Timeline of the Middle Ages

The following is a timeline of the major events during the period spanning the 5th to 15th centuries, loosely corresponding to the Old World Middle Ages, intermediate between Late Antiquity and the Early modern period.

Early Middle Ages

5th and 6th centuries

YearDateEventSignificance
c. 400 Highland Maya fall to the lowland city of Teotihuacan Begins the decline of Maya culture and language in some parts of the highlands.[1]
405St. Jerome finished the Vulgate.The Christian Gospel is translated into Latin.[2]
410August 24Rome is sacked by Alaric, King of the Visigoths.Decisive event in the decline of the Western Roman Empire.[3]
431June 22 – July 31Council of EphesusConfirmed the original Nicene Creed,[4] and condemned the teachings of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, that led to his exile and separation with the Church of the East.
455June 2Rome is sacked by Genseric, King of the Vandals.[5] Another decisive event in the Fall of Rome and held by some historians to mark the "end of the Roman Empire".[6]
476September 4Odoacer deposes the Roman Emperor Romulus AugustulusConsidered by some historians to be the starting point of the Middle Ages.
480April 25Death of Julius Nepos, last Roman Emperor to be recognized as such by the Roman Senate and the Eastern courtConsidered by some historians to be the starting point of the Middle Ages.
c. 500 Tikal becomes the first great Maya city Significant cultural exchange between the Maya of Tikal and the citizens of Teotihuacan.[1]
c. 500Battle of Mons Badonicus.The West Saxon advance is halted by Britons in England. Chiefly known today for the supposed involvement of King Arthur but because of the limited number of sources, there is no certainty about the date, location, or details of the fighting.[7][8]
507SpringThe Franks under Clovis defeat the Visigoths in the Battle of Vouillé.The Visigoths retreated into Spain.[9]
c. 524Boethius writes his Consolation of PhilosophyIt has been described as the single most important and influential work in the West on Medieval and early Renaissance Christianity.[10]
525Dionysius Exiguus publishes the Dionysius Exiguus' Easter table.This initiated the Anno Domini era, used for the Gregorian and Julian calendars.
527August 1Justinian I becomes Eastern Roman Emperor.Justinian is best remembered for his Code of Civil Law (529), and expansion of imperial territory retaking Rome from the Ostrogoths.
529–534Justinian I publishes the Code of Civil Law.This compiled centuries of legal writings and imperial pronouncements into three parts of one body of law.
529Benedict of Nursia founds monastery at Monte Cassino.The first of twelve monasteries founded by Saint Benedict, beginning the Order of Saint Benedict.
532January 1Nika Riots in Constantinople.Nearly half the city being burned or destroyed and tens of thousands of people killed.[11]
533December 15Byzantines, under Belisarius, retake North Africa from the Vandals.Vandal kingdom ends and the Reconquest of North Africa is completed.
535–554Gothic War in Italy as a part of Justinian's Reconquest.Byzantines retook Italy but crippled the Byzantine economy and left Italy unable to cope against the oncoming Lombards.
563Saint Columba founds mission in Iona.Constructed an abbey which helped convert the Picts to Christianity until it was destroyed and raided by the Vikings in 794.[12]
568The Kingdom of the Lombards is founded in Italy.Survived in Italy until the invasion of the Franks in 774 under Charlemagne.
c. 570Muhammad is born.Professed receiving revelations from a god, which were recorded in the Qur'an, the basis of Islamic theology, in which he is regarded as the last of the sent prophets.
577The West Saxons continue their advance at the Battle of Deorham.Led to the permanent separation of Cornwall, England from Wales.
581–618March 4 – May 23Sui Dynasty in China.China unified once again during this period for the first time in almost 400 years.
590September 3Gregory the Great becomes Pope.The missionary work reached new levels during his pontificate, revolutionized the way of worship for the Catholic Church (Gregorian Chants), liturgy, etc., and was soon canonized after his death.
597Augustine arrives in Kent.Christianization of England (Anglo-Saxons) begins.
598–668Massive Chinese (Sui and Tang) invasions against Korean Goguryeo.Contributed to the fall of the Sui Dynasty, and Goguryeo fell under the forces of the Tang and Silla.
c. 600 Deliberate fires set for unknown reasons destroy major buildings in Teotihuacan.[13] Destroys the Teotihuacan civilization and empire. Tikal is now the largest city-state in Mesoamerica.[1]

