Medieval Europe

  • 520

    St. Benedict

    520 St. Benedict established the first monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy. He drew up a set of rules for the monks, which included vows of obedience, poverty and manual labor.
  • Jan 30, 1066

    Battle of Hastings

    1066 William invaded and conquered England. He defeated King Harold who was killed at the battle of Hastings. William brought feudalism and culture from France to England.
  • Jan 30, 1096

    The First Crusade

    1096 First Crusade began. The Crusaders were armies of Christians from all over Europe who marched to the Holy Land to regain lands captured by the Turks. The First Crusaders took the city of Jerusalem but paid a very heavy price in lives.
  • Jan 30, 1147

    The Second Crusade

    1147 Second Crusade was launched. This Crusade is generally considered to have been a failure.
  • Jan 30, 1189

    The Third Crusade

    1189 Third Crusade was one of the more successful. In it King Richard the Lion-Hearted obtained certain privileges for Christians from the Turkish ruler, Saladin.
  • Jan 30, 1202

    The Forth Crusade

    1202 Forth Crusade launched. In this Crusade the original purpose of the Crusades was abandoned, and the Crusaders burned and sacked many cities and villages on their route. They never reached the Holy Land.
  • Jan 30, 1215

    The Signing Of the Magna Carta

    1215 King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta gave some basic rights to the people and also said that the king was not above the law.
  • Charlemagne

    800 Charlemagne was crowned ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. This act symbolized a union of church and state.