🏰 The Early Middle Ages (476–1000)
The last Western Roman emperor is deposed in 476. Over the next five centuries Justinian rebuilds Roman law in Constantinople, Islam spreads from Arabia to Iberia within a century of Muhammad's death, Charlemagne is crowned emperor in the West, and China's Tang Dynasty rises and falls.
Every entry below comes from our timeline dataset (33 events in this era). 28 carry a source link we checked against the cited article.
ACT I
After Rome (476–600)
The West fragments into new kingdoms while Constantinople carries the Roman Empire forward.
476
Fall of West Rome: Last Western emperor deposed; Middle Ages begin.
493
Ostrogothic Kingdom: Theodoric establishes kingdom in Italy.
c. 500
Talmud compiled: Jewish oral law codified; rabbinic Judaism.
Source: Wikipedia: Talmud
c. 500
Teotihuacan peak: Largest city in Americas; mysterious collapse.
Source: Wikipedia: Teotihuacan
532
Nika Riots: Constantinople uprising; Justinian nearly flees.
Source: Wikipedia: Nika riots
533
Justinian Code unifies Roman law: Emperor Justinian commissions a systematic compilation of Roman law—the Corpus Juris Civilis. Rediscovered in Italy in the late 11th century, it becomes a foundation of legal systems across continental Europe and beyond.
Source: Wikipedia: Corpus Juris Civilis
537
Hagia Sophia completed: Magnificent cathedral; architectural marvel.
Source: Wikipedia: Hagia Sophia
527–565
Justinian's reign: Reconquest attempts; Hagia Sophia; law code.
Source: Wikipedia: Justinian I
565
Justinian dies: Byzantine Empire at peak; soon declines.
Source: Wikipedia: Justinian I
570
Muhammad born: Prophet of Islam born in Mecca.
Source: Wikipedia: Muhammad
ACT II
The Rise of Islam (600–750)
From Mecca and Medina, a new faith and a new empire reshape three continents.
618
Tang Dynasty: Cosmopolitan golden age; printing.
Source: Wikipedia: Tang dynasty
610–632
Rise of Islam: Revelations to Muhammad; rapid expansion.
Source: Wikipedia: Muhammad
622
Hijra: Muhammad's migration to Medina; Islamic calendar starts.
Source: Wikipedia: Hijrah
632
Muhammad dies: Succession crisis; Islam splits.
632
Rashidun Caliphate: First four caliphs; rapid expansion begins.
Source: Wikipedia: Rashidun Caliphate
636
Battle of Yarmouk: Muslims defeat Byzantines; Syria falls.
Source: Wikipedia: Battle of the Yarmuk
642
Muslims conquer Egypt: Byzantine province falls to Rashidun forces.
650
Quran compiled: Uthman standardizes Islamic text.
Source: Wikipedia: Uthman
651
Sassanid Empire falls: Persian empire conquered by Muslims.
661
Umayyad Caliphate: First hereditary Islamic dynasty; capital in Damascus.
Source: Wikipedia: Umayyad Caliphate
711
Muslims enter Iberia: Umayyads conquer Visigothic kingdom.
732
Battle of Tours: Franks stop Muslim advance into France.
Source: Wikipedia: Battle of Tours
ACT III
Empires and Kingdoms (750–1000)
A new capital at Baghdad, Charlemagne's empire, and the first Rus' state; the Tang falls and the Song begins.
750
Abbasid Revolution: New dynasty moves capital to Baghdad.
768
Charlemagne becomes king: Frankish ruler begins expansion.
Source: Wikipedia: Charlemagne
800
Charlemagne crowned: Pope Leo III crowns him Emperor of the Romans, reviving the imperial title in the West.
Source: Wikipedia: Charlemagne
~800
Srivijaya maritime empire: A Buddhist kingdom based in Sumatra grows rich on Southeast Asian trade routes for centuries.
843
Treaty of Verdun: Carolingian Empire divided into three kingdoms.
Source: Wikipedia: Treaty of Verdun
862
Rurik founds Rus: By tradition, the Varangian Rurik is invited to rule Novgorod; his successor Oleg founds Kievan Rus'.
Source: Wikipedia: Rurik
871
Alfred the Great: Saxon king defends England against Vikings.
Source: Wikipedia: Alfred the Great
c. 900
Maya Classic collapse: Southern Maya cities abandoned.
Source: Wikipedia: Classic Maya collapse
~900
Swahili city-states emerge: On Africa's Indian Ocean coast, cities like Kilwa, Mombasa, and Zanzibar grow wealthy trading gold and ivory with Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants. Their culture blends Bantu, Arabic, and Persian influences into a vibrant Swahili civilization.
907
Tang Dynasty ends: China fragments into Five Dynasties period.
Source: Wikipedia: Tang dynasty
960
Song Dynasty: Economic revolution in China; gunpowder.
Source: Wikipedia: Song dynasty
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