7th century

YearDateEventSignificance
602–629Last great Roman-Persian War.Long conflict leaves both empires exhausted and unable to cope with the newly united Arab armies under Islam in the 630s
604–609Grand Canal in China is fully completed[14]Its main role throughout its history was the transport of grain to the capital.
618–907June 18 – June 1Tang Dynasty in China.The essential administrative system of this dynasty lasts for 286 years.
6229 September – 23 SeptemberMuhammad Migrates from Mecca to Medina.Event will have designated first year of the Islamic Calendar, as Anno Hegirae.
626Joint Persian-Avar-Slav Siege of Constantinople Constantinople saved, Avar power broken and Persians henceforth on the defensive
627December 12Battle of Nineveh.The Byzantines, under Heraclius, crush the Persians.
632June 8Death of Muhammad.By this point, all of Arabia is Muslim.
632–668Establishment and expansion of Old Great Bulgaria.The demise of Old Great Bulgaria lead to the founding of the First Bulgarian Empire and Volga Bulgaria by the sons of Kubrat.
632June 8Accession of Abu Bakr as first Caliph.Though the period of his caliphate was not long, it included successful invasions of the two most powerful empires of the time.
633–634Battle of Heavenfield.Northumbrian army under Oswald defeat Welsh army.
638Jerusalem captured by the Arab army, mostly Muslims, but with contingents of Syrian Christians.
641Battle of Nehawand. Muslims conquer Persia.
643Arab Army led by 'Amr ibn al-'As takes Alexandria.
645In Japan, the Soga clan falls.This initiates a period of imitation of Chinese culture, The Nara period begins a year later.
650Slav occupation of Balkans complete.
c. 650 The city-state Xochicalco is founded by the Olmeca-Xicallanca. Becomes an important cultural and commercial center.[15]
663Synod of Whitby.Roman Christianity triumphs over Celtic Christianity in England.
668Ends of the Three Kingdoms period in Korea.Established a Unified Silla which led to the North South States Period 30 years later.[16]
674–678First Arab siege of Constantinople.First time Islamic armies defeated, forestalling Islamic conquest of Europe.
681Establishment of the Bulgarian Empire.A country with great influence in the European history in the Middle Ages.
685Battle of Dun Nechtain.Picts defeat Northumbrians, whose dominance ends.
687Battle of TertryEstablished Pepin of Herstal as mayor over the entire realms of Neustria and Austrasia, which further dwindled Merovingian power.
698Arab army takes Carthage.End of Byzantine rule in North Africa
698North South States Period begins in Korea.Silla and Balhae coexisted in the south and north of the peninsula, respectively, until 926[17][18]

8th century

YearDateEventSignificance
711Umayyad conquest of Hispania under Tarik.Will begin a period of Muslim rule within in the Al-Andalus (with various portions of Iberian peninsula) until nearly the end of the Fifteenth Century.
718Second Arab attack on Constantinople, ending in failure.The combined Byzantine–Bulgarian forces stop the Arab threat in Southeastern Europe.
726Iconoclast movement begun in the Byzantine Empire under Leo III. This was opposed by Pope Gregory II, and an important difference between the Roman and Byzantine churches.
732OctoberBattle of Tours. Charles Martel halts Muslim advance.Significant moment that led to the forming of the Carolingian Empire for the Franks, and halted the advancement of the Moors in southwestern Europe.
73526 MayDeath of Bede.Bede was later regarded as "the father of English history"
75025 JanuaryBeginning of Abbasid Caliphate.Would become the longest lasting caliphate, until 1519 when conquered and annexed into the Ottoman Empire.
751Pepin the Short founds the Carolingian dynasty.
754Pepin promises the Pope central Italy. This is arguably the beginning of the temporal power of the Papacy.
768Beginning of Charlemagne's reign.
77815 AugustBattle of Roncevaux Pass.
78614 SeptemberAccession of Harun al-Rashid to the Caliphate in Baghdad.
793Sack of Lindisfarne. Viking attacks on Britain begin.Generally considered the beginning of the Viking Age that would span over two centuries, and reach as far south as Hispania and as far east as the Byzantine Empire, and present day Russia.
794Heian period in Japan.Considered to be the last classical period of History of Japan. Chinese influence was at its strongest during this era in Japan.
79529 JulyDeath of Offa.Marks the end of Mercian dominance in England.
80025 DecemberCharlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor.With his crowning, Charlemagne's kingdom is officially recognized by the Papacy as the largest in Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire.
800Gunpowder is invented (somewhere around 9th century)

9th century

YearDateEventSignificance
81428 JanuaryDeath of Charlemagne.Would be a factor towards the splitting of his empire almost 30 years later.
820Algebrae et Alumcabola AlgorithmMuhammad ibn Musa- al-Khwarizmi
825Battle of Ellandun. Egbert defeats Mercians.Wessex becomes the leading kingdom of England.
827Muslims invade Sicily.First encounter of attempts to conquer Byzantine Sicily, until the last Byzantine outpost was conquered in 965.
840Muslims capture Bari and much of southern Italy.
843Division of Charlemagne's Empire between his grandsons with the Treaty of Verdun.Sets the stage for the founding of the Holy Roman Empire and France as separate states.
843Kenneth McAlpin becomes king of the Picts and Scots, creating the Kingdom of Alba.
862Viking state in Russia founded under Rurik, first at Novgorod, then Kiev.
864Christianization of Bulgaria.
866Fujiwara period in Japan.Would become the most powerful clan during the Heian period in Japan for around three centuries.
866Viking Great Army arrives in England.Northumbria, East Anglia, and Mercia were overwhelmed.
868Earliest known printed book in China with a date.
871Alfred the Great assumes the throne, the first king of a united England.He defended England from Viking invaders, formed new laws and fostered a rebirth of religious and scholarly activities.
c. 872Harold Fairhair becomes King of Norway.
874Iceland is settled by Norsemen.
882Kievan Rus' is established.Would be sustained until the Mongol invasion of Rus' over four and a half centuries, despite peaking during the middle 11th century during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise.
885Arrival of the disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius in BulgariaCreation of the Cyrillic script; in the following decades the country became the cultural and spiritual centre of the whole Eastern Orthodox part of the Slavic World.
885–886Vikings attack Paris.
893Emperor Simeon I becomes ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire in the Balkans.Golden age of the First Bulgarian Empire (896–927). The Cyrillic alphabet was developed in the Preslav Literary School and Ohrid Literary School.[19][20]

[21]

896Arpad and the Magyars are present in Pannonia.
89927 OctoberDeath of Alfred the Great.
c. 900 Lowland Maya cities in the south collapse. Signifies the end of the Classic Period of Maya history. The Maya in northern Yucatán continue to thrive.

