Middle Ages 500 A.D.- 1500 A.D.

  • Period: 500 to Oct 29, 1500

    Middle Ages

  • 570

    Muhammad, prophet of Islam is born.

    Muhammad Islam prophet is born
  • Oct 29, 732

    Battle of Tours. The Franks defeat the Muslims turning back Islam from Europe.

  • Oct 29, 1066

    William of Normandy, a French Duke, conquers England in the Battle of Hastings. He became King of England and changed the country forever.

  • Oct 29, 1096

    Start of the First Crusade. The Crusades were wars between the Holy Roman Empire and the Muslims over the Holy Land. There would be several Crusades over the next 200 years.

  • Oct 29, 1189

    - Richard I, Richard the Lionheart, becomes King of England.

  • Oct 29, 1206

    The Mongol Empire is founded by Genghis Khan.

  • Oct 29, 1215

    King John of England signs the Magna Carta. This document gave the people some rights and said the king was not above the law.

  • Oct 29, 1271

    Marco Polo leaves on his famous journey to explore Asia.

  • Oct 29, 1337

    The Hundred Years War begins between England and France for control of the French throne.

  • Oct 29, 1347

    - The Black Death begins in Europe. This horrible disease would kill around half of the people in Europe

  • Oct 29, 1431

    1431 - French heroine Joan of Arc is executed by England at the age of 19

  • Oct 29, 1444

    German inventor Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press. This will signal the start of the Renaissance.

  • Oct 29, 1458

    The Ottoman Empire captures the city of Constantinople. This signals the end of the Eastern Roman Empire also known as Byzantium

  • Charlemagne, King of the Franks, is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne united much of Western Europe and is considered the father of both the French and the German Monarchies.

  • Vikings from the Scandinavian lands (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) begin to invade northern Europe. They would continue until 1042.

  • Alfred the Great, King of England, turns back the Viking invaders.