European Middle Ages — Timeline

British Middle Ages — 500 to 1650

Rise of the Franks to Thirty Year's War


YearEvent

Christian Conversion

500 Conversion of Clovis to Catholic Christianity.
520 Saint Benedict founds Western Monasticism.
785 Baptism of Wittekind the Saxon, chief of the Saxons.
865 Cyril and Methodius convert Slavs to Christianity.
1000 Olaf I converts Vikings to Christianity.
1000 Steven of Hungary converts Hungarians to Christianity.

The Viking Menace

885 Vikings Besiege Paris.
911 Rollo the Viking becomes the first Duke of Normandy.

The Moslem Threat and the Crusades

732 Charles Martel stops the Mohammedan invasion at the Battle of Tours.
1096 Peter the Hermit organizes the First Crusade.
1270 Saint Louis IX dies on his final Crusade in Tunis.
1453 Mohammed II Conquers Constantinople, expands Turkish empire in Balkans.
1492 Ferdinand the Catholic Conquers Granada, last of the Moors are driven from Spain.
1517 Don John of Austria defeats Turkish Army at the Battle of Lepanto.
1683 Second Siege of Vienna relieved by Polish king John III Sobieski .

Church-State Conflicts

800 Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome.
1076 Pope Gregory VII seeks to reform lay bishoprics; excommunicates Henry IV.
1303-1378 "Avignon Papacy" is captive of the French Crown.
1378-1417 Western Schism. Multiple claimants for the office of pope.

New World Exploration

1492 Christopher Columbus discovers America.
1498 Vasco da Gama opens up a trade route to Asia.
1521 Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigating the globe.

The Reformation

1450 John Gutenberg publishes the first Bible.
1517 Martin Luther initiates Protestant Reformation in Germany.
1572 St. Bartholomew Day's Massacre of Huguenots in France.
1568 Revolt of the Netherlands led by William the Silent
1598 Henry IV issues edict of Nantes, granting rights to Protestants.
1620-1650 The Thirty Years War devastates Germany, and reduces power of the Catholic Hapsburgs.