10th century

YearDateEventSignificance
907Tang Dynasty ends with Emperor Ai deposed.The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in China commences.
910King Edward the Elder of England, son of King Alfred, defeats the Northumbrian Vikings at the Battle of Tettenhall; they never raid south of the River Humber again.
910Cluny Abbey is founded by William I, Count of Auvergne.Cluny goes on to become the acknowledged leader of Western Monasticism. Cluniac Reforms initiated with the abbey's founding.
911The Viking Rollo and his tribe settle in what is now Normandy by the terms of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, founding the Duchy of Normandy.
917Battle of Anchialus. Simeon I the Great defeats the Byzantines.Recognition of the Imperial Title of the Bulgarian rulers.
919Henry the Fowler, Duke of Saxony elected German King. First king of the Ottonian Dynasty.Henry I considered the founder and first king of the medieval German state.
925The first King of Croatia (rex Croatorum), Tomislav (910–928) of the Trpimirović dynasty was crowned.Tomislav united Croats of Dalmatia and Pannonia into a single Kingdom, and created a sizeable state.
927King Aethelstan the Glorious unites the heptarchy of The Anglo-Saxon nations of Wessex, Sussex, Essex, Kent, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria founding the Kingdom of England.
927According to Theophanes Continuatus (The Continuer of Theophanes's Chronicle) – Tomislav of Croatia defeated Bulgarian army of Tsar Simeon I under Duke Alogobotur, in battle of the Bosnian Highlands.Bulgarian expansion to the west was stopped.
927Death of Simeon I the Great. Recognition of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, the first independent National Church in Europe.
929Abd-ar-Rahman III of the Umayyad dynasty in al-Andalus (part of the Iberian peninsula) takes the title of Caliph or ruler of the Islamic world.Beginning of the Caliphate of Córdoba (929–1031).
936Wang Geon unified Later Three Kingdoms of Korea.
938 Ngo Quyen won the battle of Bach Dang against Chinese Southern Han army. This event marked the independence of Vietnam after 1000 years under Chinese colony.
955Battle of Lechfeld. Otto the Great, son of Henry the Fowler, defeats the Magyars.This is the defining event that prevents the Hungarians from entering Central Europe.
c.960Mieszko I becomes duke of Polans.First historical ruler of Poland and de facto founder of the Polish State.
960Song Dynasty begins after Emperor of Taizu usurps the throne from the Later Zhou, last of the Five Dynasties.A 319-year period of Song rule (Northern & Southern combined) goes underway.
962Otto the Great crowned the Holy Roman Emperor.First to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor in nearly 40 years.
963–964Otto deposes Pope John XII who is replaced with Pope Leo VIII.Citizens of Rome promise not to elect another Pope without Imperial approval.
965–967Mieszko I of Poland and his court embrace Christianity, which becomes national religion.
969John I Tzimiskes and Nikephoros II are executed.Sultane of Rums are proclaimed.
976Death of John I Tzimiskes; Basil II (his co-emperor) takes sole power.Under Basil II zenith of the power of Eastern Empire after Justinian.
978Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir becomes de facto ruler of Muslim Al-Andalus.Peak of power of Moorish Iberia under "Almanzor".
981Basil II (called "Bulgar Slayer") begins final conquest of Bulgaria by Eastern Empire.Conquest finished by 1018.
985Eric the Red, exiled from Iceland, begins Scandinavian colonization of Greenland.
987Succession of Hugh Capet to the French Throne.Beginning of Capetian Dynasty.
988Volodymyr I of Kiev embraces Christianity, which becomes national religion.
989Peace and Truce of God formed.The first movement of the Catholic Church using spiritual means to limit private war, and the first movement in medieval Europe to control society through non-violent means.

