Summary
Highlights
The Middle Ages began with the fall of the Roman Empire in 455 CE and the murder of the last Roman emperor in 480 CE. With no single state to unite Europe, the Catholic Church became the most powerful institution of the era.
In 481 CE, Clovis united the Frankish tribes, ushering in the Merovingian age. Emperor Justinian I, who became Eastern Roman emperor in 527 CE, published the Justinian Code, a foundational legal text still influencing civil law today.
Muhammad, the last prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca in 570 CE, with his revelations recorded in the Quran. The Viking Age began in 793 CE with the sacking of Lindisfarne, initiating 200 years of terror and conquest across Europe.
Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Romans in 800 CE, consolidating religious and political power. Alfred the Great unified England in 886 CE, driving out the Danes. Otto the Great, a Holy Roman Emperor, united German tribes and expanded his authority in 961 CE.
The world's first novel, 'The Tale of Genji,' was written by Murasaki Shikibu in 1021 CE. In 1066 CE, William the Conqueror's victory at the Battle of Hastings transformed England. The first European university was established in Bologna, Italy, in 1088 CE.
The First Crusade began in 1095 CE, initiated by Pope Urban to reclaim the Holy Land, resulting in significant casualties. The Knights Templar were formed in 1119 CE to protect Christian pilgrims, becoming wealthy through early banking but were later suppressed.
Genghis Khan established the Mongol Empire in 1206 CE, which became the largest in history. King John of England signed the Magna Carta in 1215 CE, limiting royal power. Marco Polo began his 24-year journey to Asia in 1271 CE, documenting his travels.
The House of Habsburg rose to prominence in 1273 CE, producing many European rulers. The Scottish Wars of Independence began in 1296 CE, with figures like William Wallace and Robert the Bruce leading the fight against English rule.
Osman I founded the enduring Ottoman Empire in 1299 CE. The Hundred Years' War between England and France began in 1337 CE. The Black Death arrived in Europe in 1347 CE, wiping out 20-40% of the population.
The Ming Dynasty began in China in 1368 CE after rebels overthrew Mongol rule. Geoffrey Chaucer started 'The Canterbury Tales' in 1380 CE, influencing the English language. The Battle of Agincourt in 1415 CE marked a turning point in the Hundred Years' War.
The Aztec Empire began its expansion in 1428 CE, lasting 90 years. Joan of Arc was executed in 1431 CE for her role in the Hundred Years' War. The Medici family rose as a political and financial power in Florence in 1434 CE, becoming patrons of the arts.
Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press in 1439 CE. The African slave trade to Europe began in 1441 CE. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 CE to the Ottoman Turks marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and is considered by many as the end of the medieval period.
The Wars of the Roses, civil wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster, began in 1455 CE. In 1492 CE, Ferdinand II and Isabella of Castile unified Spain by expelling Jews and Muslims, and sponsored Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas.