Latin West

Crossbows and Longbows Introduced

Jan 1, 1200

The advent of the crossbows and longbows begin to change the way that battles were fought. Previously knights had worn armur plating to protect them from projectles and melee attacks.However when crossbows and longbows when fired in volleys was able to effectivley injure armoured knights, leading to the enventual phasing out of armoured knights.

Magna Carta

Jan 1, 1215

Document written in England that outlined the relation between the king and the barons that governed the same lands. This is considered one of the most important documents ever created because it is considered to be the first step to moving away from absolute monarchies.

Thomas Aquinas

Jan 1, 1225

A philosopher who started the trend of examining ancient greek texts to infuse them with the chruch thought. He founded what would eventually become whats known as Thomism.

Giotto

Jan 1, 1267

Giotto di Bondone, known as Giotto, was an Italian painter and architect from Florence in the late Middle Ages. He is generally considered the first in a line of great artists who contributed to the Renaissance.

Giovanni Boccaccio

Jan 1, 1313

An Italian poet, Giovanni Boccaccio was a writer,play write, and humanist. He is known for such works as the Decameron and on Famous Women.

Great Famine

Jan 1, 1315

A famine that struck Europe starting in 1315 when there was an unusually cold winter caused failed harvests. This in part due to an exspanding population that forced some people to farm land that had poor soil or were in flood prone areas.

Black Death

Jan 1, 1347

Bacterial infection that spread throughout the world due to fleas that spread the infection on trade vessels. This outbreak lead to the eventual death of one-thrid of the population of Europe. This was due to poor genuine at the time in combination with a lack of understanding of the transmission of infections.

Joan of Arc Burned

Jan 1, 1431

Women of the 1500's had virtually no rights and were considred property to their husbands. This makes the leadership of Joan of Arc extremely extraordinary, not only did she save France from the brink of defeat against the English she did at the age of 18. Before he evnetual capture by the English and following execution.

Printing Press

Jan 1, 1450

Though moveable type had already been invented in Korea some 70 years ealier, Gotenberg is often credited with the invetion due to his causinf its popularity in Europe. This is considered one of the most important inventions in human history due to the fact that allowed for a commoner to be able to purchase books.

Michangelo

Jan 1, 1472

A fsmous thinker of the his time, Michangelo was a painter, engineer, sculptor, and architect. Well enough to be commisioned to design a building such as St.Peter's Basilica.