EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AFTER THE FALL OF ROME

GERMANIC TRIBES AND EARLY CHRISTIAN: Tacitus' Germania

100

Germania is a history of German culture used by Tacitus to critique and shame the Roman people.

GERMANIC TRIBES AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY: Edict of Milan

313

The Edict of Milan, created by Constantine, enforced religious toleration of Christianity in the Roman Empire

GERMANIC TRIBES AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY: Nicaean Creed

325

The Niacean Creed is a Christian prayer that confirms the true identity and divinity of Jesus, settling the Arian Controversy.

BYZANTINE: The sacking of Rome by Alaric

410

The Visigoths, a German tribe led by King Alaric, attacked Rome and this led to the fall of Eastern Rome in 476.

ENGLAND: Legions depart

410

This marks the end of Roman rule in Britain.

BYZANTINE: Theodosius II builds a great wall (Trump is that you?) around Constantinople, establishing it as the center of the new eastern Roman Empire

413

Theodosius II's walls were defensive stone walls that surrounded the city of Constantinople.

ENGLAND: Anglo-Saxon Invasion

450

During the mid-5th century, Anglo-Saxons began taking English territory from native people. The first Anglo-Saxons traveled to England because they were looking for new places to settle down.

FRANCE: The Merovingian Dynasty

Period: 457 to Dec 25, 752

The Merovingian Dynasty was a Salic Frank dynasty that ruled for nearly 300 years.

FRANCE: The Salic Law

500

The Salic Law was the ancient Frankish civil law code that was used to reduce infighting within the Germanic community.

FRANCE: Reign of Clovis

509

Clovis was a Merovingian Frankish king who famously converted to Christianity at his wife's request. This led to many Franks converting to Christianity as well.

BYZANTINE: Justinian becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire

527

Justinian was a Roman emperor who sought to restore the fallen western half of the Roman Empire during his reign.

BYZANTINE: Nika Revolt

532

The Nika revolt occurred at a chariot race after fans became fed up with Justinian because he refused to pardon two charioteers who were connected to murder. The pent-up anger of the fans was directed at Justinian, and eventually destroyed half of Constantinople. Out of the wreckage, however, Justinian built the Hagia Sofia. Originally a church and later a mosque, the Hagia Sofia had both Christian and Islamic styles of architecture, making it very unique.

FRANCE: Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks

594

Gregory of Tours wrote a history of the Franks, which was very biased since Gregory was a bishop as well as historian. Gregory excused and softened the actions of Christian Franks, such as the murderous King Clovis, but condemned the pagan Franks for doing the same things. His depiction of Clovis was milder than how he truly was.

ISLAM: Muhammad leaves Mecca for Medina / Foundation of Islam

Jun 1, 622

Muhammad was warned of a plot to assassinate him, so he and his followers moved to Medina from Mecca.

ISLAM: Muhammed conquers Mecca

Jan 1, 623

Muhammad, originally losing his battle, rallies his followers by telling them that they will go to paradise if they die fighting this battle. Muhammad eventually wins, and his words create the ideas of jihad, which is holy war, and terrorism.

ISLAM: Umayyad Empire

Period: Jan 1, 661 to Jan 1, 750

The Umayyad is the first Muslim empire to rule the Caliphate.

ISLAM: Ali is murdered, creating Sunni/Shia split

Jan 27, 661

Ali, the successor to Muhammad, was murdered, and the succession issues created the Sunni/Shia split that still persists to this day.

ISLAM: Dome of the Rock built in Jerusalem

Jan 1, 691

The Dome of the Rock is a shrine built when Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac. It is also one of the oldest works of Islamic architecture.

ENGLAND: The Venerable Bede's writing

Jan 1, 732

Bede completed his Historia ecclesiastica, which included history from Julius Caesar to St. Augustine's arrival in Kent.

FRANCE: Battle of Tours

Oct 10, 732

The Battle of Tours, led by Frankish leader Charles Martel, was between the Franks and a massive Islamic army.

ISLAM: Abbasid Empire

Period: Jan 1, 750 to Jan 1, 1258

The second of two great Muslim Empires of the Caliphate, succeeding the Umayyad Empire.

FRANCE: The Carolingian Dynasty

Period: Jan 1, 750 to Jan 1, 887

A family of Frankish aristocrats who ruled western Europe, including Charlemagne.

FRANCE: Pepin the Short

Jan 1, 751

Pepin the Short was the first Carolingian to become King of the Franks.

