500 to 1000 AD
“The
Dark Ages”
Science & Technology
Agriculture and Food Production
·
700s
A three-field system of crop
rotation begins to be practiced in western Europe, which prevents the
exhaustion of soil by leaving a third of the field fallow for a year and by
planting crops that replenish soil nutrients
Military
·
700s The
use of horseshoes and stirrups in western
Europe becomes common, enabling horses to become more efficient in the field
and on the battlefield
·
850
Gunpowder is invented in China
Mathematics
·
820 Muhammad Al-Kwarzimi of Baghdad writes treatises
on Hindu mathemtics that passes algebra
to the west. The Muslims also introduce the decimal system and number zero
from India,
as well as the Arabic numeral system
used in the west.
Time-Keeping
·
785 The
Roman Year 753 became 1 AD - Anno Domini ("in the year of the Lord")
- under Charlemagne.
◄ ►
Europe
Politics
·
Feudalism: Most
of Europe is governed at this time in a
hierarchical system derived from the Germans. At the bottom are the peasants
who work their own parcel of land and produce their own goods, but are tied to
the land – they cannot leave without a lord’s permission – and must give a
percentage of their goods produced (or money from selling them) to the lord as
a tax. Above them are the local lords – the landowners, who probably had
recently conquered the land, or had it given to them by the king. The local lords swear an oath of loyalty and
military service to higher lords, up to the king. With the Carolingians lesser
lords - “vassals” paid “homage” to higher lords, and them to
kings, in a public ceremony. This custom spread throughout Europe
in different forms. In some cases the vassals did not own land, but were
employed by the lord, for example a carpenter or a monestary. Churches and monestaries also had vassals
under them. Free men also lived in towns or as “freeholders” – landowners in
their own right - outside of the feudal system. The feudal system was stronger
in the north than in the south. Serfs or “villains” could escape their bondage
if they remained off the estate (usually in a free town) for a year and a day.
·
700s The
introduction of stirrups leads to the development of calvary, who become the Knights and aristocracy of the Middle Ages. The
high cost of maintaining a cavalry leads to the warriors being given fiefs of
land to maintain themselves, as opposed to being a roaming band of warriors.
This lead to the development of feudalism.
·
500s: Europe
mostly consists of loosely federated kingdoms of German tribal bands who have conquered the terriotory of the Western
Roman empire. In France the Franks
achieve dominance, conquering Burgundy
in 534, and they adopt a Romance language and Roman customs. In Spain
the Visigoths rule (except for a brief interruption by the Byzantines) and in England
Anglo-Saxon kingdoms rule. In Italy the
Ostrogoths initially rule, until Justinian and the Byzantines reconquer it
(with Lombard help) in 552. In 568 the Lombards establish duchies in the north and south, while
the Byzantines retain the middle, the “Exarchate of Italy”. The Popes constantly seek assistance
against invasion. In Eastern
Europe the Slavs and Avars rule. 542-594 Plague spreads through Europe,
killing about half the population.
·
600s: In
France the Franks are reunited.
In England the Anglo-Saxons adopt
the Roman church. The Byzantine
Empire is attacked by Muslims. In Eastern Europe the Bulgarian Kingdom is established.
·
700s: In
France,
the Carolingians become king of the Franks, and Charlemagne conquers most of Germany
(Saxony, Austria) and
northern Italy.
In England
Mercia
becomes the dominant kingdom. In Spain
the Muslim Moors conquer most of the peninsula, except for Christian kingdoms
in the north. The Iconoclastic Controversy widens the gap between the Eastern
and Western Christian Churches.
·
800s: Charlemagne
is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope. At the death the Frankish kingdom is
divided into Eastern (Germany),
Western (France),
and Middle Kingdoms. The Middle Kingdom
is divided into Burgundy and Italy, and Thurinigia is absorbed
by the other two. Viking raids begin on England, which is divided between Wessex and the Danes, and Ireland. Later they settle in France where the Duchy of Normandy is
established, and the Kingdom of Rus in Russia. The Vikings also settle Iceland and Greenland.
Arab forces briefly hold parts of Italy.
·
900s:
France
is progressively divied into small territorial units; the Capetians of Paris
(Ile de France) become Kings. Germany
is divided into 5 duchies, of which the Ottonians of Saxony emerge as leaders
against the invading Magyars (Hungarians), conquer Italy, begin German expansion to
the east, and are crowned Holy Roman Emperor. Nothern Italy becomes part of the (German) Holy Roman
Empire, while the Lombard duchies in the
southern part go to the Byzantines. In Spain
the reconquista begins. England
is reunified by the kings of Wessex,
now the kings of England.
Denmark, Sweden, and Norway
become Christian kingdoms, as do Russia
(Kiev), Poland,
Bohemia, Hungary,
and Croatia
at the end of the century.
◄ ►
Economics
·
400s-500s A
barter economy replaces money in most of Europe.
Trade falls drastically. Estates are either self-sufficient or trade
locally. Bread and beer become the
standard diet; oils, spices and wine disappear. Parchment replaces papyrus.
Trade with Byzantium
and the East dwindles but never fully stops. The vast majority of the
population live on rural estates, with towns growing slowly only in Italy,
where trade continued.
·
500-1000s
Agricultural Revolution. The Slavs adopt a new heavy-wheeled plow which allows farming of previously
unusable land. These spread across Europe to England by the 800s. In the 700s
with the new plows, common-fields appear,
first with 2 fields (cereal crops and fallow), then with the introduction of
beans and peas, three-field rotation.
The scythe replaces the sickle, and horse-shoes and harnesses all leads to improved
agricultural productivity, deforestation and an increase in population . The
center of population growth moves from the Mediterranean
to the North. In the south many of these changes did not occur, although new
crops (rice, vegetables) and irrigation techniques were introduced by the
Muslims.
◄ ►
Christianity
·
496 Clovis, ruler of the
Franks, is converted to Christianity
·
ca. 530 Saint Benedict codifies the Benedictine
rule for monasteries adopted throughout Europe.
·
600-700s The
papacy gains increasing independence from Byzantium,
acquiring sovereignty over territories in much of central Italy, including Ravenna.
·
799 Pope Leo III is attacked and deposed by
rival group in Rome,
travels to Charlemagne for help, who restores him. 800 Dec. 25 Charlemagne crowned first Holy Roman Emperor in St. Peters Basillica in Rome by Pope Leo III – the only time the Pope
has bowed before a king. For the first time there is a challenge to the
authority of the Byzantine Emperor over Christendom
·
1054 The Great Schism: Orthodox and Catholic Churches separate
◄ ►
Britain
·
410 Britain gains "independence" from Rome.
·
418 Pelagian heresy outlawed in Rome, but in Britain, enjoys much support from
"pro-Celtic" faction.
