-
Oct 10, 732
Battle of Tours
A Moslem army after the conquest of Syria, Egypt, and North Africa, began to invade Western Europe under the leadership of Abd-er Rahman, governor of Spain. He led his soldiers onward but they were met just outside the city of Tours by Charles Martel, known as the Hammer, and the Frankish Army.
Not only was this an extremely decisive battle for the Christians, but the Battle of Tours is considered the high point mark of the Moslem invasion of Western Europe. -
Period: May 24, 742 to
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was a master of Western Eurpoe and joint King of the Franks in 768. At the time, education was only studied in Monastaries. Charlemagne conquered barbarians and kings, then restored learning and order roots and preserved political rights as well as revived cultuere.His conquests were aided by his outstanding ability to organize. He never stopped studying, in fact, he beleived up to his death, that in order for his Empire to run, they needed to keep the people educated and organized. -
Jul 16, 1054
East-West Schism
Cardinal Humbert, representitive of Pope Leo IX, came into the Catherdral of Hagia Sophia that afternoon and placed a document on the main alter. The document declared that the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, was to be excommunicated. This was the dramatic point from the build up decades earlier which led too beginning of the schism between the Latin and the Greek churches. This was a division that still separates Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox in this day an age. -
Period: Sep 28, 1066 to May 24, 1072
Norman Conquest of England
After the death of England's kind with no heir to the throne, the council of nobles chose Harold Godwinson as the new king with many of the other claimers to the throne, wanting his place. 2 men tried, but only on the third attempt was it successful. This attempt was by William, the Duke of Normandy. He was crowned King, now facing rebellions and an invasion, but by 1072, England was under control by William, the first foreigner to become King of England. -
May 24, 1088
Foundation of the University of Bologna
While the true date of the University's foundation is unknown, most accounts do agree it was sometime in 1088. Most of the students at it's beginnings were men studying canon or civil law. The university received a charter from Frederick I Barbarossa in 1158, but it is the oldest University still running by the date it was suspected to have first opened, as opposed to the date it became an official school. The University still runs today. -
Period: May 24, 1122 to May 24, 1204
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Known as one of the most powerful and fascinating woman in Medieval Europe, Eleanor was married to the King of France, Louis VII at the age of 15. She joined Louis on the second crusade. She married Henry II, and with her court's success and having murdered Archbishop Becket, Henry seizeed her and imprisoned her for the rest of her life. Henry gained full control of her lands and unchallenged control of her children. At her death she assisted her children in obtaining the throne. -
May 24, 1204
Fall of Constantinople
Constantinople had been facing issues with the Truks and turned to the pope asking for assistance. Pope Urban took this as a sign to create propoganda and take back the Holy Land from the muslims, thus starting the crusades. In 1204 in the Fourth Crusada, the crusaders had been so ready to take Jerusleum, they didnt question their location upon arrival. So they raped, pillaged, and slaughtered all in the Holy Land. Only after did they realize that they had destoryed Constantinople, instead. -
May 25, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a political document forced into signing by King John of England.It was the basis for English Citizens Rights including the King himself. Written by Archbishop Stephen Langton and the most powerful Barons of England, the Magna Carta had 37 English laws which made the king govern by the old English laws that had prevailed before the Normans came. -
Period: May 24, 1254 to May 24, 1324
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was an Italian explorer from Venice, whom traveled on his first journey to China at the age of 17. With his father and uncle, Polo travelled over the Silk Road, a overland route to China. He worked with the Mongolian Empoerer, Kublai Kahn for seventeen years. When he arrived home, he brought back goods and met famous writer Rustichello who wrote of Polos time in a book called The Book of Travels. The book on his travel gave Europeans some of their earliest information about China. -
Period: May 24, 1337 to May 24, 1453
Hundred Years War
Philip IV, King of France and Edward I, King of England had been at war from 1294 to 1303. Edward controlled the area of Gascony in South Western France, and when the french rulers wshed to control it, Edward was on defense. This was the basic cause of the war. King Edward III had original battlefront in the North against the Scots, but Philip VI had allied with them, preventing an attack. In return, Edward challenged Philip's claim to the throne. Ultamily the war was France's victory. -
Period: May 25, 1398 to Feb 3, 1468
Johann Gutenberg
Gutenberg invented the Printing Press in the 1450's, the first book to ever be printed being a Latin language bible printed in Germany. What he had created was the most important thing, as it helped people who did important events spread their word and it helped raised the world's literacy rate as more people could read. His business associates took control of his business and left him in poverty, but his inventioneffectively produced in large quantities in a short period of time. -
Period: May 24, 1412 to May 24, 1431
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc was a peasentgirl born in the town of Domremy, France. After hearing 'the voice of gods angels' she knew it was her fate to lead the french under King Charles VII's rule against the English during the Hundred Years War. She won many battles, including the victory over the English seige at Orleans. After being charged with sorcery, she was found guilty and burned at the stake in the Market Place of Roven in 1431. -
Period: to 511
Clovis
Clovis was a conquerer and a leader during the barbarian invastions. He became the first ruler to unite the different Frankish groups and created a powerful new kingdom. He mastered the whole of Gaul in his lifetime and at the end of his rein in 507, his warriars defeated the Visigoths at the balle of Vouille and drove them out of Gaul. During his career, he embraced Christianity and gained support of the Gallo-Romans to be seen as co-religious rather then invaders. -
Period: to
Viking Invasions
The Vikings consisted of Danes, Swedes, or Norwegians that lived along the coasts of Scandinavia. They left no record of their intentions, but from the evidence left behind from the artifacts, looting was their primary reason behind their raids. The Vikings arrived, unexpectedly, by plundering, burning, killing or enslaving the inhabitants and then leaving the conquered lands. This war tactic accounted for the Vikings' great success in this period. -
Period: to 565
Justinian
Justinian was an Emperor, who was educated at Constantinople and was named Consul in 521 and was proclaimed by his colleuge Justin in 527. His death the same year, Justinian was proclaimed sole emperor, and his wife Theodora crowned. As legislator that Justinian gained his fame. He collected and codified all the principal imperial statues, and created the Justinian Code of Law by which all previous imperial enactments were repealed once his book was published in 529.
