CHRONOLOGICAL CHART OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND WORLD EVENTS
CHRONOLOGICAL CHART OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND WORLD EVENTS
BYZANTINE WORLD
ENGLAND AND WESTERN EUROPE
NEAR EAST AND ASIA
WESTERN HEMISPHERE
A.D.
300-400
Constantine the Great establishes capital of Roman Empire at Constantinople on site of ancient Byzantium, 330
Teutonic and Asiatic barbarians overrun Roman Empire ↓
Successive wars between Persians and Romans
First division of Roman Empire into East and West, 364 ↓
Golden Age of Hinduism in India
Final division of Roman Empire into East and West, 395 ↓
Divided empire in China (Tartar and Chinese rule)
400-500
Visigoths sack Rome, 410
Huns under Attila invade Europe, 445-453
Period of decline
Western Europe lost to Roman Empire
First Saxon kingdom in Britain, 477: Clovis I founds Frank kingdom in France, 481
500-600
Justinian the Great (Great advancement of Byzantine civilization), 527-565
Beginning of modern Western European civilization
Laws codified
Empire reaches greatest territorial extent (from Spain to Persia)
Santa Sophia built, 532-537
First great age of Byzantine art
600-700
Persians defeated by Heraclius, 641; end of Persian dominion
Beginning of Arab Empire, 632
Byzantines drive Arabs away from Constantinople with "Greek fire," 677
Byzantines defeat Persians, 641; end of Persian dominion
700-800
Iconoclast controversy; image worship forbidden by Leo the Isaurian, 726
Charles Martel defeats Moslems at Tours, France, 732; stops Arab expansion into Europe
Moslem defeat at Tours, 732, stops Arab expansion into Europe
↓
Golden Age of Arab Empire, 750-1258: Revival of Chinese Empire under Tang dynasty
800-900
Image worship restored, 843
Charlemagne crowned emperor of Holy Roman Empire at Rome, 800
Byzantine missionaries convert Bulgarians to Orthodox Christianity, 864
Bulgarians converted to Orthodox Christianity, 864
Macedonian dynasty (founded by Basil I), 867-1056
Beginning of Russia
↓Second great advancement of Byzantine civilization
900-1000
↓
Arab rule in Spain at height; Cordova greatest intellectual center in Europe
Arab rule in Spain at height; Cordova greatest intellectual center in Europe
Maya civilization in Mexico and Central America
↓Russians converted to Orthodox Christianity, 989
Russians converted to Orthodox Christianity, 989
Eric the Red discovers Greenland, about 985
1000-1100
↓Basil II conquers Bulgarians; rules from Asia Minor to southern Italy, 1014
William the Conqueror invades England, 1066
Baghdad seized by Seljuk Turks, 1055
Leif Ericson visits America (Vinland), about 1000
↓Defeat by Seljuk Turks in Armenia, 1071; decline of Byzantine military power
Crusades against Moslems in Holy Lands, 1096-1270
Crusades against Moslems in Holy Lands, 1096-1270
↓
Jerusalem captured by crusaders, 1099
1100-1200
Comnenus dynasty unable to restore Byzantine power
↓
1200-1300
Crusaders take Constantinople, 1204
Magna Charta in England, 1215
Genghis Khan conquers central Asia and China, 1206-1221
Inca civilization in Peru
Michael VIII reconquers Constantinople; restores Greek rule, 1261
↓
Mongols destroy Baghdad; overthrow Arab Empire, 1258
Marco Polo at court of Kublai Khan in China, 1271-1295
Ottoman Empire (Turks) founded, 1288
1300-1400
Ottoman Turks invade Europe, defeat Serbs, 1389; Byzantine Empire reduced to Constantinople and surroundings
Tamerlane ruler of Asia from Russia to Persian Gulf, 1369-1405
Aztec civilization in Mexico
1400-1500
Tamerlane defeats Ottoman Turks at Ankara, 1402; delays fall of Byzantine Empire
Renaissance
John VIII agrees to unite Greek and Roman churches to gain Western aid, 1439; plan fails
Invention of printing, 1439
Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople; end of Byzantine Empire, 1453
Ottoman Turks conquer most of Asia; block trade routes to Far East
Moors expelled from Spain: Beginning of Spanish exploration in New World
Columbus discovers America, 1492