·
c.440-50
Civil war and famine, caused by ruling council's weakness and inability to deal
with Pictish invasions, aggravated by tensions between Pelagian/Roman factions.
Vacated towns and cities in ruin. Migration of pro-Roman citizens toward west.
Country beginning to be divided, geographically, along factional lines.
Invasion of the Saxons, Saxon-British Wars, 450-496
·
449 Jutes
under Hengest and Horsa conquer Kent
·
c.450 Britons use Saxon mercenaries for defense against
northern barbarians attack. Raids on British towns and cities become more
frequent. c.456 Probably fictitious Saxon massacre of
300 British noblemen at phony "peace" conference.
·
457
Saxon uprising in full-swing. Battle of Aylesford (Kent) in which Britons under
Ambrosius defeats Saxons under
Hengest for the first time. Hengest finally conquers Kent.466 Battle of Wippedesfleot, Saxons defeat Britons with great slaughter,
results in a respite from fighting.
·
458-60
Migration of British aristocrats and city-dwellers to Brittany (the "second migration").
·
460-70
Ambrosius Aurelianus takes control
of pro-Roman faction and British resistance.
·
469
12,000 man British force sent to aid the Romans against the Visigoths is wiped
out in battle
·
477
Saxons land on Sussex
coast. Britons engage them but are driven them into the forest (Weald).
|
Anglo-Saxon
Word
|
Meaning
|
|
Easter
|
Goddess of Spring
|
|
Friday
|
From "Frigga", wife of Odin.
|
|
Tuesday
|
From "Tiw", god of war.
|
|
Thursday
|
From "Thor", god of thunder.
|
|
Welsh
|
Speakers of a strange language
|
|
Wednesday
|
From "Odin", god of inspiration
|
|
Yule
|
|
·
496
Britons, under Ambrosius and the "war leader" Arthur, defeat Saxons at the Siege
of “Mount Badon” (Mons Badonicus), whose exact
location is unknown. Saxon advance is halted. A generation of peace ensues.
Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy
·
500-600 Seven
kingdoms are formed by the Angles (East Anglia,
Mercia, and Northunbria),
Saxons (Essex, Sussex,
and Wessex), and Jutes (Kent).
Romano-British rule Cornwall. The Angles kingdoms of Bernecia (founded by
King Ida in 547) and Deira are united in the 600s to form Northumbria.
·
c.500-50 Spread of
Celtic monasticism throughout Europe. Mass
migration of Celtic monks to Brittany
(the "third migration"). 550
St. David takes Christianity to Wales
·
597 St. Augustine, the missionary sent from
Pope Gregory to convert the Saxons, brings Roman Christianity to Britain
for the first time. Augustine founded a monastery and church at Canterbury,
and was proclaimed its first Archbishop. Kent is the first kingdom to become
fully Christian.
·
664 The Synod of Whitby is held, dealing with the
liturgical conflicts (such as the dating of Easter) between the Celtic and
Roman branches of Christianity. The king of Northumbria
abandons the Celtic Church and accepts the faith of Rome,
bringing England into a
closer alliance with Europe. The Welsh church
conforms with Rome
in 768.
·
757-796
Offa, King of Mercia, becomes King of all England. He builds Offa's Dyke to
keep out the Welsh. The death of Offa is end of Mercian supremacy in England
|
Norse
|
English
|
|
anger
|
wrath
|
|
nay
|
no
|
|
fro
|
from
|
|
raise
|
rear
|
|
ill
|
sick
|
|
bask
|
bathe
|
|
skill
|
craft
|
|
skin
|
hide
|
|
dike
|
ditch
|
|
skirt
|
shirt
|
|
scatter
|
shatter
|
|
skip
|
shift
|
Invasion of the Danes (Vikings)
·
793
Vikings invade Britain
for the first time in a surprise attack on the monastic communities at
Lindisfarne and Iona (795).
·
828
Egbert of Wessex is recognized as overlord of other English kings.
·
856-875
Vikings conquer all Anglo-Saxon kingdoms except Wessex,
make York their capital.
·
871-899
Alfred the Great, king of Wessex,
becomes king of Britain.
878 Alfred defeats the Danes at Edington; by the Peace of Wedmore, England
is divided between Wessex
and the Danes in the north, the Danelaw.
886 Alfred captures London from the Danes.
·
901
Edward, son of Alfred, takes the title "King of the Angles and
Saxons"
·
924-939 Athelstan,
king of Wessex, annexes Northumbria, and forces the kings of Wales,
Strathclyde, the Picts, and the Scots to submit to him. 937 Battle of Brunanburh: Athelstan defeats alliance of Scots and
Vikings, takes the title of "King of all Britain"
·
988-1012
The Danes renew their raids on England. After the Battle of Maldon
in 991,King AEthelred periodically buys off the
Danes and Norwegians (Danegeld). 1002 Aethelred marries Emma, sister of
Duke Richard II of Normandy. Massacre
of St. Brice’s Day: Aethelred orders the slaughter of all Danish settlers
in southern England.
·
1013
Sweyn, a Dane, lands in England
and is proclaimed king; AEthelred flees to Normandy. 1014 The English recall AEthelred as King on the death of Sweyn;
Canute, son of Sweyn, retreats to Denmark
·
1014-1035
Canute (Knut) returns to conquer England after Aethelred’s death. In
1016 Edmund Ironside, son of
Aethelred, divides England
with Canute, then is assassinated, Canute becomes King of England. In 1018 Canute claims the Danish throne
when his brother dies and, through conquest gains control of Norway and Scotland. He marries Emma of
Normandy, widow of AEthelred, and converts to Christianity. Canute divides England
into four earldoms. However, after his death in 1035, the Danish empire rapidly
disintegrates (to 1042).
·
1042-1066
Edward the Confessor, son of AEthelred, returns from Normandy where he had been in exile and
claims the throne upon the death of Canute's last son, Harold I, Harefoot. He
promotes Normans
in English church and government, paving the way for the Norman invasion, and
founds Westminster Abbey.
·
1053
Harold, brother-in-law of Edward, becomes Earl of Wessex, Harold's brother
Tostig becomes Earl of Northumbria. Harold and Tostig subdue Wales. 1064 Harold is shipwrecked in Normandy;
while there, he swears a solemn oath to support William of Normandy's claim to England.
Northumbria
rebels against Tostig, who is exiled
·
1066
Harold II is crowned king the day after Edward the Confessor dies. Tostig
and Harold Hardraada of Norway invade England: Harold defeats them at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, killing
both; 19 days later at the Battle of
Hastings: Harold is unable to organize an effective resistance against the
invasion by William of Normandy, who
lands at Pevensey, defeats and kills Harold; becomes King of England.
