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After a dispute of who should be the next bishop, Pope Gregory VII excommunicated King Henry IV so that the people didn't need to recognize him as their leader. Henry finally admitted defeat to the Pope in 1077 and he was reinstated to his prior position.
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Beginning around 1092, the European Christians began what is called the Reconquista. This was an attempt to reclaim Spain from the Muslims that had come to govern that land.
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The Crusades were initially fought as a way of protecting the Catholic religion from invading foreigners who would persecute the natives for their beliefs. Over time, though, the purpose of the Crusades switched and became for the goal of seizing land in the East, and the Europeans finally surrendered without having much to show for their efforts.
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When the Magna Carta was signed, it was a huge win for European people. This bill limited the King's power and gave more control to the citizens.
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After bringing together citizens from different cities and counties all across England to discuss new taxes, Edward I created the first English Parliament. This group of people serves as a cabinet for the King which provides better representation of the people.
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Scutage is a term used to refer to the payment given to soldiers and guards, which was commonly used in the 1300s. This payment allowed non-personal relationships to be formed within politics and became a root for corruption.
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The Hundred Years War was fought between England and France after a dispute over who had the rights to certain French territories. Both kingdoms felt entitled to those territories, and the war ended after England's defeat around 1453.
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The plague, known as the black death, spread to Europe in the mid-1300s. It was the worst natural disaster in European history and killed 50-60 percent of the people. This had huge social and economic impacts on Europe in the Middle Ages.
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After Pope Gregory XI's death in 1378, a divide in the college of cardinals ended with two different popes being elected. This issue became the Great Schism and lasted for forty years after a decline in faith among believers and an increase in taxes initiated by both popes.
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Aristocrats fought to lower wages and increase feudal payments of laborers following the pay raise that resulted from the Black Death. The peasant laborers didn't like this, so they revolted to protect their rights.
