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750
Pepin Seized Control
Pepin seized control of the last of the Merovingians, which assumed legal status for his clan. He was one of the first few kings in the Merovingian dynasty of the Franks. -
768
Charlemagne (r.768-814)
Charlemagne, the son of Pepin, constantly waged wars
while he reigned, in order to convert Germans who were non-Christian, and to seize loot. He distinguished himself not only by the great amount of territory he conquered, but by his insistence that once he gained new territories, he became king over them. -
773
Charlemagne's Invasion of the Lombards
Charlemagne invade the northern Italian kingdom of the Lombards (by request of the Pope), which was the Germanic tribe that previously banished the forces of Byzantine. -
800
Charlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor
Charlemagne was crowned the Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo the III. Charlemagne dominated Leo and used the prestige of the title he received, as proof of his hold on power. -
1000
Greater Education for Church Leaders
Cathedral schools focused on training priests by offering more focused and meticulous grounding when it came to the sacred texts. -
1060
The Series of King Philips (I-IV ; r. 1061-1314)
A series of French Kings, all with the name Philip, constructed a powerful administrative structure with royal judges that were immediately beholden to the power of the crown. King Philip VI seized control of almost all of the French Church, and even denied papal authority. -
1095
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II gave a sermon where he expressed topics that his listeners were passionate about. Thousands of people responded to his message and formed a "people's crusade." A majority of the Crusade's impulse came from the Pope offering penance to the crusaders (sins absolved). This event showed the great amount of power that a Pope could possess. -
1215
King John and the Magna Carta
King John signed the Magna Carta (“great charter”) alongside the English nobility who recognized the feudal privileges of the clergy, towns, and nobility. The Magna Carta's important principle stated that even kings must respect the law. English kings soon after began calling Parliament "a meeting of the Church, nobles, and well-off commoners," so that they were able to receive money and authorization for wars. -
1337
The 100 Years' War (1337-1453)
The 100 Years' War was a conflict between France and England. The dispute consisted of multiple small wars and battles between the crowns of France and England. Both the countries and their leaders emerged stronger, and the countries became more centralized. -
1417
The Conciliar Movement
The Conciliar Movement ended the Great Western Schism, and established authority under one single Pope.