Art
·
c. 625
The Sutton Hoo ship burial is
interred, a rich array of objects buried inside a wooden ship, under a mound. many Grave objects include an iron helmet decorated with
tinned bronze foil appliqués, gold buckles inlaid with niello, and a purse
cover adorned with cloisonné enamel. Coins found among the grave goods help to
date it; many of the objects appear to have originated in Anglo-Saxon workshops.
The find is associated with Raedwald (d. 625), king of East Anglia, who converted to
Christianity but then returned to paganism. This would explain the
pre-Christian burial style, with grave goods and a barrow tomb
·
c. 699 The epic Beowulf is completed
·
c. 700
Lindisfarne Gospels created at Lindisfarne monastery. These include Christian figural
imagery with Mediterranean-inspired iconography, as well as brilliantly colored
abstract geometric designs.
·
731
Venerable Bede, British monk, completes his Ecclesiastical History of the British Islands
·
ca. 800
The Book of Kells is created,
perhaps at the Irish monastery at Iona.
Considered a masterpiece of Hiberno-Saxon art, the book is filled with
full-page illuminations of breathtaking complexity and intricate interlace
patterning
·
c. 890 Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical
record of the times that begins in the reign of Alfred the Great and continues
in one version until 1155.
◄ ►
Scotland
·
Scots
from Ireland form the
Christian kingdom of Dalriada,
Britons form the Strathclyde,
Anglo-Saxons settle in Bernicia.
Picts control the rest of the country.
·
563 Saint Columba of Ireland arrives on the island of Iona
and founds a monastery there. He and his followers travel through Scotland and Northumbria, converting the Picts
and Celts to Christianity
·
844 Kenneth MacAlpine, King of the Scots,
conquers the Picts
·
980
Kenneth II conquers Bernicia
◄ ►
Ireland
·
500-795
Monastaries form, create both ecclesiastic and
civil laws, become seats of learning & economic centers. Irish monks re-Christianize Europe, forming
churches in Vienna & Kiev.
·
561 Battle
of Culdremna.
·
800
Viking invasions begin, on Lambay Island, off Dublin.
Raids continue to 950, targeting monasteries. “Round towers” become common defensive centers in monastaries.
914-920 Vikings established settlements at Waterford,
Dublin, & Limerick
·
908 The Eoganachta defeated when they tried to
subject Leinster to Cashel's rule. Their king,
Cormac MacCullenan, was killed.
·
976-1014
Brian Boru, initially tribal head of Dal Chaise (County
Clare), becomes King of Munster in 976
after defeating the Norse in Tipperary with Malachy, who became king of Tara. In 998 Boru and Malachy divide Ireland between them, but disputes arise and in
1002 Boru defeats Malachy at Tara, and wins recognition as king of all Ireland.
1014 He defeats the Vikings at the Battle
of Clontarf, ending their influence in Ireland, but is killed in his tent
at the age of 75.
◄ ►
Scandanavia
·
c. 500 The
Vendel culture develops. The chief of the Norse gods, Odin, is a warrior and a
prophet. Thor, the smith, is the favorite god of farmers and craftsmen. Freyr
is the god of fertility. The heroic dead are brought to Valhalla
by the Valkyries, where they fight every day and feast every night until
Ragnarok, the day of destruction.
·
Over
the three centuries, the Viking attack sites all over Europe.
Longboats and navigation skills help the Vikings to make long voyages. Vikings
turn from raiders into traders, and from longboats to merchant-ships.
·
793-1066
Vikings raid the British Isles.
·
839-950 Vikings
attack Ireland.
914-920 Vikings established
settlements at Waterford, Dublin,
& Limerick
·
842-859
Norsemen attack the French coast, Spain,
and the Mediterranean.
·
862 Rurik of
the Viking tribe of Rus conquers northern Russia,
forming the Kingdom of Rus,
with its capitals at Novgorod
and Kiev. 865
Russian Vikings attack Constantinople, where
some settle and serve in the imperial guard (the Verangian Guard).
·
871
Vikings arrive in Iceland,
which had been discovered by Irish monks. By 930 10,000 Norsemen are there, and a state is formed with an
assembly, the Althing, that continues
to meet today. The Sagas and Eddas are historic accounts, including
the exploration of Greenland and Vinland.
·
911 The
Franks hand over Normandy
to Rollo (Hrolf), leader of the Normans.
·
960 Harald Bluetooth, king of Denmark,
unifies his kingdom and adopts Christianity, erecting a carved stone at Jelling
to commemorate his conversion.
·
982 Eric the Red establishes first Viking colony in Greenland
·
988-999
Vikings and Danes under Sweyn attack Britain.
·
992-1024 Olaf
Skutkonung, King of Sweden,
converts to Christianity.
·
995 Olaf
Trygvesson deposes Haakon the Great, makes himself King of Norway
·
c.1000 Viking raider Leif
Eriksson discovers North America, calls it Vinland. L’Anse aux Meadows founded on Newfoundland (discovered
in 1960). Settlers apparently attacked by Native Americans, settlements
abandoned.
◄ ►
France
Merovingians, 482-751
·
482-511 Clovis I becomes king of the Salian (western) Franks when his father,
a commander in the Roman army, dies. Later he is elected King of the eastern
Franks, and establishes the Frankish kingdom as the dominant force in Gaul. 496 Clovis converts to
Orthodox Christianity, gaining the trust of Byzantine rulers. 507 Franks conquer Visigoths in
southern France, annexes Toulouse. Visigoths retain
control of the Iberian Peninsula. 508 Establishes Paris as his capital. 511 Death of Clovis, division of his
kingdom among his sons, which will become the Kingdoms of Neustria and Austrasia.
Though his descendants, the Merovingians, would never wield the territorial
power he did, many of them would be honored by Constantinople
with titles such as consul
·
534 Franks
conquer Burgundy
·
681 Pepin
the Younger, mayor of the palace, unites the Franks with a victory at
Tertry.
·
700 Thuringia
becomes part of the Frankish
Kingdom.
·
732
Charles Martel, mayor of the palace, defeats Arabs at the Battle of Tours (Poitiers),
and again at Narbonne (737), halting Arab
advance in Europe.
·
741
Pepin the Short succeeds his father Charles Martel as mayor of the palace. He
conquers Alemannia in 744.
Carolingians, 751-987
·
751-768 Pépin the Short is elected king of the Franks. 754 Pope Stephen II agrees to legitimize Pepin’s rule of the
Franks, Pepin agrees to conquer Papal States
for the Pope (Donation of Pepin).
