Medieval Timeline

By hamburgalur97
  • 466

    Clovis

    Clovis
    Clovis was born in 466 and died in 511. Clovis was the first notable ruler in Western Europe. Clovis is significant to Medieval Europe because he gained the blessing of the Christian church in Rome.
  • Apr 11, 610

    Heraclius

    Heraclius
    becomes Emperor in Constantinople as the Persian Empire is attempting the takeover of Byzantine civilization.
  • Apr 12, 751

    St. Boniface anoints Pepin

    St. Boniface anoints Pepin a divinely sanctioned king, and the Frankish monarchy is fused into the papal order. The western European empire, based on the alliance between the Frankish monarchy and the Latin Church, provides the image of Western cultural unity for Europeans, though it does not last long.
  • Apr 9, 1265

    Dante Alighieri

    Dante Alighieri
    Dante Alighieri is born. Later, he will write the Divine Comedy -- perhaps the greatest literary expression of the Middle Ages -- in Italian verse. Born in Florence, Dante is extensively educated in literature, philosophy and Scholastic theology. His "Comedy" is saturated with the belief of earthly immortality through worthy deeds and the preparation of life everlasting.
  • Apr 9, 1314

    Inferno

    Dante begins writing "Inferno"

  • Justinian

    Justinian
    born in 483 and died in 565. Justinian was a king and one of the most important figures of Late Antiquity and the last emperor to speak Latin as a first language.

  • Pope Gregory,

    originally a Benedictine, creates a religious policy for western Europe by fusing the Roman papacy with Benedictine monasticism. He creates the Latin church, which serves to counteract the subordination of the Roman popes to Eastern emperors.

  • Carolus Magnus

    Carolus Magnus
    Pepin's son, Carolus Magnus (Charlemagne), succeeds his father and is one of the most important rulers of medieval history. In time, his empire, known as the Carolingian dynasty, includes the greater section of central Europe, northern Italy and central Italy in addition to realms already conquered by Frankish rule.

  • Charlemagne

    Charlemagne dies without leaving competent successors to continue the glory of the Carolingian dynasty. His sole surviving son, Louis the Pious, divides his inheritance between his own three sons, who engage in civil war. Charlemagne's united realm is invaded by Scandinavian Vikings, Hungarians and Muslims during these civil wars. The Carolingian Empire falls apart.

  • John XII

    becomes pope at the age of eighteen and rules for nine years. His title as pope exemplifies the decline in value of the Church in the early-medieval period.

  • Otto the Great

    crowned king in Germany and is responsible for Germany's strength through the latter part of the eleventh century. Otto establishes a pattern of resistance to political fragmentation and a close alliance with the Church.