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The empire was separated into two separate kingdoms, Spain and Austria in 1556. Charles V gave the Hapsburgs land in central Europe.
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The Spanish Armada took place on July 31, 1588. The armada was a result of King Philip II invading England. -
Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes on April 13, 1598. The Edict of Nantes granted a large amount of religious freedom to Huguenots. -
The Thirty Years War officially began on May 23, 1618. There had been struggles that erupted years prior, but May 23 was when the war began. -
The English Civil War began in August of 1642. The war took off when issues with Parliament and King James I surfaced. -
Peace was negotiated beforehand, but eventually the Peace of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years War in 1648. -
In 1653 Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector. He was the first head of state in Britain who was not a member of the royal family. -
Charles II regained the throne in 1660. He had to leave when he was defeated by Oliver Cromwell but was eventually able to reclaim the throne under limited monarchy. -
Louis XIV began building his court at Versailles in May of 1682. It was originally built to show off the wealth he believed the king should have and the power of his nation. -
The English Bill of Rights was officially signed on December 16, 1689. William II and Mary II ruled England after they overthrew King James II. -
Peter the Great began building St. Petersburg on May 1, 1703. His capital soon became the center of the Roman empire. -
On December 16, 1740, Frederick II attacked the Austrian Hapsburgs. He made his own claim on Silesia and invaded them. -
The National Assembly was created on June 9, 1789. It was created to serve as the first revolutionary form of government.
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On July 14, 1789, in Paris, France, the Bastille was stormed by revolutionaries. They seized control of the medieval army, fortress and political prison. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man & the Citizen was adopted on August 26, 1789. This declared universal human rights.
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On January 21, 1793, King Louis XVI was executed by the guillotine for his anti-revolutionary beliefs. -
The Reign of Terror began on September 5, 1793. The guillotine became very popular and had a large impact on the Revolution. -
Maximilian Robespierre was executed on July 28, 1794 by the guillotine. He passed away while facing a cheering crowd. -
Napoleon officially took power as emperor in 1804. He seized political power in France in 1799, but didn't become emperor until 1804. -
In April of 1869, William and Mary took the throne from James II. They were Protestants who became the joint rulers of the kingdom in England.