Septimania is conquered in 759, Aquitania and Gascony in 768. After his death in 768, his kingdom divided between his
two sons, Charles and Carloman. When Carloman dies in 771, all of the land passes to Charles, better known as
Charlemagne.
·
771-814 Charlemagne. 772-785 Charlemagne embarks on a series
of military campaigns that subject Austria,
Saxony and Lombardy to his rule. He moves from
castle to castle to govern his vast empire, but makes his new palace at Aachen
the capital, where Alcuin is the
chief scholar. 777 The invasion of Spain by Charlemagne is checked by the Muslim
defense of Saragossa. His rear guard is annihilated
by the Basques at Roncesvalles
in 778, inspiring the later Song of
Roland (although the poem attributes the attack to the Muslims).
Charlemagne's troops go on to capture Barcelona in 801 and to occupy Catalonia 800 Charlemagne crowned first Holy
Roman Emperor in St. Peters Basillica in Rome by Pope Leo III, a gesture
intended to bolster the power of both pope and king.
·
814-840 Louis the Pious. Louis crowns himself in Aachen, makes his son Lothar co-emperor in
817. On his death Louis’ other sons Charles the Bald and Louis te German defeat
Lothar
·
843
Treaty of Verdun settles the dispute between Louis’ sons, in which Charles the Bald receives Francia
Occidentalis (France), Lothair I receives
Francia Media (Lorraine, Burgundy, and Italy), and Louis II receives Francia Orientalis (Germany). Lothair’s line
retains the title Holy Roman Emperor until it passes to Otto I of Germany
in 962.
·
880 The
Treaty of Ribemont divided Francia Media between the East and West Frankish
Kingdoms, and creates Upper and Lower Burgundy, and the Kingdoms of Italy and Spoleto
controlled by the East Franks.
·
881
Charles III, the Fat, Emperor and King of Germany, becomes King of the West
Franks, reuniting Charlemagne’s empire. 887
Charles the Fat is deposed as East Frankish king
·
911
Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte. Charles the Simple hands over Normandy to Rollo (Hrolf), leader of the Normans. 912 Rollo is baptized as Christian,
renamed Robert. The Normans
become French in language and culture.
Capetians,
987-1328
·
987 Hugh Capet,
Duke of Francia (son of the Count of Paris), is elected King of France upon the
death of Louis V. Initially Capetians wield little authority beyond Paris (Ile
de France). By this time West Francia is
divided into a dozen duchies, with varying independence and power. Hugh makes
the Kingdom of France
hereditary, as opposed to the elected King in Germany.
◄ ►
Burgundy
·
400s-500s
The Burgundians, a Germanic tribe settle in the area.
·
700s The
Franks conquer the Burgundians.
·
880 The
Treaty of Ribemont divides Francia Media into the Kingdoms of Upper Burgundy
and Lower Burgundy (Provence).
The Kings of Burgundy were not able to protect it. Burgundy was never a strong kingdom, and
never had a distinct cultural identity. The Duchy of Burgundy remains
under the Kingdom
of France.
·
933-1032 Upper
and Lower Burgundy are united under Rudolf II, with his capital at Arles.
·
1032 At
the death of Rudolf, Burgundy
is made part of the Holy Roman Empire when
inherited by Conrad II.
Germany
·
ca. 550 Various
tribes, among them the Franks, Alemans, Thuringians, and Saxons, are active in
an area the Romans called Germania. Some, like
the Franks, adopt Christianity in the fifth century; others, like the
Thuringians, remain pagan even in the face of brutal efforts to convert them.
These Germanic peoples operate in small bands of warriors, owe a fierce loyalty
to their chieftains, and move from one settlement to the next rather than
establishing urban centers. Metalwork is chief among the arts.
·
751-768 The
Franks under Pépin the Short conquer Germany.
Carolingian
(Frankish) Emperors, 800-918
·
771-814 Charlemagne is King of the Franks. 772 Charlemagne
embarks on a series of military campaigns that subject Saxony and Lombardy.
·
814-840 Louis the Pious. Louis crowns himself in Aachen.
·
843
Treaty of Verdun settles the dispute between Louis’ sons, in which Charles the Bald receives Francia
Occidentalis (France), Lothair I receives
Francia Media (Lorraine, Burgundy, and Italy), and Louis II receives Francia Orientalis (Germany). Lothair’s line
retains the title Holy Roman Emperor until it passes to Otto I of Germany
in 962.
·
870
Formation of the duchies of Franconia, Saxony, Bavaria, Swabia and, in approximately 900, Lorraine (Lotharingia).
The linguistic and customary diversities which these duchies promoted have
prevailed to the present day. Lotharingia is split into Upper and Lower duchies
in 950. Carinthia (with Verona) is split off
from Bavaria
as a separate duchy in 976
·
880 The Treaty of Ribemont divided
Francia Media between the East and West
Frankish Kingdoms,
and creates Upper and Lower Burgundy, and the Kingdom of Italy.
·
881
Charles III, the Fat, Emperor and King of Germany, becomes King of the West
Franks, reuniting Charlemagne’s empire. 887
Charles the Fat is deposed by the Diet of Tribur.
·
887-911
Various rival Emperors rule with interregnums
·
906 Magyars
begin invading Germany
·
911 Conrad I
of Franconia, a German, is elected Emperor
over rival Berengar. He is anointed by bishops at his coronation to give his
election authenticity, but he is unable to resist the Magyars. The Dukes gain
power. In the face of ducal rebellion, he names one of the rebels his successor.
Saxons (Ottonians), 918-1024
·
919-936
Henry the Fowler is elected King of Germany. He drove Magyars out of
Saxony, subjected Bohemia, won back
Lotharingia, and made Denmark
a tributary kingdom, establishing a united Germany
·
936-973 Otto I
(the Great), Duke of Saxony and King of Germany. Conquers Bohemia
and Lombardy; defeats the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfield; conquers Moravia;
makes Poland a tributary;
and annexes the Kingdom
of Italy. 962 Otto is crowned Holy Roman Emperor Augustus by Pope
John XII after appeals for his help. He gradually gains control over the
papacy. 968 Creation of the
archbishopric of Magdeburg
as the center of the German colonizing movement to the east. Until the dissolution of the empire in 1806,
every candidate for the throne must be able to trace his ancestry back to Otto
I.
·
973-1002
Otto II (973-983) marries a Byzantine princess, Theophano, thus creating an
alliance between the Ottonian and Byzantine empires. Otto III (983-1002)
resides in Rome,
and appoints the first German (his cousin) and French Popes.
·
995 Germany conquers Pomerania
◄ ►
Italy
·
476 Western Roman empire ends as Odoacer, Hun chieftain, overthrows last Roman
emperor and becomes king of Italy,
aacknowledged by the Eastern Emperor.
