Medieval Timelines

The Difference Between BC and AD.

• AD- stands for Anno Domini, which is Latin for "year of our Lord," and it means the number of years since the birth of Jesus Christ. That was 2000 years ago, so the date 500 A.D. means 1500 years ago.

• BC-It stands for Before Christ, and it means the number of years before the birth of Jesus Christ. That was 2000 years ago, so the date 552 B.C. means 2552 years ago.

• Some people use B.C.E. instead. That stands for Before the Common Era, and is used in order to avoid Christian references.

Jesus is crucified around this date.

30AD

Mohammad born. Who later professed receiving revelations from God, which are recorded in

the Qer'an. Syria, Jerusalem, Egypt, Persia, & N. Africa fall to

Muslim armies many decades later.

571AD

In 325AD many early Christian religious leaders assemble to unify their doctrine, in meeting called the Council of Nicea.

The Vikings during this time were beginning to invade Ireland and they also settle into Greenland.

793AD

 Pope Urban II calls for the First Crusade to protect the Christian pilgrims from attack. They also

retake Jerusalem from the Muslims. In 1099AD they succeed.

In this year 638AD Jerusalem is captured by Muslims.

The Inquisitions begins during this time. Those who spoke out against the ruling church would be subject

to death or severe torture. 

1184AD

Genghis Khan leads the Mongol armies. 30 to 60 million people are

killed in their campaigns building the largest known land empire. It

stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Black Sea.

1206AD

Eyeglasses are common in Europe for scholars and the wealthy.

1300AD

The Black Plague (aka Bubonic) enters Europe. The Plague

ravages Europe 20-40% of the population perishes.

1347AD

German inventor Johann Gutenberg revolutionizes knowledge transfer.

He improves or invents three items: the printing press, movable metal

type, and an oil-based ink. His first work is the 42-line Bible

1455AD

The Bible is translated into English by John Wycliffe.

1381AD

Leonardo da Vinci is Born. Who latter becomes a prophetic

designer and artiest.

1440AD

In what year did Christopher Columbus sail the ocean blue? He was head for China and India but fortunately for him he ran into the

Americas. He dies in 1506 still thinking he had landed in Asia.

1492AD

1514AD

After studying in Italy, Nicolas Copernicus returns to Poland convinced that the earth revolves around the sun. He dedicates his work to his friend Pope Paul III.

1517AD

An Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, nails his 95 theses to the church door in Wattenberg; unknowingly initiating the Protestant revolution.

1712AD

Thomas Savery creates the first successful steam engine used to evacuate water from mines.

1776AD

The American colonies declare themselves independent of Great Britain.

1789AD

The French Revolution begins with the storming of the Bastille to free prisoners. Oddly enough the Bastille was empty of any real prisoners.

1804AD

Napoleon is crowned Emperor of France and eleven years later is defeated at Waterloo

1876AD

• Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone, which is just the beginning of his inventions. Some which are the telephone, Loudspeaker, Photo phone, and the metal detector.

1742AD • Benjamin Franklin invented many things

in which we still use today some of these are; The Franklin stove, Lightning Rod, bifocals, and Daylight Savings.

1837AD

• In this year the steel plow was invented by a young man named John Deere.

1607AD

• Jamestown is the first English colony in the Americas.

1861AD

• The American civil war erupts between the northern ("unionist") states and the southern ("confederate") states (26.2 million versus 8.1 million)