Euro Summer (religious)

Order of the Benedictines

529

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the lack of a powerful central state led to the development of monastic orders throughout Western Europe. The Order of the Benedictines in Italy was one of the earliest of these, which provided education, housing, and religious conversion to the surrounding population. This signaled the growing influence of Christianity in Middle Ages Europe, as well as leading to the conversion of modern-day Germany to Christianity.

The Hegira

Jun 15, 622

After being targeted and persecuted by the Kaaba priests in Mecca for being a self-proclaimed prophet, Muhammad and his followers have a desire to leave. The "Hegira" takes place, where the new followers of Islam fled to the oasis town of Medina, which would grow to become a holy city and the foundation of Islam. As a result of this, Islam continued to draw more followers, leading to the Muslim conquest of the "infidel" religions in Arabia and beyond.

Battle of Tours

Oct 10, 732

After Spain is conquered by the Omayyad Caliphate through North Africa, a lack of a major state in Western Europe prevented any resistance to the Muslim forces. At Tours, France, in October of 732, a battle between Charles Martel's Frankish army and the Omayyad Caliphate resulted in a decisive victory for Martel. The significance of this is that the Battle of Tours likely prevented further Muslim conquest into Western Europe.

Holy Roman Empire

800

As Pope Leo III desired to revive the Western Roman Empire, and simultaneously wished to reward Charlemagne for his work defending the Christian faith, the Pope crowned Charlemagne in 800 as the first Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne would be the first of many kings to hold the title of "Emperor", as his Carolingian Empire is considered the first phase of the Holy Roman empire.

Investiture Controversy

1073

Debate over the appointment of Bishops between Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV led to the outbreak of Civil War in Germany over the power of the rulers. This eventually led to the excommunication of Henry IV, and the pope retaining power over investiture. This event shows the intertwining of religious and state affairs during this time, and the powerful impact that excommunication has for leaders.

First Crusade

1096

With the Age of Chivalry placing an importance on defending the Christian faith, sights were put on the holy city of Jerusalem, which was currently under Muslim control. Under leadership of Godfrey of Bouillon, Christian knights invade Jerusalem in 1099 and liberate it, establishing the Kingdom of Jerusalem. This is the first of a string of nine religiously driven crusades throughout history, as well a method of intellectual connection and exchange between the Arabic and Christian worlds.

Magna Carta

Jun 15, 1215

After King John is excommunicated by Pope Innocent III, a group of rebel English barons demands the king to sign the Magna Carta charter, which guaranteed rights for the barons as well as English citizens. The charter included the guarantee of religious freedom from government authority in England, among other protections that would later be an inspiration for later constitutions throughout history.

The Renaissance

1420

The rise of a more urban and interconnected society throughout the 15th century led to inventors and scientists questioning the world around them, and experiments beginning to question old religious norms, such as Creationism pushed by the Christian faith. This led to the church losing some of its power over the uneducated, the weakening of the importance of the afterlife, and skepticism about Christianity arose.

New World Exploration

1492

Christopher Columbus, initially searching for a faster route to the Indies through the Atlantic Ocean, lands in the Bahamas and sparks mass exploration of the new continents. This leads to the natives being exploited for gold and riches by European explorers in the name of the church. This led to a European outrage in defense of the American natives, and a contributing factor to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Martin Luther's 95 Theses

Oct 31, 1517

In response to the Pope's growing corruption and greed, as well as the introduction of indulgences, Martin Luther creates the 95 Theses in Wittenberg, Germany, in order to denounce these practices. This leads to Luther gaining a following of new Protestant converts, and the creation of the Lutheranism branch of Christianity. The Protestant Reformation was legitimized by this, and it also served as a starting point for further offshoots of the Christian church to grow.