High Middle Ages

11th century

YearDateEventSignificance
c. 1001Leif Ericson is to settle during the winter in present-day Canada at L'Anse aux Meadows.Ericson is to be the first European to settle in the Americas during the Norse exploration of the Americas.
1016Canute the Great becomes King of England after the death of Edmund Ironside, with whom he shared the English throne.Danes become kings of England for the next 26 years before the last rise of the Anglo-Saxons before the Norman Conquest.
1018The Byzantines under Basil II conquer Bulgaria after a bitter 50-years struggle.Concludes the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria.
1021The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu, is completed sometime before this date.[22]It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be considered a classic.[23]
1025The Canon of MedicinePersian Avicenna set standard medical textbook through 18th century in Europe
1037The Great Seljuk Empire is founded by Tughril Beg.Would be a major force during the first two Crusades, and an antagonist to the Byzantine Empire over the next century.
1049Pope Leo IX ascends to the papal throne.Leo IX was the pope that excommunicated Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius (who also excommunicated Leo), which caused the Great Schism.
1050The astrolabe, an ancient tool of navigation, is first used in Europe.Early tool of marine navigators, astrologers, astronomers.
1050Westminster AbbeyEdward the Confessor
1054The East-West Schism which divided the church into Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.Tensions will vary between the Catholic and Orthodox churches throughout the Middle Ages.
1066William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, invades England and becomes King after the Battle of Hastings.End of Anglo-Saxon rule in England and start of Norman lineage.
1067Pope Gregory VII elevated to the papal throne.This begins a period of church reform.
1071The Seljuks under Alp Arslan defeat the Byzantine army at Manzikert. The Normans capture Bari, the last Byzantine possession in southern Italy.Beginning of the end of Byzantine rule in Asia Minor.
1075Dictatus Papae in which Pope Gregory VII defines the powers of the pope.Peak of the Gregorian Reform, and an immense factor in the Investiture Controversy.
1077Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV walks to Canossa where he stands barefoot in the snow to beg forgiveness of the Pope for his offences, and admitting defeat in the Investiture Controversy.This helps establish Papal rule over European heads of state for another 450 years.
1077The Construction of the Tower of London begins.The tower of London was the ultimate keep of the British Empire.
1086The compilation of the Domesday Book, a great land and property survey commissioned by William the Conqueror to assess his new possessions.This is the first such undertaking since Roman times.
1088University of Bologna is formed.It is the oldest university in Europe.
1095Pope Urban issues the Crusades to capture the Holy Land, and to repel the Seljuk Turks from the Byzantine Empire from Alexios I Komnenos.This would be the first of 9 Major Crusades, and a number of other crusades that would spread into the late 13th century.
1098The Cistercian Order is founded.Was a return to the original observance of the Rule of St. Benedict.
1099First Crusade. Jerusalem is re-taken from the Muslims on the urging of Pope Urban II.This would lead to the beginning of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which would last for nearly two centuries; within the era of the Crusades to the Holy Land.

