BOOK IV

THE DARK AGES

566–1095

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

486–751:

Merovingian dynasty in Gaul

490–543:

St. Benedict

520–60:

Growth of Irish academies

521–98:

St. Columba

543–615:

St. Columban

568–774:

Lombard kingdom in Italy

568f:

Founding of Venice

582–602:

Maurice Eastern emperor

590–604:

Pope Gregory I the Great

590–616:

Ethelbert King of Kent

597:

Augustine converts England

600–1100:

fl. Gregorian chant

602–10:

Usurpation of Phocas

610–41:

Heraclius Eastern emperor

625–90:

Paul of Ægina, physician

629–38:

Dagobert King of the Franks

640:

Slavs enter the Balkans

c. 650:

Beowulf; Cædmon, poet

651:

Hôtel-Dieu founded at Paris

673–735:

Venerable Bede, historian

680–754:

Boniface, apostle to Germany

687–714:

Pepin the Younger rules Franks

697

First doge in Venice

713–16:

Anastasius II Eastern emp.

717–41:

Leo III the Isaurian, Eastern emp.

726f:

Iconoclastic movement in Byzantium

735:

The School of York

735–804:

Alcuin, educator

751–68:

Pepin the Short rules Franks

751–987:

Carolingian dynasty of Frank kings

756:

Donation of Pepin establishes temporal power of popes

768–814:

Charlemagne King of the Franks

772–804:

Charlemagne wars against Saxons

774:

Charlemagne annexes Lombard crown

774–1200:

Romanesque architecture

776–856:

Rabanus Maurus, educator

778:

Charlemagne in Spain; Roland at Roncesvalles

780–90:

Irene regent at Constantinople

787:

Danes begin to raid England

795:

Danes begin to raid Ireland

797–802:

Irene Eastern “emperor”

800:

Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne emperor of Roman Empire

802:

fl. Bulgaria under Khan Krum

813–20:

Leo V the Armenian Eastern emp.

814–40:

Louis I the Pious King of the Franks

815–77:

John Scotus Erigena, phil’r

c. 820:

The Variagi enter Russia

829:

Egbert founds Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy & becomes first King of England

829–42:

Theophilus I Eastern emperor

841–924:

Norse raids in France

843:

Partition of Verdun; Ludwig becomes first King of Germany

845–82:

Hincmar Bishop of Reims

848f:

Medical School of Salerno

c. 850:

The Book of Kells; Leo of Salonika, math’n

852–88:

Boris Bulgarian khan & saint

857–91:

Photius patriarch at C’ple

858–67:

Pope Nicholas I

859:

Rurik Grand Prince of Russia

860–933:

Harald Haarfager first King of Norway

862:

The Variagi at Novgorod

863:

Mission of Cyril and Methodius to Moravians

867–86:

Basil I founds Macedonian dynasty

871–901:

Alfred the Great

872:

Norsemen colonize Iceland

875–7:

Charles the Bald, Western emp.

886:

Norse besiege Paris

886–912:

Leo VI the Wise, Eastern emp.

887f:

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

888:

Odo King of France

893–927:

Simeon Bulgar emperor

899–943:

Magyars ravage Europe

905:

Sancho I founds Kingdom of Navarre

910:

Abbey of Cluny founded

911:

Conrad I King of Germany; Rollo Duke of Normandy

912–50:

Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus

c. 917:

The Greek Anthology

919–36:

Henry I the Fowler King of Germany

925–88:

St. Dunstan

928–35:

Venceslas I King of Bohemia

930:

Icelandic Althing est’d

934–60:

Haakon the Good King of Norway

936–73:

Otto I King of Germany

950:

Zenith of medieval Irish literature

955:

Otto defeats Magyars on the Lechfeld

961:

Convent of St. Lavra on Mt. Athos

962:

Otto I Western Roman emperor

963:

Otto deposes Pope John XII

963–9:

Nicephorus Phocas Eastern emp.

965–95:

Haakon the “Great Earl” King of Norway

968:

Hroswitha, dramatist

973—83:

Otto II of Germany

975–1035:

Sancho the Great King of Navarre

976:

Suidas’ Lexicon

976–1014:

Brian Borumha King of Munster

976–1026:

Basil II Eastern emperor

976–1071:

St. Mark’s at Venice

980–1015:

Vladimir I Prince of Kiev

983–1002:

Otto III of Germany

987–96:

Hugh Capet founds Capetian dynasty of French kings

989:

Russia converted to Christianity

992–1025:

Boleslav I first King of Poland

994f:

Cluny monastic reform

997–1038:

St. Stephen King of Hungary

999–1003:

Pope Sylvester II (Gerbert)

1000:

Leif Ericsson in “Vinland”

1002–24:

Henry II of Germany

1007–28:

Fulbert Bishop of Chartres

1009–1200:

German Romanesque

1013:

Sweyn of Denmark conquers England

1014:

Brian Borumha defeats Norse at Clontarf

1015–30:

St. Olaf King of Norway

1016–35:

Cnut King of England

1018–80:

Michael Psellus, historian

1022–87:

Constantine the African, translator

1024–39:

Conrad II of Germany

1028–50:

Zoë and Theodora rule Eastern Empire

1033–1109:

St. Anselm

1034–40:

Duncan I King of Scotland

1035–47:

Magnus the Good King of Norway

1039–56:

Henry III of Germany

1040–52:

Macbeth usurper King of Scotland

1040–99:

Rodrigo Diaz el Cid

1043–66:

Edward the Confessor King of England

1046–71:

Church of St. Ambrose at Milan

1048f:

Abbey of Jumièges

1049–54:

Pope Leo IX

1052:

d. of Earl Godwin, statesman

1054:

Schism of Greek from Roman Church

1055–6:

Theodora Eastern empress

1056–1106:

Henry IV of Germany

1057–9:

Isaac Comnenus Eastern emp.

1057–72:

Peter Damian Bishop of Ostia

1058:

Malcolm III of Scotland deposes Macbeth

1059–61:

Pope Nicholas II; College of Cardinals established

1060:

Robert Guiscard Duke of Apulia

1061–91:

Norman Conquest of Sicily

1063:

Prince Harold conquers Wales

1063f:

Cathedral of Pisa

1066:

Harold King of England; Battle of Hastings; Norman Conquest of England

1073–85:

Pope Gregory VII Hildebrand

1075:

Decree against lay investiture; excommunication of Henry IV

1077:

Henry IV at Canossa

1081–1118:

Alexius I Eastern emp.

1085:

Sack of Rome by Robert Guiscard

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