Top Ten Events of the Middle Ages

By Kate58
  • Period: 500 to 1500

    Middle Ages

  • 525

    Anno Domini Calendar Invented

    Anno Domini Calendar Invented
    • The Anno Domini System was developed by a monk named Dionysius Exiguus.
    • This calendar established a dating system based on BC and AC which became popular in the middle ages.
    • Reminiscent of this calendar system is still used today but we have shifted more to BCE and CE rather than BC and AC.
  • 541

    Plague of Justinian

    Plague of Justinian
    • The plague of Justinian lasted about 8 years and was thought to have killed half the population of Europe.
    • The plague of Justinian was an outbreak of the Bubonic plague All the outbreaks in history have affected the economy, healthcare and the way in which people lived.
    • The Plague Of Justinian changed the way people lived by making people isolate themselves or flee their city homes.
  • 1025

    Avicenna writes the Canon of Medicine

    Avicenna writes the Canon of Medicine
    • The canon of Medicine set the standards of medicine in medieval Europe.
    • The scripture was used as a standard medical textbook through the 18th century.
    • This book changed medicine and some practices are still being used today.
  • 1066

    The Norman Conquest of England

    The Norman Conquest of England
    • England would forever be changed politically, economically, and socially as a result of this invasion
    • The Norman conquest was an army made up of Normans, Bretons, Flemish and French troops which brought new cultures and languages to England.
    • When William the Conqueror (the Duke of Normandy) won the battle he had a tapestry made to commemorate his success, this tapestry has become a famous art piece and an important piece of evidence of history.
  • 1085

    The Domesday Book is completed.

    The Domesday Book is completed.
    The Domesday survey was conducted in December 1085.
    - The Domesday book gives us a glimpse into the what life might have been like in the middle ages which makes the book a great resource for anyone learning about the middle ages.
    - The survey contained everyone and what they owned therefore making it easy to trace family history.
    - The Domesday book gives us an idea of what land was worth and what the cost of living was like.
  • 1315

    Great Famine

    Great Famine
    The Great Famine Occurred in 1315 to 1317
    - The Great Famine was caused by a period of heavy rain and bad weather, which resulted in crops rotting and food prices rising.
    - This period in history is something we can learn from and is important as we can stop it from happening again.
    - 5% of the British population died as a result of The Great Famine. We are still seeing the effects of famines today and some people are still losing their lives as a result of starvation.
  • 1337

    Beginning of the Hundred Years’ War

    Beginning of the Hundred Years’ War
    • The war destroyed and caused suffering in France.
    • The war practically destroyed the feudal system and created a new social order.
    • England’s status as a power over the continent was ended and forced the English to expand out to sea.
  • 1347

    Black Death

    Black Death
    • The Black Death was a pandemic disease that spread throughout Europe, Asia and northern Africa in 1347-1351.
    • The Black Death changed the economic and social systems in many countries.
    • The Black Death was one of the most devastating epidemics in human history and killed an estimated 30-50 percent of the European population.
  • 1378

    Western Schism

    Western Schism
    • Western Schism was when there was a split in the catholic church where two or three men were thought to be the Pope at the same time. They all had their own followings and their own administrative offices.
    • The Western Schism resulted in the permanent split of the two churches which are now known as Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church.
    • This divide is still seen in Churches today.
  • 1492

    Columbus sailed to the Americas

    Columbus sailed to the Americas
    • Columbus set sail from Spain in three ships on the 3rd of August 1492. Hoping to reach Asia but instead he reached America and started European settlement and colonization in America.
    • As the Europeans took over America they started trading between Europe and America. Native plants in America were introduced in Europe such as potatoes and tomatoes. Livestock was traded for crops so both cultures benefited.
    • America would be so different today if Columbus hadn't discovered it.