12th century

YearDateEventSignificance
1100Latin-translation of the great masters of Arabic medicine: Rhazes, Ishaq Ibn Imran, Ibn Suleiman, and Ibn al-JazzarConstantine the African
1102Kingdom of Croatia and Kingdom of Hungary formed a personal union of two kingdoms united under the Hungarian king. The act of union was deal with Pacta conventa, by which institutions of separate Croatian statehood were maintained through the Sabor (an assembly of Croatian nobles) and the ban (viceroy). In addition, the Croatian nobles retained their lands and titles.Medieval Hungary and Croatia were (in terms of public international law) allied by means of personal union until 1526. Although, Hungarian-Croatian state existed until the beginning of the 20th century and the Treaty of Trianon.
1102Synods of WestminsterEnd of simony, clerical marriages, slavery under Anselm of Canterbury
110628 SeptemberHenry I of England defeats his older brother Robert Curthose, duke of Normandy, at the Battle of Tinchebrai, and imprisons him in Devizes castle; Edgar Atheling and William Clito are also taken prisoner.This victory made a later struggle between England and the rising Capetian power in France inevitable.
1107Through the Compromise of 1107, suggested by Adela, the sister of King Henry, the Investiture Struggle in England is ended.This compromise removed one of the points of friction between the English monarchy and the Catholic Church.
1109In the Battle of Naklo, Boleslaus III Wrymouth defeats the Pomeranians.Polish access to the sea is re-established.
110924 AugustIn the Battle of Hundsfeld, Boleslaus III Wrymouth defeats Emperor Henry V.German expansion to the centre of Europe is stopped.
1116The Byzantine army defeats the Turks at Philomelion.The Turks abandon the entire coastal area of Anatolia and all of western Anatolia
1117The University of Oxford is founded.It is the oldest university in the United Kingdom.
1118The Knights Templar are founded to protect Jerusalem and European pilgrims on their journey to the city.Becomes the most recognizable, and impactful military orders during the Crusades.
112125 DecemberSt. Norbert and 29 companions make their solemn vows marking the beginning of the Premonstratensian Order.This order played a significant role in evangelizing the Slavs, the Wends, to the east of the Holy Roman Empire.
112223 SeptemberThe Concordat of Worms was drawn up between Emperor Henry V and Pope Calixtus II.This concordat ended the investiture struggle, but bitter rivalry between emperor and pope remained.
112318 March - 27 MarchThe First Lateran Council followed and confirmed the Concordat of Worms.
1125School of GlossatorsIrnerius
1125Lothair of Supplinburg, duke of Saxony, is elected Holy Roman Emperor instead of the nearest heir, Frederick of Swabia.This election marks the beginning of the great struggle between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines.
1125–1127Jingkang IncidentThe Jurchen soldiers sack Kaifeng, bringing an end to the Northern Song Dynasty in China; the Song moves further south and makes Lin'an their new capital.
113025 DecemberRoger II is crowned King of Sicily, a Royal title given him by the Antipope Anacletus II.This coronation marks the beginning of the Kingdom of Sicily and its Mediterranean empire under the Norman kings, which was able to take on the Holy Roman Empire, the Papacy, and the Byzantine Empire.
1130Sic et NonPeter Abelard
1135The Anarchy begins in England.This will mark a 19-year period of Government strife and Civil War between the supporters of Stephen and Matilda, and end with the crowning of Matilda's son, Henry II, and beginning the Plantagenet dynasty.
1139AprilThe Second Lateran Council declared clerical marriages invalid, regulated clerical dress, and punished attacks on clerics by excommunication.Enforces the major reforms that Gregory VII began to heavily campaign for several decades earlier.
1140DecretumGratian
1144Rebuild of Basilica of Saint DenisSuger
1147–1149The Second Crusade was in retaliation for the fall of Edessa, one of the first Crusader States founded in the First Crusade. It was an overall failure.This was the first Crusade to have been led by European kings.
1150Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, married Queen Petronilla of Aragon. They had been betrothed in 1137.This marriage gave the Kingdom of Aragon access to the Mediterranean Sea, creating a powerful kingdom which expanded to control many of the Mediterranean lands.
1150Founding of the University of Paris
1152The Synod of Kells-Mellifont established the present diocesan system of Ireland (with later modifications) and recognized the primacy of Armagh.This synod marks the inclusion of the Irish Church into mainstream European Catholicism.
1154Common LawHenry II
1158The Hanseatic League is founded.This marks a new period of trade and economic development for northern and central Europe.
1163The first cornerstone is laid for the construction of Notre Dame de Paris.
1166Stefan Nemanja united Serbian territories, establishing the Medieval Serbian state.This marks the rise of Serbia which will dominate the Balkans for the next three hundred years. Allies of Serbia at this moment become the Hungarian Kingdom and the Republic of Venice.
1171King Henry II of England lands in Ireland to assert his supremacy and the Synod of Cashel acknowledges his sovereignty.With his landing, Henry begins the English claim to and occupation of Ireland which would last some seven and a half centuries.
11747/12King William I of Scotland, captured in the Battle of Alnwick by the English, accepts the feudal lordship of the English crown and does ceremonial allegiance at York.This is the beginning of the gradual acquisition of Scotland by the English.
1175Hōnen Shōnin (Genkū) founds the Jōdo shū (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism.This event marks the beginning of the Buddhist sectarian movement in Japan.
11765/29At the Battle of Legnano, the cavalry of Frederick Barbarossa is defeated by the infantry of the Lombard League.This is the first major defeat of cavalry by infantry, signaling the new role of the bourgeoisie.
1175Latin-translationGerard of Cremona
1179church schoolsThird Council of the Lateran
1179MarchThe Third Lateran Council limits papal electees to the cardinals alone, condemns simony, and forbids the promotion of anyone to the episcopate before the age of thirty.
1183The final Peace of Constance between Frederick Barbarossa, the pope, and the Lombard towns is signed.The various articles of the treaty destroyed the unity of the Empire and Germany and Italy underwent separate developments.
1183The Taira clan are driven out of Kyōto by Minamoto Yoshinaka.The two-year conflict which follows ends at the Battle of Dan no Ura (1185).
1184NovemberPope Lucius III issues the papal bull Ad Abolendam.This bull set up the organization of the medieval inquisitions.
1185Windmills are first recorded.
1185Uprising of Asen and Peter. The reestablishment of the Bulgarian Empire.
1185At the Battle of Dan no Ura, Minamoto Yoshitsune annihilates the Taira clan.The elimination of the Taira leaves the Minamoto the virtual rulers of Japan and marks the beginning of the first period of feudal rule known as the Kamakura Period.
11861/27The future emperor Henry VI marries Constance of Sicily, heiress to the Sicilian throne.This marriage shifts the focus of the Guelphs/Ghibelline struggle to Sicily and marks the ruin of the House of Hohenstaufen.
1187Saladin recaptures Jerusalem.Would lead to the Third Crusade.
1188Tractatus of GlanvilOxford University
1189July 6Richard I ascends the throne of England.His heavy taxation to finance his European ventures created an antipathy of barons and people toward the crown, but his being absent enabled the English to advance in their political development.
1189–1192The Third Crusade follows upon Saladin's uniting the Muslim world and recapturing Jerusalem.Despite managing to win several major battles, the Crusaders did not recapture Jerusalem.
1192Minamoto no Yoritomo is appointed Sei-i Taishōgun, or shōgun for short.He is the first of a long line of military dictators to bear this title. The institution would last until 1913.
1193Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji sack and burn the university at Nalanda.This is the beginning of the decline of Buddhism in India.
1193The first known merchant guild.
1199Europeans first use compasses.

