Medieval Europe By nthomas15 474 Clovis united Germanic tribes to form the Franks 478 The Fall of Rome and the start of the Medieval Period 732 Islam crept into Christian territory 800 Charlemagne became the first Holy Roman Emperor 871 Alfred the Great became the King of England 1095 The Catholic Church began the crusades against Muslims and other non-Catholics 1215 The Magna Carta was signed in England 1377 The Black Death began in England 1453 The Fall of Constantinople