Humanities CAT

The Peasants Revolt

1381 BCE

In 1381, peasants rebelled against King Richard II. The peasants were angry about a range of issues, such as low pay. They ordered changes to be made. The revolt was not successful and the leader, Wat Tyler, was killed. In the more extended term, there were some changes to peasants’ rights. One major improvement was the peasants were able to move up the hierarchy of the feudal system.

The Great Famine

1315 BCE

Northern Europe suffered the Great Famine, which began in 1315 and lasted for two years until 1317. During this period, a large part of the population died of hunger and disease. In addition to the lack of food, the crime rate increased to the extreme, and there were cannibalism and murder. The great famine caused discomfort in the peasants, and even the members of the nobility suffered a setback.

Magna Carta is signed

1215 BCE

Signed by King John on 15 June 1215, Magna Carta has become one of the great documents of the English legal system. At the time of its creation, the document’s importance was not immediately acknowledged. Following a time of political and military disruption in England, John was forced to sign Magna Carta as part of peace negotiations with rebels.

The First Crusade is ordered

1095 BCE

Pope Urban II’s official call for “holy war” in 1095 was the beginning of centuries of religious battle. The crusades were an important movement that saw Christian knights climb successive military crusades in attempts to conquer the Holy Land. The religious battle had its rise during the 12th and 13th centuries and its impact can be traced throughout the Middle Ages.

The Domesday Book is completed

1085 BCE

Towards the end of the 11th century, England came under threat from Danish invaders. William the Conqueror realised the need to find the country’s financial resources in order to assess how much tax he could get from the land to fund a possible war. He, therefore, tasked a massive survey of England’s landholdings and financial support. The massive resulting document, the Domesday Book.

The battle of Hastings

1066 BCE

The conquest of 1066 marked a turning point in English history. Things began with the battle of Hastings, in which King Harold II attempted to defend his country from the invasion forces of William, Duke of Normand. William had around twenty thousand soldiers that helped him successfully conquer England.

First use of gunpowder

919 BCE

The invention of gunpowder came about by accident. And it’s not the only thing we use today which has had the same curious beginning. There is one invention, however, which was developed over a thousand years ago and quite literally came on the scene with a bang: gunpowder. The invention of gunpowder came about in ancient China. By then, people were making cannons making it easier to destroy medieval castles.

Charlemagne, the Emperor of the Romans

800 BCE

Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, was a Frankish king who grew his kingdom and covered most of western and main Europe. He was declared the emperor of the Romans in 800 (AD) and lived in the empire until his death. He associated his political moves with the Church and encouraged the restoration of art, religion and culture with the help of the Church.

Fall of the Roman Empire

476 BCE

In September 476 BCE, the last Roman emperor of the west, Romulus Augustulus, was overthrown by a Germanic prince called Odovacar, who had won control of the people of the Roman army of Italy. He then sent the western imperial ceremonial dress to Constantinople. The Roman empire in western Europe had ceased to exist, its single emperor replaced by upwards of a dozen kings and princes.

The Black Death

1347

The Black Death started in Messina Italy, in October 1347. A group of ships loaded with trade goods arrived from Asia. All of the people on the ship where either dead or seriously ill. The seriously ill sailors were covered in black boils that oozed blood and puss. The ships were ordered out of the country but it was too late. In the next 5 years the Black Death killed 20 million people. The main cause of the spread of the Black Death was Fleas and Rats.