Timeline of the Early to Late Middle Ages

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key events and terms from the Early, High, and Late Middle Ages.

Early Middle Ages (235-284)

A time of chaos characterized by over 20 declared emperors, pandemics, and outside invaders.

Edict of Milan (313)

Declared toleration for all religions in the Roman Empire and restored Church property taken during persecutions.

Council of Nicaea (325)

An assembly that declared the laws and doctrines of the Christian Church and condemned the Arian view of Christ’s nature.

Hijra (622)

Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina, marking year 1 of the Islamic calendar.

Umayyad Caliphate (661-750)

The first caliphal dynasty that established Damascus as its capital and was comprised of Sunni Muslims.

Iconoclasm (726-787, 815-843)

A movement in Byzantium that banned the depiction of holy beings, raising questions about artistic representation.

Battle of Manzikert (1071)

A significant battle where the Seljuk Turks defeated the Byzantines in Anatolia.

Concordat of Worms (1122)

An agreement that divided the investiture ritual into spiritual office and material benefits.

Great Western Schism (1378-1417)

A division in the Church with rival popes claiming papal authority from separate locations.

Printing Press (c. 1450)

An invention that revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge and increased literacy through movable type.

Ottomans conquer Constantinople (1453)

Marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and the rise of Ottoman power.

The Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453)

A prolonged conflict between England and France that transformed military tactics and hardware.

Battle of Bouvines (1214)

A battle where King John of England lost Normandy to King Philip the Fair of France.

Magna Carta (1215)

A charter that limited royal power in England and ratified traditional customs.

Black Death (1346-1353)

A devastating pandemic that affected much of Europe and parts of Afro-Eurasia.

Wat Tyler’s Rebellion (1381)

A revolt by English peasants against new taxes and attempts to curb their rights.