FRANCE: Charlemagne is crowned by the Pope

Dec 25, 800

Pope Leo III crowned Charlamagne the emperor of the Holy Roman Emperor.

ENGLAND: Alfred the Great

Oct 26, 899

Alfred the Great was the King of Wessex from the years 871 to 899. Alfred the Great is known for defeating the vikings and promoting education.

GERMANIC TRIBES AND EARLY CHRISTIANS: Beowulf

Jan 1, 1000

Beowulf is a literary epic about a great Germanic warrior. The man Beowulf fights all sorts of creatures and receives fame and glory. The date it was written, 1000, is important because there are Christian themes in the book, meaning there had to have been Christians with in-depth experience of Germanic life.

ISLAM: Seljuk Dynasty

Period: Jan 1, 1037 to Jan 1, 1194

The Seljuk dynasty took control of the Holy Land in 1071. This dynasty was different than the previous two because the Seljuks were nomadic Turkish warriors.

BYZANTINE: Schism between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic

Jan 1, 1054

The schism between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches happened due to an argument between Michael Cerularius and the Pope. This schism exists to this day.

ENGLAND: Norman invasion of England

Jan 1, 1066

The Norman invasion of occurred when William II, Duke of Normandy defeated Harold Godwinson and took from him the English throne. The Bayeux tapestry describes this event.

MIDDLE AGES: Pope Urban's speech at the Council of Clermont

Jan 1, 1095

Pope Urban spoke at the Council of Clermont to stir people into going on a crusade to take the Holy Land back for the Christians. He gave five reasons to go on the crusade, the most important of which being remission of sin. Urban said that if you fought in the crusade, all of your sins would be forgiven.

MIDDLE AGES: Christians take Jerusalem in first crusade

Jan 1, 1099

A successful crusade where the Crusaders besieged Jerusalem and began to form the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The conquerors massacred the inhabitants of Jerusalem after their victory.

MIDDLE AGES: Third Crusade

Period: Jan 1, 1189 to Jan 1, 1192

A crusade led by Europe to reclaim the Holy Land from Saladin, a Muslim leader.

GERMANIC TRIBES AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY: Prose Edda

Jan 1, 1200

The Prose Edda is a collection of Norse mythology written by Snorri Stulson, a Christian. That makes the Prose Edda unique. Sturlson said man lost the name of God because Germanic people credit Germanic gods with the creation of the universe. Thor, a Germanic god, is arrogant and warlike, and he reflects the ideal German man.

MIDDLE AGES: Fourth Crusade

Period: Jan 1, 1202 to Jan 1, 1204

An expedition led by Pope Innocent III, eventually leading to the sacking of Constantinople.

MIDDLE AGES: Children's Crusade

Jan 1, 1212

As many as 30,000 children went to the Holy Land, led by a boy who wanted to convert the Muslims to Christianity peacefully. This did not work, and the children were sold to merchants and eventually taken to Tunisia or sold into slavery.

MIDDLE AGES: Fifth Crusade

Period: Jan 1, 1213 to Jan 1, 1221

A crusade led by Europe to reclaim Jerusalem and the
Holy Land from the Muslims.

MIDDLE AGES: Sixth Crusade

Period: Jan 1, 1228 to Jan 1, 1229

After the failure of the fifth crusade, the sixth crusade was another attempt to regain Jerusalem for Europe.

MIDDLE AGES: Eighth Crusade

Jan 1, 1270

A crusade against Tunis led by Louis IX, with the ultimate goal of capturing Jerusalem for Europe. This crusade is considered a failure.

MIDDLE AGES: Ninth Crusade

Period: Jan 1, 1271 to Jan 1, 1272

Following the eighth crusade, Louis IX's son led a crusade in Acre. Along with the eighth crusade, the ninth crusade is considered the last major medieval crusade to the Holy Land

ISLAM: Ibn Battuta left on pilgrimage to Mecca

Jan 1, 1325

Ibn Battuta was one of the greatest travelers of his age. He wanted to see every part of the Muslim empire.

MIDDLE AGES: Ottoman Empire takes Constantinople

May 29, 1453

The Ottoman Empire, from Turkey, captured Constantinople, marking the end of the (Byzantine) Roman Empire.

MIDDLE AGES: Population growth (in Europe after ice age)

Jan 1, 1850

From 1560 to 1850, Europe experienced a mini ice age, and afterward there was a population boom because the land was more inhabitable.

ENGLAND: The House of Wessex

Dec 24, 1978

The family that originally ruled the English kingdom of Wessex.