WHAP spice annotated timeline

Justinian became emperor

527

His rule was significant because he rebuilt Constantinople. And he wrote a book of codified laws that greatly influenced many cultures, called Corpus iuris civilis. He also reconquered western Europe during his reign but their hold on it didn't last.

Muhammad conquers Mecca

Oct 4, 630

It marked the beginning of Muslim rule and the rise of Islam. Muslim rule was important because it was the first to have religion and politics really closely related and it resulted in the empire being really unified.

Arabic people conquered the Sasanid empire

Oct 4, 633

This was important because it spread Islam. It also introduced Islam to western Europe through their prolonged sieges of Constantinople.

The beginning of the Umayyad dynasty

Oct 4, 661

During this dynasty they temporarily solved the problem of succession. They also ruled the dar al-islam for the interests of Arabian military aristocracy. Under their rule there was a lot of discrimination against conquered people who did not convert to Islam.

Muslims conquer Spain

Oct 4, 711

This conquest was important because it was the westernmost expansion of the Umayyad empire and so the westernmost point of Muslim rule.

Battle of Tours

Oct 4, 732

Charles Martel's victory at the battle of Tours is important because it helped persuade Muslim rulers of Spain that it was not worthwhile for them to seek further conquests in western Europe.

The Abbasid revolution

Oct 4, 750

This revloution against the Umayyad marked the beginning of the Abbasid Caliphate. This dynasty was one of the longest and most infuential Islamic dynasties. The Abbasid rule ended the Arab dynasty and began a more inclusive, multiethnic state in the Middle East.

Ottoman Turks conquer Constantinople

Oct 4, 1453

The fall of the Byzantine empire cut off trade between the east and the west and it marks the end of the post-classical era. But Byzantine culture and civilization continued to exercise an influence on countries even after its fall.

Charlemagne became ruler of Franks

Mar 2, 2022

Charlemagne was a very important ruler because his reign marked the beginning of the Carolingian empire. And while he ruled he worked to spread Christianity in northern lands. Charlemagne also unified most of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman empire.

The beginning of the Sui dynasty

Mar 2, 2022

This dynasty was important because after the Han dynasty turmoil lasted for more than 350 years in China until this dynasty, they reunified China in 589 by Yang Jian. During this empire there were military expeditions to central Asia and Korea. Also they started the construction of the Grand Canal and construction for repairing the Great Wall.

The beginning of the Chola kingdom

Mar 2, 2022

This kindom was a larger kingdom in southern India. It conquered Ceylon and parts of southeast Asia at its highest point. Also its navy dominated waters from South China Sea to the Arabian Sea. There was not a tight centralized state but local autonomy was strong.