The Middle Ages

Europe

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Middle Ages Timeline

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Charlemagne crowned “Holy Roman Emperor” by the Pope

In 800 AD, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor. Charlemagne was the first ‘Christian king’. His relationship with the Catholic Church helped strengthen the connection between religion and government during the Middle Ages.

William the Conqueror Invades England

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A Norman king by the name of William invaded England in 1066 and brought a stable, central rule to the region for the first time. It also began 850 years of nearly constant conflict between England and France.

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The Fall of Rome

In 476, the city of Rome was invaded and burned by Germanic marauders from the north. This event signaled the end of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the period known as the Middle Ages in Europe.

King John Signs Magna Carta

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In 1215, King John of England signed the Magna Carta. This document transferred some of his ruling power to his nobles. It is an important landmark in the growth of democratic government.

The Black Death Devastates Europe

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In 1347 a plague known as the Black Death began in Italy. Within 3 years it had spread throughout Europe, wiping out perhaps one quarter of its population. Believed to be bubonic plague, this catastrophe significantly delayed the advancement of European civilization.

The First of the Christian Crusades

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During the Middle Ages European kings and their vassals went on several military ‘crusades’ to the Palestine region in order to liberate traditional Christian holy lands from Muslim forces occupying them.

The End of the Hundred Years War

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The end of over one hundred years of fighting between England and France brought a new era of stable nation states and a stronger European economy. Combined with the beginning of the Renaissance, it signaled the end of the Middle Ages.

Goodbye!