The Middle Ages, also known as the medieval period, lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. It is a complex era with many notable events and developments, so the following timeline offers a general overview of key moments during this time: - **476 AD: Fall of the Western Roman Empire** -- The Middle Ages are often considered to begin with the deposition of the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, marking the end of the Western Roman Empire. - **496 AD: Clovis I becomes the first king of the Franks** -- He unifies various Frankish tribes and converts to Christianity, laying the foundation for the Kingdom of the Franks. - **6th-7th century AD: The rise of the Islamic Caliphate** -- The Islamic prophet Muhammad unifies the tribes of Arabia, and his successors expand the Caliphate, ultimately conquering significant portions of the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. - **732 AD: Battle of Tours** -- Charles Martel, leader of the Franks, halts the Islamic expansion into Europe by defeating the Umayyad Caliphate's forces. - **800 AD: Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor** -- Charlemagne's crowning by Pope Leo III establishes the Carolingian Empire, which includes much of Western and Central Europe. - **9th-10th century AD: Viking invasions** -- Norse seafarers known as Vikings raid and settle across various parts of Europe, including the British Isles, France, and Eastern Europe, profoundly influencing the regions they encounter. - **1066 AD: Norman Conquest of England** -- William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, invades England and defeats King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, leading to the establishment of Norman rule in England. - **1095-1291 AD: The Crusades** -- A series of religious wars sanctioned by the Catholic Church, with the primary goal of reclaiming the Holy Land from Islamic rule. The Crusades significantly impact European politics, economics, and cultural exchange with the Islamic world. - **12th-13th century AD: The rise of Gothic architecture** -- The development of Gothic architecture, characterized by ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and pointed arches, leads to the construction of many iconic cathedrals and churches throughout Europe. - **13th-14th century AD: The spread of the Mongol Empire** -- Under Genghis Khan and his successors, the Mongol Empire becomes the largest contiguous land empire in history, spanning from Eastern Europe to East Asia and impacting trade, culture, and politics. - **14th century AD: The Hundred Years' War** -- A series of conflicts between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France over the control of French territories, with the war lasting from 1337 to 1453. - **1347-1351 AD: The Black Death** -- The most devastating pandemic in human history, caused by the bubonic plague, sweeps through Europe, killing an estimated 75-200 million people and severely impacting European society. - **15th century AD: The Renaissance begins** -- A cultural movement originating in Italy, the Renaissance marks a renewed interest in classical learning, the arts, and humanism. This period sees the rise of influential artists, writers, and thinkers, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Petrarch, who contribute to significant advances in art, architecture, literature, and science. - **1453 AD: Fall of Constantinople** -- The Ottoman Empire, led by Sultan Mehmed II, captures the Byzantine capital of Constantinople, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire and the beginning of the Ottoman Empire's dominance in southeastern Europe. - **1455-1487 AD: The Wars of the Roses** -- A series of civil wars in England between the rival houses of Lancaster and York for the throne of England. The conflict ends with the establishment of the Tudor dynasty when Henry VII, a Lancastrian, defeats Richard III, the last Yorkist king, at the Battle of Bosworth Field. - **Late 15th century AD: The Age of Discovery** -- European explorers, such as Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama, set sail on voyages to discover new trade routes and lands, leading to the colonization of the Americas, Africa, and Asia, and the eventual beginning of the early modern period.