13th century

YearDateEventSignificance
1202The Fourth Crusade sacked Croatian town of Zadar (Italian: Zara), a rival of Venice. Unable to raise enough funds to pay to their Venetian contractors, the crusaders agreed to sack the city despite letters from Pope Innocent III forbidding such an action and threatening excommunication.Siege of Zara was the first major Crusade's action and the first attack against a Catholic city by Catholic crusaders.
1204Sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.Considered to be the beginning of the decline of the Byzantine Empire.
1205Battle of Adrianople. The Bulgarians under Emperor Kaloyan defeat Baldwin I.Beginning of the decline of the Latin Empire.
1206Genghis Khan was elected as Khagan of the Mongols and the Mongol Empire was established.The Mongols would conquer much of Eurasia, changing former political borders.
1208Pope Innocent III calls for the Albigensian Crusade which seeks to destroy a rival form of Christianity practiced by the Cathars.
1209The University of Cambridge is founded.
1209Founding of the Franciscan Order.One of the more significant orders in the Roman Catholic church, founded by Saint Francis of Assisi.
1212Spanish Christians succeed in defeating the Moors in the long Reconquista campaigns, after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.By 1238, only the small southern Emirate of Granada remained under Muslim control.
121515 JuneThe Magna Carta is sealed by John of England.This marks one of the first times a medieval ruler is forced to accept limits on his power.
1215Fourth Lateran Council. Dealt with transubstantiation, papal primacy and conduct of clergy. Proclaimed that Jews and Muslims should wear identification marks to distinguish them from Christians.
1216Papal recognition of the Dominican Order.
1219Serbian Orthodox Church becomes autocephalous under St. Sava, its first Archbishop.
122718 AugustGenghis Khan dies.His kingdom is divided among his children and grandchildren: Empire of the Great Khan, Chagatai Khanate, Mongolian Homeland, and the Blue Horde and White Horde (which would later become the Golden Horde).
1237–1240Mongol invasion of Rus' resumes.Causes the split of Kievan Rus' into three components (present day Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, greatly effects various regions of raided lands in other parts of Europe; Golden Horde formed.
1257Opening of the College of Sorbonne.
1257Provisions of Oxford forced upon Henry III of England.This establishes a new form of government-limited regal authority.
125829 January– 10 FebruarySiege of BaghdadMongols (the Ilkhanate) ensure control of the region; Generally considered the end of the Islamic Golden Age.
1258 The first Mongol invasion of Vietnam The Mongol army was defeated by emperor Tran Thai Tong of Đại Việt
1272–73The Ninth Crusade occurs.Considered to be the Last Major Crusade to take place in the Holy Land.
127329 SeptemberRudolph I of Germany is elected Holy Roman Emperor.This begins the Habsburg de facto domination of the crown that lasted until is dissolution in 1806.
1274Thomas Aquinas' work, Summa Theologica is published, after his death.Is the main staple of theology during the Middle Ages.
127919 MarchBattle of Yamen.Marks the end of the Song Dynasty in China, and all of China is under the rule of Kublai Khan as the emperor.
1282Sicilian Vespers. Sicilians massacre Angevins over a six-week period, after a Frenchman harassed a woman.Would mark a two decade period of war, and peace treaties mainly between Aragon, Sicily, and the Angevins.
1283First regulated Catalan Courts.Presided by king Peter III of Aragon for the whole Principality of Catalonia, it became in one of the first parliamentary bodies that banned the royal power to create legislation unilaterally.
1285 The second Mongol invasion of Vietnam The Mongol army was defeated by emperor Tran Nhan Tong and general Tran Hung Dao.
1287 The third Mongol invasion of Vietnam Decisive Vietnam victory. To avoid further conflict, Đại Việt agreed to a tributary relationship with the Yuan dynasty
1296Edward I of England invades Scotland, starting the First War of Scottish Independence.
129711 SeptemberThe Battle of Stirling Bridge.William Wallace emerges as the leader of the Scottish resistance to England.
1298Marco Polo publishes his tales of China, along with Rustichello da Pisa.A key step to the bridging of Asia and Europe in trade.
129927 JulyThe Ottoman Empire is founded by Osman I.Becomes longest lasting Islamic Empire, lasting over 600 years into the 20th century.

Late Middle Ages

14th century

YearDateEventSignificance
1305Wednesday August 23William Wallace is executed for treason.
1307Friday, October 13thThe Knights Templar are rounded up and murdered by Philip the Fair of France, with the backing of the Pope.Hastens the demise of the order within a decade.
1307Beginning of the Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy during which the Popes moved to Avignon.Begins a period of over seven decades of the Papacy outside of Rome that would be one of the major factors of the Western Schism.
1310Dante publishes his Divine Comedy.Is one of the most defining works of literature during the Late Middle Ages, and among the most recognizable in all of literature.
131423–24 JuneBattle of Bannockburn.Robert the Bruce restores Scotland's de facto independence.
1325The Mexica found the city of Tenochtitlan.This would later be the epicenter and capital of the Aztec Empire until the Siege of Tenochtitlan 200 years later.[24]
1328The First War of Scottish Independence ends in Scottish victory with the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton and de jure independence.
1323Romance of the three kingdom
1333Emperor Go-Daigo returns to the throne from exile, and begins the Kenmu restoration.The Kamakura Shogunate comes to an end, and the Kenmu Restoration only lasts a few years before the Ashikaga Shogunate begins.
1337The Hundred Years' War begins. England and France struggle for a dominating position in Europe and their region.The war will span through three/four different war periods within a 116-year period.
1346August 26thBattle of Crécy.English forces led by Edward III and Edward, the Black Prince defeat the French forces of Philip VI despite being outnumbered at least 4 to 1, with the longbow being a major factor in favor of England. Also considered to be the beginning of the end of classic chivalry.
1347The Black Death ravages Europe for the first of many times. An estimated 20% – 40% of the population is thought to have perished within the first year.The first of many concurrences of this plague, This was believed to have wiped out as many as 50% of Europe's population by its end.
1347The University of Prague is founded.It is the oldest Czech and German-Speaking University in the world
1364AstrariumGiovanni de dondi
1368The fall of the Yuan Dynasty. Its remnants, known as Northern Yuan, continued to rule Mongolia.The breakup of the Mongol Empire, which marked the end of Pax Mongolica.
1370Tamerlane establishes the Timurid Dynasty.During this 35-year period, Tamerlane would ravage his fellow Islamic states such as the Golden Horde and the Delhi Sultanate in order to accomplish his goal of a restored Mongol Empire.
1378The Western Schism during which three claimant popes were elected simultaneously.The Avignon Papacy ends.
1380Prince Dmitry Donskoy of Moscow led a united Russian army to a victory over the Mongols in the Battle of Kulikovo.
1380Chaucer begins to write The Canterbury Tales.Chaucer's greatest work, and one of the foundations towards the formation of the Modern English language
1381Peasants' Revolt in England.Quickest-spread revolt in English history, and the most popular revolt of the Late Middle Ages.
1381The Bible is translated into English by John Wycliffe.First print published in English (Vulgate)
1386October 18–19thThe University of Heidelberg is founded.It is the oldest university in Germany.
1389June 28thBattle of Kosovo in Serbia.This was in many respects the decisive battle between the Turks, led by Sultan Murat, and Christian army, led by the Serbs and their duke Lazar. The battle took place in Kosovo, the southern province of the Medieval Serbian Empire. After this battle Turkish empire continued to spread over the Balkans, to finally reach Vienna.
1392Joseon Dynasty founded in Korea.Becomes longest reigning Korean dynasty.
1396The Battle of Nicopolis.The last great Crusade fails. Bulgaria was conquered by the Ottomans
1397The Kalmar Union is formed.Queen Margaret I of Denmark unites the Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, and lasts until 1523.
1399Richard II abdicates the throne to Henry of Bolingbroke, who becomes Henry IV of England.End of Plantagenet Dynasty, beginning of the Lancaster lineage of kings.

