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In 794, Emperor Kammu moved the capital to Heian-kyo, marking the start of the Heian period, during which Japanese culture flourished and the emperor's power waned as regional lords (daimyo) and their samurai gained influence. Over time, military leaders known as Shōguns became the true rulers of Japan, controlling the government for 700 years while the emperor remained a symbolic figurehead.
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They see the Seljuk Turks defeating the Byzantine Empire, leading to the loss of significant Byzantine territories in Anatolia. This weakened Byzantine control in the region, impacting the stability of the Holy Land.
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Pope Urban II delivers the speech at the Council of Clermont, calling for the First Crusade. This speech urged Christians to take up arms and reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim control.
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The Crusaders, after a long and bloody siege, capture Jerusalem during the First Crusade. This leads to the establishment of Crusader states in the Levant.
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The Second Crusade, led by European kings like Louis VII and Conrad III of Germany, ends in disappointment with failed attempts to recapture territories lost to the Muslims.
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The Genpei War (1180–1185) ended with the Minamoto clan's victory and Minamoto no Yoritomo becoming Japan's first shogun, ruling from Kamakura. This marked the start of Japan's feudal era, where military rule replaced imperial authority.
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In 1192, Minamoto no Yoritomo became Japan’s first shogun, transforming a temporary military title into a hereditary position and establishing a government in Kamakura. This marked the beginning of the Kamakura Shogunate, where shoguns held real power while the emperor remained a ceremonial figure for the next 700 years.
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The pivotal Battle of Hattin takes place where Saladin's forces defeat the Crusaders, leading to the recpature of Jerusalem. This prompts Pope Gregory VIII to call for the Third Crusade to reclaim the city.
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Philip II of France, Richard I of England (The Lionheart) and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor lead the Third Crusade. They took back many territories from Saladin but failed to win back Jerusalem.
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A new branch of Buddhism that influenced the samurai’s focus on discipline and meditation.
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Established Japan’s first military government and began the shogunate system.
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Pope Innocent III declares the Forth Crusade to take back Jerusalem
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During the Fourth Crusade, instead of reaching the Holy Land, the crusaders sack Constaninople, weakening the Byzantine Empire and causing divisions among Christians.
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Mongol forces tried to invade Japan but were defeated, partly due to “divine winds.”
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Mongol forces tried to invade Japan but were defeated, partly due to “divine winds.”
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Ashikaga Takauji took power, marking a new shogunate after the fall of Kamakura rule.
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The Muromachi period (1336–1573) saw both political instability and a flourishing of Japanese culture influenced by Zen Buddhism, with developments in tea ceremony, flower arranging, and noh drama. As regional daimyō gained control over samurai, their growing power weakened the authority of the shogunate.
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A civil war between powerful daimyō that plunged Japan into chaos for over 100 years.
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A civil war between powerful daimyō that plunged Japan into chaos for over 100 years.
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Christianity was introduced to Japan, leading to cultural exchange and later suppression.
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Powerful warlord who began Japan’s unification using advanced military tactics.
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The Azuchi Momoyama period (1574–1600) was marked by the unification of Japan under Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who centralized power across the provinces. It was a time of opulence and architectural innovation, with grand castles like Azuchi and Momoyama replacing traditional temple designs.
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Finished the unification process and implemented strict social rules.
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After Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s death in 1598, Tokugawa Ieyasu rose to power and was appointed shogun, founding the Tokugawa Shogunate. The resulting Edo period (1600–1868) was marked by peace, prosperity, and strict social order, with Japan largely isolated from the outside world.
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The samurai code of honour and loyalty guided behaviour and social expectations.
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Began the Tokugawa Shogunate, a time of peace, order, and isolation.
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Japan closed itself off to foreign contact, banning Christianity and trade with most nations.
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Western nations forced Japan to open trade, leading to the fall of the shogunate.
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The pivotal Battle of Hattin takes place where Saladin's...