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Rome falls, marking the end of an era and the start of the Middle Ages -
Theodoric the Great sets up his own kingdom in Italy after Rome’s fall -
Charlemagne’s empire gets split among his grandsons, setting the stage for modern Europe -
Justinian I becomes Byzantine Emperor and starts big legal and building projects -
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Charles Martel stops Islamic forces from pushing further into Europe, keeping the region mostly Christian -
Muslim armies cross into the Iberian Peninsula, starting centuries of Islamic influence -
Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne, uniting much of Europe under his rule -
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Otto I’s coronation revives the idea of a Western Empire with renewed authority -
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Christianity splits into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches, changing the church forever -
William the Conqueror defeats Harold II and dramatically reshapes England -
Pope Urban II rallies people to reclaim the Holy Land, launching the Crusades -
Crusader forces take Jerusalem, flipping the region’s religious balance -
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A deal is struck that eases the power struggle between the church and the emperor -
Another Crusade sets out to win back lands lost to Muslim forces -
Saladin wins a big victory at Hattin and reclaims Jerusalem from the Crusaders -
Leaders like Richard the Lionheart head out on a Crusade to fight back -
English kings are forced to accept limits on their power, laying groundwork for modern rights -
The Treaty of Paris ends a Crusade aimed at wiping out heresy in southern France -
Mongol armies invade parts of Eastern Europe, shaking up local power -
An early form of a representative government starts to take shape in England -
Church leaders meet to chat about reforms and try reuniting Eastern and Western Christianity -
Pope Boniface VIII makes a bold claim about papal power with this decree -
A massive famine hits Europe, causing widespread hunger and hardship -
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The bubonic plague sweeps through Europe, slashing the population dramatically -
Rival popes split the Catholic Church, creating confusion and division -
Reformist Jan Hus is executed, sparking early calls for church reform -
The church finally comes back together by electing a single pope -
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The Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire -
Gutenberg’s Bible printed with movable type changes how ideas spread forever -
Columbus’s voyage opens up a whole new world to European explorers -
Spain and Portugal agree to split the New World between them -
Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to a door, sparking major changes in the church -
Martin Luther’s ideas get officially condemned, deepening the church split -
Charles V’s troops sack Rome, signaling a decline in papal power -
Henry VIII breaks away from Rome and creates an independent church in England -
Copernicus publishes his theory that the Earth orbits the sun, changing how we see the universe -
The Catholic Church gathers to reform itself and counter the Protestant Reformation -
Rulers get to choose their state’s religion, easing some religious tensions -
England’s navy knocks back Spain’s powerful fleet, shifting the balance at sea -
A window-throwing incident in Prague sparks the brutal Thirty Years’ War -
Internal strife in England erupts into a civil war, reshaping the nation’s politics -
Treaties end the Thirty Years’ War and lay the foundation for modern nation-states -
A relatively peaceful coup in England replaces the king with a constitutional monarchy -
New laws boost Parliament’s power and protect individual rights in England -
England and Scotland join forces to form Great Britain, merging their political systems -
The War of Spanish Succession ends with a treaty that rebalances power in Europe -
The long reign of the Sun King ends, signaling the move away from absolute monarchy in France -
A massive global conflict kicks off, reshaping European and colonial power dynamics -
A key battle in New France sets the stage for major changes in North America -
A huge shift in technology and society begins, changing everyday life and work -
Tensions with Britain boil over into war as American colonies fight for independence -
The Declaration of Independence is signed, and new economic ideas start to spread -
The American Revolutionary War wraps up, and the United States is officially recognized -
Revolutionary ideas kick off major changes in France, shaking up the old order -
France’s National Assembly proclaims key rights for its citizens, inspiring modern democracy -
Napoleon pulls off a coup and takes charge of France, changing European politics -
In a dramatic move, Napoleon declares himself Emperor of the French -
Napoleon wins a huge battle, cementing his reputation as a top military leader -
Britain passes a law to end the slave trade, marking a big step for human rights -
Inspired by revolutionary ideas, Mexican rebels rise up against Spanish rule -
Napoleon’s ill-fated invasion of Russia weakens his forces and shifts his fortunes -
Facing defeat, Napoleon steps down while European powers meet to redraw borders -
Napoleon suffers his final defeat at Waterloo, ending his era of domination -
Key independence battles in Greece and Mexico pave the way for modern nation-states