15th century (until 1492)

YearDateEventSignificance
1402July 20thBattle of AnkaraBayezid I is captured by Tamerlane's forces, causing the interregnum of the Ottoman Empire.
1405Chinese naval expeditions of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean (to Eastern Africa) begin, under the leadership of Zheng He.This will be the first of seven of the Ming Dynasty-sponsored expeditions, lasting until 1433.
1409Ladislaus of Naples sells his "rights" on Dalmatia to the Venetian Republic for 100,000 ducats.Dalmatia would with some interruptions remain under Venetian rule for nearly four centuries, until 1797.
1410Battle of GrunwaldMajor turning point in history of Poland and the Teutonic Order.
1415Kingdom of Portugal conquers Ceuta.Beginning of the Portuguese Empire. Beginning of the Age of Discovery.
1415October 25Battle of Agincourt. Henry V and his army defeat a numerically superior French army, partially because of the newly introduced English longbow.The turning point in the Hundred Years' War for 15th-century England that leads to the signing of the Treaty of Troyes five years later, making Henry V heir to the throne of France.
1417The Council of Constance ends.The Western Schism comes to a close, and elects Pope Martin V as the sole pope.
1419Hussite Wars begin after four years after the death of Jan Hus in central Europe, dealing with the followers of Jan Hus and those against them.Although the war was a stalemate (ended around 1434), it was another factor that between the Catholics and Protestants before the Protestant Reformation.
1428 Itzcoatl, the fourth Mexica king in Tenochtitlán, allied with Texcoco and Tlacopan, defeats Azcapotzalco. Signifies the birth of the Aztec Empire and the start of an aggressive expansion lasting 90 years. Itzcoatl and his men began burning historic hieroglyphic books of conquered states, rewriting history with the Mexica at its center.[24]
1429Joan of Arc lifts the siege of Orléans for the Dauphin of France, enabling him to eventually be crowned at Reims.The battle at Orléans is the first of many which ultimately drive the English from continental Europe.
143130 MayTrial and execution of Joan of Arc.Death of the woman who helped turn the Hundred Years' War in favor of the French over the past two years.
1434The Medici family rises to prominence in Florence.This ushers in a period of significance of the Medicis, such as bankers, popes, queens (regents) and dukes, throughout Europe (mainly Italy, especially the Florentine Republic), over the next three centuries.
1434Aronolfini Portrait Jan Van Eyckevidence on usage of convex mirror
1438 Prince Cusi Yupanqui becomes the first Inca emperor. Inca civilization begins expanding and the Inca Empire is born.[24]
1439Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press.Literature, news, etc. becomes more accessible throughout Europe.
1442Battle of SzebenThird significant victory for the Hungarian forces led by Janos Hunyadi over the Ottoman forces.
1443HangulSejong
1444November 10Battle of VarnaFinal battle of the Crusade of Varna; Ottomans are victorious over the Hungarian-Polish armies, and Władysław III of Poland dies.
1452Coronation of Frederick III
1453Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks.End of the Byzantine Empire (or Eastern Roman Empire to some); Constantinople becomes capital of Ottoman Empire.
1453The Hundred Years' War ends.England's once vast territory in France is now reduced to only Calais, which they eventually lose control of as well.
1455May 22Battle of St. AlbansTraditionally marks the beginning of the War of the Roses.
1456Siege of BelgradeMajor Ottoman advances are halted for seven decades; last major victory for Hunyadi.
1459Smederevo falls under the TurksMarks the end of the Medieval Serbian Empire.
1461The Empire of Trebizond falls to the Ottoman Turks.Last Roman outpost to be conquered by the Ottomans.
1464Dardanelles gunTurkish Munir Ali
1467–1477Ōnin War takes place in Japan.First of many significant civil wars between shogunates that would continue for another century during the Muromachi period.
1475The Khanate of Crimea is conquered and made a vassal state by the Ottoman Empire.Venice is defeated and the Ottoman Empire becomes master of the Aegean Sea.
1485Thomas Malory composes Le Morte d'ArthurPerhaps the best-known work of Arthurian literature in English.
1485August 22ndBattle of Bosworth Field.Richard III dies in battle, and Henry Tudor becomes king of England; last shift of Houses/kingship during the War of the Roses.
1487June 16Battle of Stoke.Marks end of the War of the Roses.
1492Reconquista ends.Marks end of Moorish-Muslim rule within Iberian Peninsula; Unification of Spain and Portugal, respectively.
1492Christopher Columbus reaches the New World.Age of Discovery into the New World begins.

