Middle Ages

The Fall of Western Roman Empire

476

The fall of the Western Roman Empire marks the beginning of the Middle Ages. Western’s Rome collapse was due to a string of military losses. Rome had fought with Germanic tribes for centuries. In the 300’s barbarian groups encroached beyond the Empire’s borders. Several decades the Empire was under threat. In 476CE the Germanic Leader Odoacer staged a revolt and deposed. No Roman Emperor would ever rule again and 476 was the year the Western Empire suffered its deathblow.

Charlemagne, the Emperor of Romansz

800

Charlemagne is also known as Karl or Charles the Great. He was an emperor in the medieval and ruled much of Western Europe From 768 - 814. He became king of the Franks, a Germanic tribe in which today is Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the western Germany

The First Crusade is decreed

1095

The first crusade (1095 - 1099) was the first of a number of crusades that tried to gain control of the holy land, called for by Pope Urban II at the council of Clermont in 1095.

Magna Carta is signed

1215

The Magna Carta was signed 15 June, 1215 at Runnymede by King John. Magna Carta means ‘great charter’. The Magna Carta has become one of the founding documents of the English legal system.
The Magna Carta’s significance was not immediately recognised. England was in a period of political and military upheaval and King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta by rebel barons as part of peace negotiations. The document dealt with grievances dealing with King John.

The Great Famine

1317

The Great Famine was caused by a failure of the potato crops. A disease called late blight destroyed the leaves and edible roots of the potato plant in successive years from 1845 to 1849.

The Black Death

1350

The Black death was a devastating time in teh global epidemic which struck Europe and Asia in the mid 1300s.