Christian Crusades, 1050

Detailed Timeline of European History

Middle Ages (967-1050) << Crusades (1050-1240) >> Europe's Darkest Days (1240-1350)

Christian Crusades (1050 - 1240)
Increased Sense of Nationhood & Loyalty to Church Throughout Europe

Kumans, aka Kipchaks (1050): A Turkic tribe from central Asia, expand west into Europe, establishing a massive empire that covers large parts of both Europe and Asia.

Kievan Rus Civil War & Fragmentation (1050 - 1150): After about 100 years of civil war, the Kievan Rus nation breaks up into multiple principalities, as princes resist central authority, and seek to extend influence over neighbors. Primary descendant states are Novgorod Republic, Vladimir-Suzdal and Halych-Volynia. Other Rus people remain loosely organized in smaller political entities in surrounding areas, with some falling to foreign rule (such as those in modern Belarus coming under Lithuanian control).

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Note: Rus Divisions. Kievan Rus had always been fairly decentralized, due to the vast area it covered, and the inability of one region to assert dominance over the others. So it developed into regional centers, with loyalty lying with the region rather than the state, leading to civil wars. The civil wars led to the fragmentation of Kievan Rus into multiple, smaller kingdoms, which was a more natural configuration at the time. Even those that were conquered by foreign powers would retain their Rus identity, making future consolidation into the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union more natural.

Kievan Rus Successor States Formed After Civil War:
Novgorod Republic: Will ultimately be absorbed by the Grand Duchy of Moscow to form the basis of the Russian nation.
Vladimir-Suzdal Principality: Later becomes the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the basis of the Russian nation.
Belarusians: Rus people of modern Belarus are overrun & submitted to Lithuanian (Balt) rule.
Kingdom of Halych-Volynia: Predecessor to Ukraine.

Great Schism or East-West Schism (1054): Since the partition of the Roman Empire, there had long been animosity between Rome and Constantinople Churches, as several doctrinal and political disputes had risen between the two sides. It came to a head in 1054, when Rome demanded Constantinople recognize Roman authority, which was refused. Both excommunicated the other. Resulted in two separate churches, the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

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Norman Conquest of England (1066): Normans from Normandy (Norse who settled region in north France) invade & conquer England. They become ruling class of England.

Byzantine Empire Loses Southern Italy to Normans (1071): The Normans drive the Byzantines out of their long-held Southern Italy possessions (white).

Byzantine Territory Lost to Turks (By 1071): Turk tribes take most of Asia Minor from Byzantines.

Investiture Controversy - Weakening Effect on the Holy Roman Empire (1074): Involving the Holy Roman Empire and the Roman Catholic Church, concerning the issue of secular influence (emperor, dukes, princes, nobles) in appointing ecclesiastic authorities (bishops, priests, clergy). In 1074, the Church prohibits this practice, resulting in civil wars and the weakening of the emperor's power, as certain dukes/nobles would side with the pope, while the emperor attempted to maintain his ecclesiastic-appointing privilege by force. The pope would prove victorious, strengthening the power of the Church. On the other hand, it would serve to further decentralize rule in the German states of the Holy Roman Empire. This marks a reversal in fortune as the Germans would begin to fall behind more cohesive powers to the west, after they had risen to prominence in the 10th and 11th centuries.

Byzantine Loses of Serbia (1086): Serbs break away from Byzantine Rule, becoming a sovereign kingdom. Also capture Bosnia, which is later taken by Hungary.

Note: Independent Serbian Kingdom. With break-up of Bulgarian Empire, Serbia is able to become a sovereign kingdom again, battling Byzantine for control of surrounding South Slav lands. Serbia does succeed in expanding modestly to the west and the south.

Temporary Muslim Recovery in Hispania (1094): Muslim Almoravid Dynasty, a Moorish NW African nation, annexes all of Muslim Hispania. Achieves some victories against Christians.

Independent Portugal (1095): County of Portugal claims independence from the Kingdom of Leon, beginning of the nation of Portugal.

Palestine Crusade (1099): Organized with the objective of restoring Jerusalem (Holy Land) to Christian rule. The pope promised a remission of sins for those who participated. European Crusaders laid waste to Jerusalem upon entering, placing the city under Christian rule. Crusaders also conquered and established other Palestinian territories. In Europe, Jewish communities were destroyed, as part of the fervent support for crusades. Over the following two centuries, Christians and Muslims would battle for control of the Middle East, with the Muslims evicting the European Crusaders from the region for good by 1291.

Croatia & Bosnia Gained by Hungary From Serbia (1102): Kingdom of Hungary annexed Croatia, which also included Pannonia. It also gained Bosnia/Herzegovina. Bosnia was lost to Byzantine in 1166, but regained by Hungary in 1189.