·
493-552 Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy established by Theodoric the Great. He had grown up in Constantinople
as a Roman citizen, godson of an emperor. Originally sent to Italy by the Byzantine emperor to
conquer Odoacer, he is recognized as King of Italy by the emperor. His people were
not considered Roman citizens. He appointed Romans to civil offices, including
Boethius.
·
535-552
Byzantines conquer Italy
under General Belisarius. 540
Justinian conquers Ravenna
and builds the Church of San Vitale.
552 Byzantines—with the help of the Lombards—defeats the main Ostrogothic forces.
·
568 The
Lombards under Alcuin invade Italy, establishing duchies in both the north
(with Pavia as
the capital) and the south. The Byzantines retain territories across the
middle, from Rome to Ravenna,
along with Venice, Sardinia,
Sicily, and Naples. c.
590 Pope Gregory I converts Lombards to Christianity through their queen Theodolinda
·
600-700s The
papacy gains increasing independence from Byzantium,
acquiring sovereignty over territories in much of central Italy, including Ravenna. In the 730s, this autonomy permits
the pope to openly disagree with Byzantine emperors on iconoclasm.
·
584 Venice is recognized by the Byzantine
Empire as a distict entity. 697
Twelve tribulnes elect the first Duke if Venice. Venice
has grown from a collection of fishing villages to a community of 60 islands
exploiting Venice’s
salt monopoly. In the 800s it acquires the patron sain St. Mark whose body is
moved from Alexandria.
They trade in Northern Africa and the Levant, and are allies with the
Byzantines against the Normans.
·
751 The
Lombards capture Rome and Ravenna. The pope appeals to Pepin, king of
the Franks, for aid and substantial territories are returned to papal control.
When the Lombards attack Rome again in 773, the Franks, under Charlemagne, return and destroy Lombard power in
northern and central Italy,
though the Lombards retain the Duchy of Benevento in the south.
·
843 Treaty
of Verdun divides Charlemagne’s empire, Lothair
I receives Francia Media (Lorraine, Burgundy, and Italy).
·
838–880
Arab forces appear for the first time on the Italian peninsula in Apulia in 838. Rome
is attacked in 846 and briefly held. Bari
is the center of a short-lived emirate (847–71). 880 Byzantine Empire recovers Italy from the Arabs.
·
878-1053
Muslims conquer and rule Sicily, which
tolerates Christians and is incorporated into Muslim North Africa, until the
arrival of the Normans.
·
880-961 Francia
Media is divided into Burgundy and the Kingdom of Italy.
Carolingian Franks rule the Kingdom
of Italy
·
961 Holy
Roman Emperor Otto I annexes the Kingdom of Italy and the next year receives the
imperial title from Pope John XII.
◄ ►
Spain
·
413-711
Visigothic Kingdoms 554 The Byzantines reconquer the southeast corner of
the Iberian Peninsula. 567 The Visigothic king chooses Toletum (modern Toledo) for his capital after defeat by the
Franks and expulsion from Tolouse. 584 The
Visigoths retake Córdoba from the Byzantines and conquer the Suevian kingdom in
the northwest. 589 The Visigoths
convert from Arian Christianity to Orthodox Christianity and achieve
unification of the Iberian Peninsula
·
711-756
Umayyad caliphate. 711–718 The Moors (Arabs and Berbers unified under the
Umayyad caliphate) under Tariq land at Gibraltar (“Rock of Tariq”), defeat the
Visigoths under Roderic and conquer the entire peninsula except for the far
north where Visigothic prince Pelayo
defeats the Muslims at Covadonga and founds the Kingdoms of Galicia and Asturias. The new Muslim
territories, called al-Andalus, are
administered by a provincial government in Córdoba. A large Christian
population remains under Muslim rule.
·
756–1031 Caliphate of Cordoba. When the Umayyads are overthrown
by the Abbasids in 750, the last surviving 
member of the Umayyads flees to Spain and establishes himself as
Emir (Governor) Abd al-Rahman I,
makes Córdoba his capital and unifies al-Andalus.
·
777
The invasion of Spain by
Charlemagne is checked by the Muslim defense of Saragossa.
His rear guard is annihilated by the Basques at Roncesvalles in 778,
inspiring the later Song of Roland
(although the poem attributes the attack to the Muslims). 801 Charlemagne's troops go on to capture Barcelona
and Catalonia.
The counts of Catalonia
serve as vassals to the Carolingian kings even after asserting their
independence in the 900s. The Basques
too retain autonomy and their territories are incorporated into the kingdom of Navarre.
·
900
Alfonso III, the Great, of Castille
begins to reconquer Spain
from the Moors. The Christian kings of the Asturias
invite Christians living under Muslim rule, the Mozarabic Christians who had developed a distinctive liturgy, to
settle the frontier between the two kingdoms. 910 The capital of Asturias
is moved from Oviedo to León, and becomes known
as the kingdom of
León.
·
900–1100
The tolerance for non-Muslims creates ideal conditions for harmonious
coexistence among Christians, Jews, and Muslims and are a golden age of
literature, philosophy, and science.
·
912–961 Under
Abd al-Rahman III Córdoba becomes
the greatest intellectual center of Europe,
with libraries and schools.
·
998 The
Muslims under Al-Mansur advance,
conquering Barcelona, Leon, and the shrine of Santiago de
Campostella (the burial place of St. James).
◄ ►
Byzantine Empire
·
Several
differences between the Eastern and Western churches emerge. The Eastern
Emperor is head of the state and church, which the Roman Catholics were unwilling
to accept. The Emperor has authority
over eastern bishops. The Byzantine Emperors also adopt eastern customs, such
as prostration and “deification” – most of them were canonized. The Eastern
Church has a married clergy, and monasticism is closer to its original hermetic
form. The adoption of Greek instead of
Latin, and the iconoclastic controversy further isolate the churches.
·
505-625 Intermittent
war with Persia
·
527-565 Justinian I, ”the Great”, an Illyrian peasant, becomes Byzantine emperor. Hoping
to restore Imperial authority, he and the General Belisarius reconquer North Africa from the Vandals (534), Italy
from the Ostrogoths (535-554) and
part of Spain
from the Visigoths (554). He is also
in constant conflict with the Sasanid Persians. He issues the Justinan Code of
civil laws, simplifying a maze of Roman laws, which is immediately used in the
east and in the west in after the 11th century. He closes the schools for ancient philosophy in Athens, including the Academy. He builds the Hagia Sophia. He encourages persecution
of the Jews and Christian heretics – leading to formation of the Coptic and
Syrian churches.
·
550 The
churches of Georgia and Armenia
split. While the Armenian church remains independent, the Georgian church
unites with the Byzantine.
