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Jun 16, 622
The Hegira
In the year 622 A.D., Muhammad and his followers faced persecution in Mecca from the guardians of the Kaaba; Muhammad had received a number of threats against his life and therefore, he and his followers decided to travel to Medina. This journey is called the Hegira and marked the beginning of the Islamic State and the beginning of the Islamic calendar. This migration also served as a stepping stone for Islam to spread throughout the Arabic Peninsula as it allowed Muslims to stabilize. -
Oct 10, 732
Battle of Tours
The Battle of Tours was fought between Frankish leader Charles Martel and the Spanish Moors. In was significant because after Charles Martel defeated the Moors, it halted Muslim expansion into Western Europe. Additionally, if the Muslims had broken through and won the battle than Islam would have very likely become the major religion in Europe instead of Christianity. “If Martel had lost, the Arabs would surely have conquered [Europe]...In which case, we might all be Muslims (Gombrich 121). -
Jan 28, 814
The Death of Charlemagne
Charlemagne was the King of the Franks and founder of the Holy Roman Empire. However, after his death, his empire was divided up among his heirs, and by the late 800's, it had essentially dissolved as the heirs were constantly fighting a civil war. “Charlemagne’s great achievement, the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, was no more. Not even the name remained” (Gombrich 129). However, after his death, Muslims invaded and overtook the original Christian empire. -
1073
The Investiture Controversy
An argument between Pope Gregory VII and Henry IV over which one of them should appoint bishops. The pope argued that the appointments were a religious matter, but the emperor "maintained that it was for him to decide who was to be a lord in his land" (Gombrich 133). The controversy ended with bishops being chosen by the Church while the emperor was allowed to say if he agreed. The significance is that it centralized the power of the church and state; yet, also gave more power to the church. -
Nov 27, 1095
The Crusades
The Crusades began when Pope Urban II called for Christians to join the fight against the Muslims to "regain" the Holy Land as they believed in was rightfully theirs. The Crusades were fought between the Christians and the Seljuk Turks and lasted nearly 200 years to which the Muslims came out as the victors. The significance of the Crusades was firstly that it was a huge factor in bringing an end to feudalism. Secondly, it led to increased trade and arguably the Renaissance. -
1337
The Hundred Years' War
There were two main causes to the Hundred Years' War. Firstly, it was the struggle between France and England over the inheritance for the French throne. Secondly. there were territorial conflicts between the English and the French. The major result of this war was that it led to two very distinct nations: England and France without any overlap. The war also established the intense rivalry between the two countries which can be shown in the Napoleonic Wars in 1803. -
1420
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural rebirth in Europe that initiated in Florence, Italy and spread throughout the rest of the continent and even Asia. The significance of the Renaissance was that it served as the transition towards a more secular society. People started to believe more in Humanism rather than leaning on their faith. -
1440
The Invention of the Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440. The printing press allowed books to be made at a faster rate than before because each book didn't have to be constructed individually — they could be produced at a more rapid rate. His printing press is considered the most important invention of the modern era because it profoundly impacted the transmission of knowledge. Most notably, it helped spread the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation. -
Oct 31, 1517
The Protestant Reformation & 95 Theses
After Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, his complaints against the Church, the Protestant Reformation began. The Protestant Reformation was the movement against the Holy Roman Church, due to the corruption. It was an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church; however, it resulted in the creation of Protestant faiths such as, Lutheranism and Calvinism. It also led to the Scientific Revolution as people started to lose faith in the Church and what they stood for. -
1533
The Formation of the Church of England
Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon, so he could marry, Anne Boleyn. However divorce was against Catholic law. So, to get around that, in 1533 Henry VIII withdrew his country from the Roman Catholic Church and created a church of his own, the Church of England. Therefore, Henry VIII is responsible for changing the religion of England from the Roman Catholic faith to the Protestant religion.