15th century (after 1492)

Events between the traditional end of the Middle Ages in 1492 and the beginning of the 16th century:

YearDateEventSignificance
1494June 10Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas and agree to divide the World outside of Europe between themselves.Pope's ruling will lead to the division of Brazil and Spanish America, as well as the formation of the Spanish Philippines and Portuguese colonies in India and Africa.
1494–1559The Italian Wars.Italian Wars will eventually lead to the downfall of the Italian city-states.
1497Vasco da Gama begins his first voyage from Europe to India and back.Vasco da Gama was the first European to sail directly to Eastern Asia from Europe.
1499Ottoman fleet defeats Venetians at the Battle of Zonchio.The first naval battle that used cannons in ships.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Civilization.ca – Mystery of the Maya – Maya civilization timeline". www.historymuseum.ca. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
  2. ↑ Chapman, John (1922). "St Jerome and the Vulgate New Testament (I–II)". The Journal of Theological Studies. o.s. 24 (93): 33–51. doi:10.1093/jts/os-XXIV.93.33. ISSN 0022-5185. Chapman, John (1923). "St Jerome and the Vulgate New Testament (III)". The Journal of Theological Studies. o.s. 24 (95): 282–299. doi:10.1093/jts/os-XXIV.95.282. ISSN 0022-5185.
  3. ↑ Moorhead, Sam; Stuttard, david (2010). AD 410 The Year That Shook Rome.
  4. ↑ Schaff, Philip; Wace, Henry, eds. (1890), The Seven Ecumenical Councils, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Second Series, 14, The Seven Ecumenical Councils, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A.: Eerdmans Pub Co., ISBN 0-8028-8129-7
  5. ↑ "June 2, 455 – Gaiseric, The Vandals & The Sack of Rome". Multiply. 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "Multiply.com". History101.multiply.com. 2013-05-31. Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  7. ↑ Dupuy, R. Ernest & al. The Harper Encyclopedia of Military History From 3500 B.C. to the Present, 4th ed., p. 193. HarperCollins Pub. (New York), 1993.
  8. ↑ Hollister, C. Warren. The Making of England to 1399, 8th ed., p. 31. Houghton Mifflin Co. (New York), 2001.
  9. ↑ ""
  10. ↑ The Consolation of Philosophy (Oxford World's Classics), Introduction (2000)
  11. ↑ "Medieval Sourcebook: Procopius: JUSTINIAN SUPPRESSES THE NIKA REVOLT, 532". Paul Halsall. 1996. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "Scotland's History – Columba". BBC. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  13. ↑ "Teotihuacan". Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
  14. ↑ Ebrey, Cambridge Illustrated History of China, 114: "[…] the Grand Canal, dug between 605 and 609 by means of enormous levies of conscripted labour."
  15. ↑ Snow, Dean (2010). Archaeology of Native North America. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. p. 157.
  16. ↑ Encyclopedia of World History, Vol I, P464 Three Kingdoms, Korea, Edited by Marsha E. Ackermann, Michael J. Schroeder, Janice J. Terry, Jiu-Hwa Lo Upshur, Mark F. Whitters, ISBN 978-0-8160-6386-4
  17. ↑ Encyclopedia, Naver
  18. ↑ Korean Britannica Encyclopedia, Daum
  19. ↑ Dvornik, Francis (1956). The Slavs: Their Early History and Civilization. Boston: American Academy of Arts and Sciences. p. 179. The Psalter and the Book of Prophets were adapted or "modernized" with special regard to their use in Bulgarian churches, and it was in this school that glagolitic writing was replaced by the so-called Cyrillic writing, which was more akin to the Greek uncial, simplified matters considerably and is still used by the Orthodox Slavs.
  20. ↑ Florin Curta (2006). Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500–1250. Cambridge Medieval Textbooks. Cambridge University Press. pp. 221–222. ISBN 0521815398.
  21. ↑ The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire, Oxford History of the Christian Church, J. M. Hussey, Andrew Louth, Oxford University Press, 2010, ISBN 0191614882, p. 100.
  22. ↑ The Diary of Lady Murasaki, ed. Richard Bowring, Penguin Classics 2005, p.31, note 41. In his introduction to the text, Bowring discusses its dating which, in any case, is generally accepted by most authorities. Royall Tyler, in his edition of the Tale of Genji cited below, also draws attention to the entry in Murasaki Shikibu's diary: see the Penguin Books edition, 2003, Introduction, p.xvii
  23. ↑ Birmingham Museum of Art (2010). Birmingham Museum of Art : guide to the collection. [Birmingham, Ala]: Birmingham Museum of Art. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-904832-77-5.
  24. 1 2 3 Restall, Matthew; Lane, Kris (2011). Latin America in Colonial Times. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. pp. 68–74. ISBN 978-0-521-13260-2.
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