·
568
Lombards reconquer most of Italy,
except for a narrow stip in the middle. 584
The Visigoths retake Cordoba
from the Byzantines.
·
ca. 600 Greek
becomes the predominant language of the Byzantine state, supplanting the former
bilingualism of Latin and Greek.
·
610
Slavs and Avars overrun the Balkans, raid the suburbs of Constantinople
·
615
Sasanid armies invade Armenia,
Cappadocia, Egypt
and Syria, sack Jerusalem and steal the True Cross, and come within a mile
of Constantinople. 626 Emperor Heraclius reverses the Sasanid gains into Mesopotamia, the Persian army mutinies, their king is
murdered, and they sue for peace. After tyhis they are no longer a threat.
·
634–644
Arab armies (called “Saracens” by the Byzantines) conquer extensive territories
of the eastern Byzantine state, including Syria
and Jerusalem. 650 Arab forces occupy eastern Georgia and Armenia,
fortifications are built along Byzantium's
eastern border. 655 Battle of the
Masts: Arab naval victory over Byzantines off Alexandria. 673-678 Arabs siege Constantinople.
“Greek fire”, a mix of petroleum, sulfur, and pitch, drives them back.
·
700s Bulgar,
Avar, and Slavic tribes conquer Byzantine territories in the Balkans, occupying
lands as far south as southern Greece
·
717 Leo
III, a provincial official who had resisted the Arabs, deposes the Emperor
in Constantinople and replaces him and founds
the Isaurian Dynasty. He defends Constantinople against an Arab siege and leads the
iconoclastic controversy.
·
726-843
Iconoclastic controversy. 726
The Byzantine emperor Leo III initiates the first Iconoclastic legislation.
Four years later, Leo orders the removal of figures from all churches. 843 The empress Theodora restores
icons, ending Iconoclasm
·
740s Byzantines
retake Cyprus, Anatolia, Syria,
Armenia, and Mesopotamia from the Arabs.
·
838–871
Arab forces conquer southern Italy.
880 Byzantine Empire recovers Italy, Crete, and Antioch from the Arabs.
·
860 Expeditions
against Byzantium by the Rus Vikings, including
attacks on Constantinople
·
867-1054
Macedonian Dynasty established by
Emperor Basil I
Art/Architecture
·
526-47
St. Vitale, Ravenna. Built by Justinian to commemorate
his recovery of Ravenna,
the last seat of the Roman Emperor
·
532-537
Hagia Sopia, the cathedral of Constantinople and seat of the Byzantine patriarch.
◄ ►
Armenia
·
875 Armenian Kingdom restored
Eastern Europe
·
400-600
The Slavs move westward, pushed by
the Huns then the Avars. They split
into Western, Southern (Balkan), and Eastern (Russia) groups.
·
840
Mojmir forms a Slav confederation in Moravia, Bohemia,
Slovakia, Hungary, and Transylvania
(the Great Moravian Kingdom). Moravia becomes Roman
Catholic.
·
850-899
Magyars (Hungarians) from the Russian steppes migrate from the Don mouth to
the Danube invade Moravia.
955 Holy Roman Emperor Otto I defeats the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfield and ends their
western advances.
·
921-929 Wenceslas, King of Bohemia.
Converted to Roman Christianity by his grandmother Ludmilla, who was murdered
by his mother Drahomira. He was ambushed and killed by his younger brother
Boleslav, and canonized.
·
960-992 Mieczyslaw I (Miesko) becomes first ruler of Poland. He chooses Roman
Catholicism for his kingdom, a German tributary.
◄ ►
Balkans
·
400s-900s
Slavic peoples move into the Balkans
·
681-1014 Following
a peace treaty with the Byzantine empire, the First Bulgarian Kingdom, with its
capital at Pliska, is founded by Asparuch.
The population includes Bulgars, a Turkic people left over from the Hunnic
invasions, as well as Slavs, Vlachs, and Greeks. By the formation of the empire the Bulgars had become Slavic in
language and culture.
·
681-864 The
Bulgarians are in constant conflict with the Byzantine
Empire, killing an emperor and using his skull as a drinking cup.
·
864 Boris
I of Bulgaria
adopts Byzantine Christianity as the state religion. His son Simeon takes the
title Tzar (emperor).
·
900s The
Bulgarian Empire is weakened by the Bogomils, a Manichestic religious sect with
anti-Slav, anti-Byzantine nationalism.
·
1014 Because
of internal dissensions Byzantine Emperor Basil II, “the Bulgar Slayer”, blinds
15,000 Bulgars and destroys the kingdom, which becomes a Byzantine province
·
St. Cyril
and St. Methodius were monk brothers who Christianized Slavic Bohemia, Moravia, and Bulgaria.
To facilitate the spread of Christianity, Slavonic, the language of the Slavs,
is written first in the Glagolithic alphabet and later in the Cyrillic alphabet.
·
927 Serbia
is established by Caslav. Orthodox
Christianity is adopted as the state religion. Serbia
soon becomes an important ally and, alternatively, a formidable rival of Byzantium.
◄ ►
Russia
·
862 Rurik of
the Viking tribe of Rus conquers northern Russia,
forming the Kingdom of
Rus, with its capital
at Novogorod. Over time, Vikings
assimilate with local populations
·
882 Oleg moves capital to Kiev.
Kievan Rus' alternately engages trade with and attacks Byzantium
and Constantinople (attacked 860). The art and
architecture of Kievan Rus' reflect the influence of the Byzantines. In 911
Oleg attacks Constantinople and secures a
favorable trade treaty. In 941 another Russian attack fails and the trade
advantages are lost.
·
945 The
loose federation of Russian princes along the rivers to the Black Sea, the most
important of which are Novogorod and Kiev,
are first designated as the Principality of Rus, which the Prince of Kiev comes
to dominate.
·
988
Grand Prince of Kiev Vladimir adopts Orthodox
Christianity, after uniting Novogorod and Kiev
in 980. Before making the decision, he also considers Islam and Catholicism and
sends embassies to investigate the various religions. His ultimate choice
affirms his relations with the Byzantine empire
and his desire to unify his heterogeneous realm. He undertakes the building of
churches in the Byzantine style. He marries the Emperor’s sister. The
Byzantines gain an ally against the Bulgarians. Many of the Russian aristocracy
remains pagan, however.
·
1015 To
become king Vladimir’s
son Sviatopolk kills his brothers Boris and Gleb, who are canonized in the
Russian Orthodox Church.
◄ ►
Near East
Islam and the Moslem Empire
·
550 The
great Mar’ib Dam, built in 500 BC, collapses and the agricultural gardens of South Arabia dry up. The land becomes desert and the Arab
tribes turn to nomadic pastoralism
·
570-632 Mohammed founder of Islam. He is born in Mecca, a
center of pilgrimage for pagan religions worshiping the meteoric stone, the
Ka’aba. He marries a wealthy widow, Khadija. 610 He receives his first revelation from the archangel Gabriel and
begins to preach in Mecca.
