

The Great Zimbabwe was a wealthy medieval city known for its large circular stone wall. The exact reasons the city was abandon are unclear but some possible reasons are exhaustion of local resources such as gold and overpopulation.

Mona Lisa is Painted by Leonardo da Vinci (F)

1506

The Mona Lisa is a portrait of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant's wife to commemorate the birth of their second son being born, he wanted to put it on display in their house. The painting is well known for the women's enigmatic smile, beauty and masterful painting techniques of da Vinci used in the painting.

Protestant Reformation Begins (E)

1517

The Protestant Reformation was a religious movement exposing the dark truths behind the Catholic church. It began when Martin Luther a German teacher and monk pinned his "Ninety-Five Theses" on the door of a church which outlined the flaws and instability within the Catholic church.

Heliocentric Theory (W)

1543

The Heliocentric theory is the theory of Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus that states that the earth moves around the sun. This is contrary to the prior of the geocentric theory that the Earth is at the center of the universe. This was a very controversial take at the time and was not fully accepted by the scientific community for almost a century. The heliocentric theory revolutionized the world and is now fully accepted and proved.