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768
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was one of the most important leaders that emerged from the medieval ages. In my opinion, Charlemagne was a great leader who made some important decisions and advancements. However, the book states that Charlemagne's empire is "a poor reflection of ancient Rome." Regardless of this fact, his leadership lead to important things like the rise of education and literacy and the growing power of the Church. -
793
The Vikings
In 793, the Vikings performed their first major raid. This is an important event because the Vikings played a major role in this period. It is unknown what the exact motives of the Vikings were for sure. In my opinion, the Vikings saw the wealth in these areas and they were attempting to attain some of it. Eventually, in around 850, the Vikings began settling in the places they had raided. And, they began creating communities and began playing a greater role in society. -
1000
The High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages lasted from 1000 to 1300. It was a point in the middle ages where important developments and advancements began happening. During this time, Europe experienced economic expansion, growth of towns and cities, advancements in agriculture and education, and the unfortunate corruption of the Church. Events, such as the crusades, lead to financial growth and changed Christianity into an intolerant religion. These times shaped Medieval Europe and influenced many future societies. -
1000
Medieval Agricultural Revolution
From 600 to 1300, there was a 500% increase in population. This is due partly to the methods by which agriculture operated. During this time, Europe experienced many useful inventions like the carruca, a heavy plow that could dig deeper and created better crops. Furthermore, ideas like crop rotation and windmills, and watermills helped create better, more efficient outcomes. As a result of these advancements, peasants' work and lives became easier and more efficient. -
1000
The Church
The Church and Christianity played a huge role in this time. Monasticism was a popular concept during this time. Monks and nuns took vows of charity and obedience and joined monasteries and covents where they would devote themselves to prayer. The Church played such a huge role that popes and priests were given leadership power and positions. However, the Churches were also full of corruption: siphoning money to high priests and noblemen buying church positions. -
1000
Medieval Learning
Most of the inspiration and ideas for medieval learning came from foreign influences like Rome and Islam. Literacy was reintroduced, it had not been present since Rome. Although there are no records to prove it, it is evident that literacy began growing during this period. I give credit to the rise of education to leaders like Charlemagne who expressed the importance of education and encouraged it. Furthermore, the discovery of Aristotle's lost works proved useful in education and learning. -
1095
The First Crusade
The First Crusade lasted from 1095 to 1099. The crusades were basically invasions in the name of Christianity. The first crusade was declared by Pope Urban and it was very successful. This was due to the fact that the Christians arrived at a time where the Muslims were divided so they were easy to overturn. The crusades that followed were significantly less significant. -
1240
The Mongols
In around 1240, the Mongols had either captured or burned all the major cities in Russia. The most important fact about the Mongols is the fact that they devastated the Middle East and ultimately "set the stage" for early-modern Russia. -
1337
The 100 Years' War
The 100 Years' War (1337-1453) was a conflict between England and France due to the confusion created by the intertwining of the English and French lines. One important person that emerged from this was Joan of Arc. Joan said that she was sent from God to guide France to victory. The French prevailed and Joan was caught and executed for the belief that she was a witch. In the end, the war was devastating for France: their population decreased by nearly half and England cut all ties. -
1348
The Black Death
In 1348, the plague arrived in Europe and began its devastating effects. The Black Death was so devastating due to the people's lack of medical knowledge and their vulnerability as a result of poor crops. Since they had no medical knowledge, they turned to prayers and superstitious beliefs. For instance, in many cases, people were advised to burn fragrant plants to get rid of "bad" air. Nearly 1/3 of Europe's population died from the plague.