622 After being threatened by his
kinsmen, his emigration from Mecca to Medina with his 200
followers (the Hegira) establishes
the first year of the Muslim calendar. He writes the Koran containing his teachings regarding the sole god Allah. 630 He and his followers recapture Mecca. Most of the Arabian Peninsula is conquered by the time of his death
in 632.
·
632–661
Muhammad is succeeded by the Rightly
Guided Caliphs: his father-in-law
Abu Bekr (632-634) and Omar I
(634-644). Since Omar did not leave an heir, the council names Othman (644-656) who is not directly
related to Muhammad, but a member of the wealthy Umayyad family of Mecca. When Othman dies in
a revolt, the succession is disputed between Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law Ali (656-661), and the Umayyads. Under
their command, the Arab armies take Palestine
(637), Syria (641), Egypt
(and destroy Alexandrian library 641), and defeat the Sasanian Persians at the
battle of Nahavand (642).
·
661-750
Umayyad (Omayyad) caliphate is
established by Muawiya, Umayyad
governor of Syria,
who seizes power after Ali is assassinated. Damascus becomes the empire’s capital.
·
Questions regarding succession lead to the
development of Shiism (Shias or
Shiites), a sect of Islam that recognizes Muhammad's descendants through Ali
and Fatima, and their sons Hassan and Hussein, as the only legitimate heads of Islam, as opposed to the Sunnis who recognize Muawiya.
·
680
Hassan is killed in a battle against Umayyads at Karbala; his martyrdom strengthens the Shii
cause.
·
670-709
Arabs attack North Africa, destroy Carthage
(697), convert the Berbers. 673-678 Arabs
siege Constantinople, conquests reach the Indus River.
711-718 Umayyads conquer most of
Visigothic Spain. 732 Charles
Martel, Frankish leader, defeats Arabs at Tours/Poitiers, halting Arab advance
in Europe. 751 Arabs defeat Chinese at Samarkand.
·
750 Umayyad
family massacred by the Abbasids, except for Abd al-Rahman who escapes to Spain to establish the Caliphate of Cordoba.
·
750–1258 Abbasid caliphate is founded by Abu
al-Abbas, descended from Muhammad's uncle Abbas, who murders the last
Umayyad caliph. The rebellion begins in eastern Persia
and spreads to modern Iraq.
The males of the Umayyad dynasty are invited to a banquet, murdered, and served
to their Abbasid hosts. 762 Baghdad
is founded as the new capital.
·
786-809 Caliph Harun al-Rashid rules Arab empire: the “golden age” of Arab culture.
He turns on and imprisions the Persian family of Barmecide with whom he had
ruled. He is the ruler in One Thousand
and One Arabian Nights.
·
826 Arabs
conquer Crete, Sicily,
and Sardinia.
·
850-900
Abbasid political unity begins to disintegrate and independent local dynasties
(such as the Tulunids in Egypt)
are established. In 869 the Zanj slave rebellion rises among black Africans in Iraq and Persia, lasting 15 years. 900–1000 Several Iranian dynasties,
such as the Tahirids, Saffarids, Samanids, and Buyids, gain power, limiting
Abbasid political power to Iraq.
945 Until the overthrow of the
dynasty by the Seljuk Turks in 1258,
the influence of the Abbasid caliphs is limited to the spiritual sphere, as the
heads of Orthodox Sunni Islam.
·
Over time Islam develops a distinct
architectural style based on the dome and minaret (tower). Ome of the main
cultural differences separating it from the west is the tolerance of polygamy,
with one man having up to four wives and unlimited concubines. The role of women, signified by the veil, is
severely restricted. Islamic art emphasizes calligraphy and designs, as Islamic
law forbid the representation of human bodies.
North
Africa
·
909-1171
Fatimid dynasty A Shiite sect who
claim descent from Muhammad's daughter Fatima, and thus present a challenge to
the Sunni Abbasid caliph. 909-920 The
Fatimids takes Tunisia (909)
and Morocco
(920) from the Aghlabids. 969–973 The
Fatimids conquer Egypt and
found Cairo
(al-Qahira, "the triumphant"), which is established as the new
capital. Until 1152, the Zirids and Hammadids, two Berber dynasties, rule Tunisia and eastern Algeria as Fatimid vassals.
◄ ►
Persia
·
642 Arabs defeat
the Sasanian Persians at the battle of Nahavand
·
750 Persia became part of the Abbasid caliphate and its culture was
both Islamised and itself exerted an influence on the rest of Islam. The
Persian language and a distinct Iranian culture survived, to be reasserted and
reinvented by most of the region’s rulers.
·
900–1000 Several
Iranian dynasties, such as the Tahirids, Saffarids, Samanids, and Buyids, gain
power, and the Abbassid caliphs lose effective
control of Iran
to these Persian and Turkish rulers
Caucasus
·
600 The
Khanate of Khazaria, a lose
federation of nomadic tribes, dominates the area. Allied to the Byzantines, the
Khans convert to Judaism around 740. It survives until the 1100s.
Asia
India
·
500–550
White Huns temporarily conquer the Punjab and Kashmir,
contributing to the downfall of the Gupta empire. Northern
India is controlled by numerous small kingdoms after the breakup
of the empire.
·
700-900
The Gurjara-Pratihara empire extends
across the north
·
800–1200 Kingdoms
controlled by Rajput rise in Central India and Rajasthan. Rajput rulers claim descent
from the warrior class and fight with each other as well as against invaders
from the north. The four major families are the Pratiharas of Kanauj, the
Paramaras of Malwa, the Chauhans of Delhi and Ajmer,
and the Chalukyas of Gujarat.
·
800s-1200s
The Cholas, an ancient Tamil
dynasty, overthrow the Pallavas empire in the south, conquer Sri Lanka and weaken the Shrivijaya empire in Southeast Asia. The great temple Brahadeswara
is built in the capital Tanjore
·
900–1050 Zoroastrian
refugees from religious persecution in Persia
arrive and settle in Gujarat. They are the
ancestors of the modern-day Parsis.
·
900–1000 The
first of the seven historical cities of Delhi
is founded by Tomara Rajputs, who establish themselves as preeminent among
competing regional powers in the northern plains after gaining independence
from Gurjara-Pratihara control earlier in the century. The Tomaras build a fort
(Lal Kot), later expanded and called Qila Rai Pithaura, the fort of Prithvi Raj
Chauhan. The fort remains the center of the Mamluk or first sultanate based at Delhi (twelfth century
onward).
