Medieval Europe By despaflintstones 380 Christianity main religion of ancient Roman Empire 400 Romans begin to lose control of their empire 476 End of Rome's western empire 570 Birth of Mohammed 590 Gregory becomes Pope 622 Mohammed becomes religious leader 768 Charlemagne becomes king of the Franks Period: 793 to 1066 The Viking era 800 Charlemagne is the most powerful European ruler 1054 Creation of the Orthodox Church 1066 William the Conqueror gains power in England Period: 1095 to 1291 Catholic Church supports a series of Crusades 1122 Birth of Eleanor of Aquitaine 1215 Signing of the Magna Carta 1305 First recorded use of habeas corpus Period: 1315 to 1317 Famine 1347 Black Death 1431 Joan of Arc burned at the stake 1440 Gutenberg invents printing press 1453 Ottomans gain control of Byzantine Empire 1500 Feudalism largely ends in western Europe 1517 Martin Luther begins the Reformation
