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Clovis I Succeed's His Father
Clovis I succeeds his father, Childeric I, as king of the Franks at age 15 and unites all Frankish tribes under himself, changing the political framework from shared rule by chieftains to hereditary rule by a single king, and founding the Merovingian dynasty. His conversion to Christianity would lead to the wide adoption of Nicene orthodoxy by the Franks, allowing for Charlemagne's alliance with the pope and the birth of the Holy Roman Empire. -
Period: 527 to 565
Justinian I Reign
Devoting much of his reign to the attempted restoration of the Roman Empire through the reconquering of the lost western half, the Byzantine emperor became known as Justinian the Great, and is often considered by scholars to be the last Roman. He ultimately only achieved Roman control to the Atlantic Ocean through the Vandal kingdom of North Africa and established the province of Spania in southern Iberia. His reign was a cultural golden age, however. -
Oct 10, 732
Battle of Tours
Fought between the cities of Potiers and Tours, the battle set the stage for Frankish domination of Europe for the next century, with the Franks and Burgundians triumphing over the Umayyad Caliphate. -
Period: Jan 1, 800 to Jan 1, 1150
Viking Invasions
The Viking Invasions spanned from the early 9th century to the mid 12th century, going to Britain, Scotland, Paris, France as well as other locations around Europe. Vikings were known to be great and vicious warriors, who would loot, rape and pillage wherever they went. -
Period: Dec 25, 800 to Jan 29, 814
Charlemagne's Reign
Charlemagne, King of the Franks and the first Holy Roman Emperor, united most of Western Europe through military campaigns and laid the foundation for the modern-day states of France and Germany. Granted recognition by the pope as the first emperor since the fall of the Western Roman Empire, his reign held divine legitimacy to his contemporaries. -
Jul 16, 1054
Michael Cerularius is Excommunicated
The xecommunication of Patriach of Constantinople Michael I Cerularius by Cardinal Humbert in Leo XI name is believed to be the first spark in the seperation of the communion into the Eastern Orthodox and the Western Roman Catholic churches. -
Period: Sep 18, 1066 to Jan 1, 1072
Norman Conquest of England
The Norman Conquest of England was lead by William, the Duke of Normandy who invaded England in the autumn of 1066, which lead to a 6 year long campaign which led to his crowning as the King of England and the establishment of Norman rule over England. -
Jan 1, 1088
Univeristy of Bologna is Founded
The first university in the world is established. It was the first place of study to use the term "universitas" for the corporations of students and masters which came to define the institution. -
Period: Apr 9, 1137 to Apr 1, 1204
Eleanor if Aquitaine's Reign
Eleanor of Aquitiane was an incredible powerful and influencial figure during her lifetime, being a member of the Ramnulfid dynasty of rulers in southwestern France, being married to King Henry II of England, as well as King Louis VII of France. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is creditted with being the first document to establish rule of law over the king's wish, with King John of England at Runnymede agreeing that barons were exempt from unlawful imprisonment, swift justice, the importance of church rights, and limitations on the feudal payments to the Crown. -
Period: Sep 15, 1254 to Jan 8, 1324
Marco Polo
Marco Polo is credited with bringing to Europe ideas of Chinese origin through his exploration of China and Asia, while being labelled as a liar in his time due to the outlandishness of his stories. -
Period: Jan 1, 1337 to Jan 1, 1453
Hundred Year's War
The Hundred Years War is a conflict waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Plantagenet, rulers of the Kingdom of England, against the House of Valois, rulers of the Kingdom of France, for control over the latter kingdom. It lasted five generation and is one of the more notable conflicts during the Middle Ages -
Apr 29, 1429
Joan of Arc Arrives at Orléans
Joan of Arc or "Maid of Orleans" is a well known heroine in France for her involvement during the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years' War where she lead an army to the besieged city of Orléans on 29 April 1429, where she drove out the English, as well as other feats during the war. -
Jan 1, 1439
Gutenberg Uses the Printing Press for the First Time
Johannes Gutenberg was a German blacksmith, goldsmith, printer, and publisher who introduced printing to Europe, and obviously is creditted with creating the printing press which led to the intellectual revolution. -
May 29, 1453
Fall of Constantinople
In 1453 the Ottoman Empire brought its cannons and artilerry to Constantinople and stormed the Christian capital after a siege. The Greek Emperor was killed; the great church of St.Sophia was plundered of its treasure and turned into a mosque.