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Note: Serbs and Croats. The Serbs and Croats continue to evolve as distinct nations, sub-dividing the homogenous "South Slav" group that first migrated into the Balkans during 7th century. The dividing point was imposed by external influences, marked at the boundary where Holy Roman Empire influence met Byzantine and Bulgarian influence. That part which fell under the control of the Holy Roman Empire became Croatia, separating it from that part which fell under Bulgarian and Byzantine control, which became Serbia. Due to their separation from centuries under forieign rule, they developed separate variants of the previously common South Slav language and culture, developing distinct Croatian and Serbian identities. Those Slavs caught in the middle ground (not decisively part of Croats or Serbs) would begin to establish their own identity, language and culture during this period, serving as the basis for Bosnia.

Note: Hungary Military Superiority. The Kingdom of Hungary possessed superior military capability compared to that of the surrounding Slav peoples. Military knowledge was learned from the years spent as clients to the Turkic kingdoms to the east, before the Magyars (Hungarians) migrated westward into modern Hungary. This enabled them to expand significantly to the north and south at the expense of the surrounding Slavic tribes, who were ill-prepared to resist.

Burgundy Annexed by Holy Roman Empire (1122): The historically French County of Burgundy is annexed by the Holy Roman Empire.

Further Understanding:
Effects of the Crusades

1. Senseless Violence & Wars: The Crusader mentality was that Christianity must displace Islam/Judaism at all costs, even if through violence. Persecutions of Jews escalated throughout Europe. On the Crusaders' march around the Mediterranean, the death toll was high for Christians and Muslims. When Jerusalem was captured, Muslim and Jewish residents in the city were slaughtered, including women. All of this for a short-lived Christian kingdom in the Middle East which proved to be unsustainable.
2. Undermining Church Moral Authority: Such escapades as the slaughter of Jews and Muslims were later used as an indictment against the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) during the Protestant Reformation beginning in the 16th century, convincing many that the RCC was not the moral authority it had claimed to be throughout the Dark Ages.
3. Distrust of Christians: As Christians violently persecuted Jews and destroyed Muslims in their path to the Middle East, they would develop a reputation as a ruthless and exploitive group among these people.
4. Opened Way for Future Muslim Conquests of Europe: As animosity grew between Roman Catholics and Byzantine (Eastern Orthodox), the Crusaders were compelled (with papal authority) to conquer the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. Byzantine would later recover its captial, but would be irreversibly damaged, ripening it for destruction when the Ottoman Turks began advancing into Europe. Once the Byzantine was conquered by the Ottoman armies, much of the remainder of Eastern Europe fell like a house of cards to the Ottoman Empire.
5. Asian Influence: The crusades did increase Europe’s knowledge of the Asian world, which was more advanced than Europe in most aspects. This helped to bring a more cosmopolitan influence to Europe, which may have played a small part in the eventual Renaissance.
6. Increased Anti-Semitism: Devotion and loyalty to the Church was on the rise as membership spread throughout all of Europe. As a result, religious tolerance was at a low, leaving the significant Jewish populations in Europe as an obvious target. Throughout Europe, entire Jewish communities were destroyed (with inhabitants killed) in some cases, along with common occurrences of violence (even slaughter) against the Jews.

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Norwegian Civil War (1130): Norwegian civil war begins, as claimants to the throne compete for the crown.

German Conquests of Balts and Slavs as Part of Christian Crusades (1147): The pope approves a crusade into the Balt & Slav lands to the east of the Holy Roman Empire. German duchies such as Saxony take it upon themselves to conquer these lands, subduing local populations, forcing them to convert to Christianity, and to recognize the authority of the pope. Initially, these territories are established as "marches" (buffer territories), as opposed to direct rule under the Holy Roman Empire.

Note: Independent Baltic Tribes. Baltic people not conquered by Christians consolidate in modern Latvia & Lithuania, where they successfully defend against further conquests. Balt territory is drastically reduced by Christian Crusades.

Angevin (Anjou - French County) Conquest of England (1154): Henry, Count of Anjou (province in France) succeeds in bid for throne of England (as Henry II), beginning the Angevin era in England. Also adds Aquitaine (another province in France) through marriage. Now, two significant French regions (Anjou & Aquitaine) belong to the English crown. Norman rule in England comes to an end.

Note: Origin of Enduring English/French Rivalry. As French ruling families ascend to the throne of England, they put France in the awkward position of having a rival king maintain possessions in what is traditionally French territory. This will soon lead to conflict and war. Close proximity of these competing powers will perpetuate tensions and conflict until the 20th century, when Germany gives them a reason to form an alliance.

Duchy of Austria Established (1156): Austria, which had been a “march” (buffer territory) on the eastern edge of the Holy Roman Empire, now becomes a duchy. Marks the beginning stages of the modern nation of Austria, which would eventually rise to dominate the Holy Roman Empire and German peoples.

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Northern Italy De-Facto Independence (1167): Northern Italy cities form the Lombard League, a coalition of city states to avoid Holy Roman Empire (HRE) rule. The HRE began to lose grip starting with Investiture Controversy (1074), which soured Italians toward the emperor. The HRE would reconquer the region in 1237, but rule would remain tumultuous, as the city states in Northern Italy would continue to operate somewhat independently.

