Middle Ages

  • The fall of the Roman Empire
    476

    The fall of the Roman Empire

    The Germanic warlord Odoacer overthrew the last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, and declared himself as the new king of Italy.
  • Period: 590 to 1000

    Early Middle Ages

    The Early Middle Ages began with the fall of Rome.
  • Period: 770 to 1185

    Heian Period

    In 794 the Emperor Kammu moved the imperial capital from Nara to Heian-kyo, now known as Kyoto. This signified the beginning of the Heian period (794–1185CE). During this time, many of the foundations of Japan’s development were laid. Japanese society broke away from the strong influences of, and connections with China. Japanese art and culture began to flourish.
  • Period: 781 to 806

    Emperor Kammu's Reign

    Emperor Kammu reigned as an active and powerful emperor from the years 781 to 806. He initiated the Heian Period after he moved to Heian-kyo.
  • Capital moves to Kyoto
    784

    Capital moves to Kyoto

    The capital of Japan was moved to Kyoto, beginning the Heian period. The new capital was originally named Heian-kyō, meaning "tranquility and peace capital". The move was initiated by Emperor Kanmu to escape the powerful Buddhist clergy in the previous capital of Nara
  • Charlemagne crowned as Holy Roman Emperor
    800

    Charlemagne crowned as Holy Roman Emperor

    Charlemagne was crowned as Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome.
  • Period: 1000 to 1200

    High Middle Ages

    William the Conqueror led to the creation of France, England, and Germany. During the High Middle Ages there was a lot of fighting between Christian armies and the Islamic Empire over holy places.
  • The Battle of Hastings
    1066

    The Battle of Hastings

    A battle took place between the Norman Troops commanded by the Duke of Normandy and the Anglo-Saxon forces under King Harold Godwinson.
  • Period: 1180 to 1185

    The Genpei War

    The Genpei War was a five-year civil war fought between the rival Minamoto and Taira clans during Japan's late Heian period. The conflict ended the Taira's dominance and resulted in the establishment of Japan's first shogunate, shifting power from the imperial court to the samurai warrior class.
  • Period: 1185 to 1333

    Minamoto Shogunate

    The Minamoto Shogunate was the first feudal government and was established by Minamoto no Yoritomo after his family defeated the Taira Clan.
  • Period: 1200 to 1500

    Late Middle Ages

    Famines and plagues like the Black Death killed millions of people. Poor people began to revolt against unfair laws and conditions. This was a period of civil unrest.
  • The Magna Carta was signed
    1215

    The Magna Carta was signed

    The Magna Carter was signed in a meadow called Runnymede.
  • Period: 1274 to 1281

    Attempted Mongol invasions

    The Mongol invasions of Japan were two failed military campaigns led by Kublai Khan of the Yuan dynasty. These invasions were repelled by a combination of Japanese resistance and two powerful typhoons that famously became known as kamikaze, or "divine winds".
  • Period: 1336 to 1573

    Ashikaga Shogunate

    The Ashikaga shogunate, also known as the Muromachi shogunate, was a feudal military government in Japan. It was ruled by the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan and succeeded the Kamakura shogunate. The Ashikaga shogunate is known for both significant cultural development and political instability, which eventually led to a period of civil war.
  • Gutenberg Invents Printing Press
    1444

    Gutenberg Invents Printing Press

    The printing press was made when Gutenberg used reusable metal letters and a screw-press mechanism to produce texts in large groups.
  • King Henry VIII started the Church of England
    1534

    King Henry VIII started the Church of England

    King Henry VIII created the Church of England by passing the act of Supremacy, making him the Supreme Head. After, the Pope refused to grant Herny an annulment from his marriage.
  • Period: to

    Tokugawa Shogunate/Edo Period

    The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the Edo period, was a feudal military dictatorship that marked the final era of traditional Japan before the Meiji Restoration. After more than a century of civil war, Tokugawa Ieyasu consolidated power, establishing a stable and prosperous period defined by internal peace and a policy of national isolation. The period is named after Edo, the shogunate's seat of power and modern-day Tokyo.