◄ ►
China
China,
united under the Tang and Sung dynasties is a great cultural and political
power.
·
220-581
“Era of Warring States”. 502–557 Liang
dynasty founded in South China when Xiao
Yan forces the Qi rulers to submit to his authority. 520–534 Dissolution of the powerful Northern Wei empire and the
division of the north into western and eastern factions ruled respectively by
the Western Wei and Northern Zhou, and the Eastern Wei and Northern Qi.
·
581-618
Sui dynasty. Yang Jian (Chien) defeats the Northern Zhou and Southern
Ch’en, uniting China.
As Emperor Wendi, he rebuilds the capital at Chang'an (now Xi'an)
at the end of the Silk Road, which becomes one
of the biggest cities in the world. He
also repairs the Great Wall, and constructs the Grand
Canal, which moves the center of population from the Yellow to the
Yangtze basin. He is murdered by his son Yang Kuang, who succeeds to the
throne.
·
618-907
Tang Dynasty. Li Yuan, a member
of a northern aristocratic family usurps the throne from the Sui with Turkish
allies and establishes the Tang dynasty. Under their rule arts (particularly
statues of horses) and sciences flourish, along with religious toleration.
·
651
Arab traders and diplomats introduce Islam to China.
·
755–759
An Lushan, a general of Turkish
origin, leads a rebellion that damages the power of the Tang.
·
907-1123
Mongols conquer Inner Mongolia and northern China.
·
907–960
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. China is controlled by successive
short-lived kingdoms in the north and overlapping rulers in the south.
·
960-1275
Sung (Song) Dynasty. After a vision
by a young officer, the army officers choose General Chao K’uang-Yin to rule as
Emperor Sung T’ai Tsu. China
is reunited; however, sections are controlled by foreign groups that include
the Khitans, a proto-Mongol people from Manchuria
who establish the Liao dynasty
(907–1125) in the northeast.
◄ ►
Korea
·
562-676
The kingdom of Silla achieves dominance over most
of the Korean peninsula, beginning with the defeat of the Kaya Federation in 562; after an alliance with the Chinese
Tang court, it succeeds in conquering the kingdoms of Paekche in 660 and Koguryō in 668. 663 Japanese
withdraw from Korea.
By 676, Silla forces Chinese troops
to withdraw into Manchuria, and for the first
time in history the peninsula comes under the sway of a single Korean
government.
·
668-935
Unified Silla Dynasty Korean culture
flourishes. The aristocracy is secured by a rigid hereditary class system. Kyōngju is the capital. Buddhism, the
state religion, exerts a profound influence on the arts. Beset by power
struggles between the court and the aristocracy, Unified Silla declines in the
late eighth century, leading to competing regional states.
·
918-1392
Koryō dynasty Wang Kōn, a high-ranking military official, reunites the
country.
◄ ►
Japan
·
538 (552 according to an alternate tradition) Introduction of Buddhism into Japan. The king of the Korean kingdom of Paekche sends a message to the Japanese
emperor according to the traditional account, but the Japanese court probably
learned of the religion earlier from Korean and Chinese traders and immigrants.
·
644 Japan
experiences a severe famine. A new religion, Tokoyonomushi, is born
whose devotees worship a worm, drink lots of sake, dance in the streets, and
give away their money
·
645-794 The Fujiwara clan defeat the ruling Soga
clan. The Taikwa edict nationalizes land and reorganizes government,
imitating the Chinese Confucian administrative system. In 706 the new capital
of Nara is built. It remains capital until
794, and the Nara
period is known for the introduction of pagodas, Chinese-style Buddhist temples, such as the Todai-ji
·
663 Japanese
withdraw from Korea.
·
720 The
first Shoguns (military leaders) are
appointed to subdue the Ainu in northern Japan
·
794-1195
The capital moves to Heian-kyo
(present-day Kyoto)
beginning the Heian period, and
remains the imperial seat until 1868. The Fugiwara family continues to dominate
the emperor’s court, first as regents for the emperors, then if the emperor did
not abdicate upon reaching maturity, as dictators (kampaku). Chinese influence decreases, as new script and
architecture are developed
◄ ►
Southeast Asia
·
500 The
first identifiable Thai speakers emigrate from southeastern China into northeastern Laos. By the ninth century, members
of this linguistic group are found in Thailand
and Burma.
·
900–1000 The
Khmer kingdom of Cambodia
expands to incorporate large areas of present-day Burma,
Laos, and Thailand.
◄ ►
Africa
·
429-535 Vandal kingdoms in North
Africa. The Vandals are few in number and rely on the Romanized
African elite to maintain local institutions. Cities begin to lose vitality, as
the urban population dwindles and civic buildings fall into disrepair
·
517–537 Emperor
Kaleb Ell Asheha, later called Saint Elesboam of Aksum
(in modern Ethiopia),
conquers Himyar at the request of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. The
region, first introduced to Christianity in the fourth century from Alexandria, will become
part of the Monophysite church before converting to Islam during the lifetime
of Muhammad.
·
533-644 The Byzantine empire under commander Belisarius conquers North
Africa. The Byzantines assert their rule by restoring some North
African cities.
·
644–656 Muslim Arab armies launch raids into
and conquer parts of North Africa. 670 Muslim armies fight local Berber
tribes and conquer an area stretching from present-day northern Tunisia to Tangier (ancient Tingis) in Morocco, establishing the Umayyad dynasty in North Africa.
·
850
Acropolis of Zimbabwe in
Rhodesia
built
·
900 Hausa
Kingdom of Daura founded in Nigeria
·
909 The
Fatimid dynasty takes Tunisia
and Morocco
(920) from the Aghlabids.
·
800-920 Golden
Age of the Empire of Ghana, which
developed its wealth from the trans-Saharan trade of slaves, salt, and gold,
which was a monopoly of the king. In the 1100s it is destroyed by Berbers and
Senegalese
·
980 Arabs
begin settling on the eastern coast of Africa.
The Arabs will begin the slave trade, selling slaves from North Africa to China.
·
999
Bagauda, first king of Kano in northern Nigeria
◄ ►
Americas
·
320-987
Old Mayan Empire in central Mexico.
The capital is Teotihuacan.
o c. 700 Mayans abandon Palenque
·
800
City of Machu Picchu
flourishes in Peru
·
900-1200s
The Toltecs arise as successors to the Mayan empire. Their capital is
Tollan. They are polytheistic sun-worshippers, who perform human sacrifice,
notably in the ball-game tlatchli, in which the losing team is sacrificed. The
are destroyed by a nomadic people known as the Chichimec
◄ ►
◄ 1 to 500 AD Home 1000 to 1500 AD ►
Revised: 11/19/06
