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Period: 466 to 511
Clovis
Clovis was the first king to manage to unite all of the Frankish tribes under one ruler. He became king at 15, when he succeeded his father. In addition, he was the first Catholic king to rule over Gaul (modern day France). -
Oct 10, 732
Battle of Tours
The Battle of Tours was said to be the decisive turning point in the struggle against Islam, a struggle which preserved Christianity as the religion of Europe. It also laid the foundation for the Carolingian Empire. -
Period: Jan 1, 742 to
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 until his death, and Emperor of Rome from 800 onwards. His empire encompassed most of Western and Central Europe, and he is associated with the Carolingian Renaissance, the revival ofart, religion, and culture throughout Europe. One of the greatest military commanders in history, Charlemagne will live forever as one of the greatest people of our world. -
Jan 1, 1054
East-West Schism
The East-West Schism was caused by two warring factions within Christianity, each who wished to be absolute ruller of the Christian church. In the west, Roman leaders stopped the teaching of Greek, while in the East, Latin was ceased. In the end, the church split, resulting in two new churches, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. This schism changed the course that Western Europe would have taken dramatically. -
Period: Sep 28, 1066 to Jan 5, 1071
Norman Conquest of England
The Norman Conquest of England was led by William, the Duke of Normandy. In his victory over King Harold II of England, he earned the title "the Conquerer" and worldwide renown. By 1071, William controlled most of England, ushering in a new era of culture into Western Europe. -
Jan 1, 1088
University of Bologna
The university of Bologna was the first university founded in all of the Western world. It is notable because of its teaching of canon and civil law. At over 900 years old, it is the longest continually operating university in the world. -
Period: Jan 5, 1122 to Apr 12, 1204
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor was perhaps the most powerful and influential woman in history, to this day. She was queen of two countries, England and France, and gave birth to ten children, many of whom went on to become royalty. She was known as an incredibly intelligent woman, as well as being a very skiled politician. She was born into priviledge, with her inheritance being the Aquitaine, the most valuable county in Europe at the time. She founded a court that was renowned for its brilliance, and was always proud -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was the first time that a monarch was forced to accept laws written by the people, for the people. It marked the downfall of monarchs everywhere, as soon the public realized that together, they were stronger than any one man. Many of the rights illustrated in the Magna Carta are still in place today. -
Period: Jan 1, 1254 to Jan 8, 1324
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Christian mercant from the Venetian Republic who is solely responsible for bringing the exsistence of the Far East to the knowledge of the average European. In fact, it is said that Christopher Columbus was inspired to become an explorer by Marco Polo himself, which led to the discovery of North America. Polo's travles are recorded in the narrative "The Travels of Marco Polo". In addition, he had an influence on the early stages of European cartography. -
Period: Jan 5, 1337 to Jan 5, 1453
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was fought between two of the noble houses of France, over the right to the throne. The houses of Valois and Plantagenet reintroduced the concept of a longstanding army, which had not been seen since the fall of the Roman Empire. After 116 years of war, punctuated by periods of peace, the house of Valois emegred victorious, claiming the throne but losing much in the process. -
Period: Jan 1, 1398 to Feb 3, 1468
Johann Gutenberg
Johann Gutenberg was a goldsmith who introduced the modern concept of book printing to the world. Named the greatest person of the last millenium by the writers of "1000 Years, 1000 People", he paved the way for others who, without his innovation, would have been nothing. Would Shakespeare have been so famous had his plays not been printed? Would Martin Luther be even a blip in history, if not for Gutenberg. Without a doubt, Gutenberg changed the course of world history forever. -
Period: Jan 1, 1412 to May 30, 1431
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc was a peasant girl, born in France, who claimed that she had been instructed by God to reclaim her homeland from English rule. She was sent to fight in the Hundred Years' War by Charles VII, in which she won several important victories for the French, paving the way for the coronation of Charles VII as king. However, she was captured by the English and sentenced to be burnt at the stake. 25 years after her death, Pope Callixtus III examined the trial, and granted her sainthood. -
May 29, 1453
Fall of Constantinople
Constantinople was the capitol of the Byzantine Empire, which had lasted for over 1000 years. However, the Ottoman empire captured the city, and reforged it into the capitol of their empire. The fall of Constantinople was an enormous blow to Christianity, causing the pope to call for a crusade. However, as no Christian monarch would lead the crusade, the pope himself decided to lead it. His early death eliminated the possibility, allowing the Ottoman empire to seize complete control of the city. -
Period: to Jan 5, 1060
Viking Invasions
The Viking expansions into other segments of Europe are legendary. However, the roots of said expansions are unknown. Some theories as to why Norse/Christian relationships failed were: A lack of available farmland in Scandinavia; a desire for more land for resources; and a breakdown in friendly trade between the two parties. Whatever the reason, the Vikings were remembered as barbaric for centuries to come. -
Period: to 565
Justinian
Justinian was Emperor of Rome when rome was in the last stages of its glory years. He was famed as a legislator, and he rewrote all of Roman law. Many of his ideas are still in place in civilizations around the world today. However, Justinian has the unfortunate luck of being forever associated with the bubonic plague, or as it is sometimes known, the "Plague of Justinian". The plague marked the downfall of Rome.