Muslims Rapidly Retreat in Hispania (1170): The Almohad Dynasty overthrows the Almoravids, taking over Iberian territories. Would suffer string of defeats against the Christian kingdoms to the north, losing vast amounts of territories, until they were relegated to the southern corner of Hispania.

Bulgarians Regain Independence (1185): Bulgarians revolt against weakening Byzantine Empire, beginning the 2nd Bulgarian Empire.

Crusaders Establish Kingdom of Cyprus (1185). Under French oversight.

Norman Ireland (1185): Normans invade of Ireland after losing control of England. They gain the advantage in the continued battle of control with the Irish kingdoms.

Southern Italy Conquered by Holy Roman Empire (1189): End of Norman rule of Southern Italy (Kingdom of Sicily). The Holy Roman Emperor had a dynastic claim through marriage, enabling the invasion & conquest of Southern Italy by the Holy Roman Empire.

Territory Gained by Papal States (1201): When the Holy Roman Empire conquers Southern Italy, they give additional territory to the Papal States.

France Takes County of Anjou from England (1202): France takes County of Anjou from England, since it belonged to the Angevin King of England, who had stopped paying tribute to France on behalf of this French province.

Note: Increased Sense of "France" Nationhood. France becomes disturbed by English rule of territories in traditional “Francia” lands. This serves as motivation for French people to become more cohesive and unified against foreign rule. However, many duchies and counties are still independent, owing allegiance to the crown in symbolism only.

Byzantine Loses Crete to Venetians (1204): Venetians conquer Crete from crumbling Byzantine Empire.

Crusaders Conquer Byzantine (1204): Crusaders conquer Byzantine capital of Constantinople, and the surrounding areas, establishing the Latin Empire. Crusaders were frustrated with Byzantine's efforts to assert control over Palestinian Crusades. Byzantine aristocrats managed to maintain rule over other regions of the empire.

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Note: The Beginning of the End for Byzantine. The East/West Schism of 1054 would compel western European crusaders (under Roman papal authority) to sack Constantinople in 1204 after further tensions arose between the East and West Churches during the Crusades. This resulted in the short-lived Latin Empire. Although Byzantine would be restored in 1261, it would be irreparably harmed, making it ripe for conquest by the advancing Ottoman Turk threat from the east in the 14th and 15th centuries. With the final collapse of Byzantine in 1453, the road was paved for the Muslim Ottoman Empire to expand deep into Eastern Europe, ruling large parts of Europe for centuries.

Magna Carta in England (1215): First seed of democracy planted. It is the first step toward democracy since the end of Rome. Nobles in England reach breaking point with failures of the King (especially losses of economically important territories in France), along with what they perceived to be a major abuse of monarch powers. So they marched into London, subduing King John, forcing him to agree to the document ensuring certain rights.

Denmark Conquests of Finnic Territory (1219): As part of Northern Crusades, Denmark conquers northern portion of modern Estonia (Finnic territory). The Livonian Order conquers southern portion.

Official Independence of Portugal (1230): The Iberian Kingdom of Castile absorbs the neighboring Kingdom of Leon, serving as an opportunity for the County of Portugal to officially assert its independence, as neither Leon nor Castile were in any position to forcibly prevent this. Portugal also received official recognition as an independent kingdom from the pope.

Livonian Order Conquests of Balt Territories (1237): The Livonian Order, an autonomous branch of Teutonic Knights (German knightly order), conquers Livonia and surrounding areas (modern Latvia) from Baltic peoples. Part of ongoing crusading efforts against pagans of northern Europe.

Muslims Driven Into Small Corner in Hispania (1238): The Almohads abandoned Hispania, being succeeded by the Kingdom of Granada. The Muslims were now subordinate to the Christians, preserving its existence by remaining highly cooperative and willingly paying tribute.

Note: Predecessor to Spain. As the Kingdom of Castile begins to rise to dominance in Hispania, it begins to absorb other kingdoms, such as Leon. Castile will eventually absorb all of Hispania (except Portugal), forming the Kingdom of Spain, marking the birth of the modern nation of Spain. The Castilian language will also rise to dominance, serving as the predecessor to the modern Spanish language.

End of Norwegian Civil War (1240): End of Norwegian civil war as single king finally recognized by warring factions.

Note: England's Geopolitical Advantage. Chaos on the continent spares no one, as all are vulnerable to new geopolitical circumstances. By now, England is a kingdom w/sufficient defense against conventional military invasion. Christianization and civil war remove the Norse (Viking) threat, further enabling England to consolidate power. In France, England shows it can impose its will on continental powers.

Note: Increasing Sense of Nationhood within the British Isles. Strong rule from the Normans then Angevins from France further galvanizes England. Welsh (Wales), Scottish and Irish resistance against England rule cements the permanent divisions that will forever help define geopolitics in the British Isles, although each will eventually succumb to English rule.

Next: Europe's Darkest Days (1240 - 1350)

Previous: High Middle Ages (967 - 1050)

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