Chapter 5 – TIMELINE
You cannot tell who, or where you are, unless you know how you got there!
570 A.D. - Muhammad born in Mecca. 610A.D. - According to Muslim belief, at the age of 40, Muhammad is visited by the angel Gabriel while on retreat in a cave near Mecca.
The angel recites to him the first revelations of the Koran and informs him that he is God’s prophet.
Later, Muhammad is told to call his people to the worship of the “One God,” but they react with hostility and begin to persecute him and his followers.
622 A.D. - After enduring persecution in Mecca, Muhammad and his followers migrate to the nearby town of Yathrib (later to be known as Medina), the people there accepted Islam. This marks the “hijrah” or “emigration,” and the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
In Medina, Muhammad establishes an Islamic state based on the laws revealed in the Koran and the inspired guidance coming to him from God. Eventually he begins to invite other tribes and nations to Islam.
625A.D. - MUHAMMAD BEGINS DICTATING THE KORAN.
- Muhammad begins either dictating or writing the Holy Koran. (There is a lot of debate as to whether he could read and write, although the popular consensus is that he was a trader and therefore probably literate!)
]630 A.D. - Muhammad returns to Mecca with a large number of his followers. He enters the city peacefully, and eventually all its citizens accept Islam. The prophet clears the idols and images out of the Kaaba and rededicates it to the worship of God alone.
633 A.D. - Muhammad dies after a prolonged illness. The Muslim community elects his father-in-law and close associate, Abu Bakr, as caliph, - This leads to the schism between the Sunni and Shiite sects.
635-638 A.D... - Muslims begin conquest of Persia and Syria. - Muslims enter the area north of Arabia, known as “Sham,” including Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq.
641 A.D. - Muslims enter Egypt and rout the Byzantine army. Muslims consider their conquest as the liberation of subjugated people, since in most instances they were under oppressive rule. - Islam begins to spread throughout North Africa.
661 A.D. - Imam Ali is killed, bringing to an end the rule of the four “righteous caliphs:” Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali. This also marks the beginning of the Umayyad rule and the dispute between Shiite and Sunni Sects.
695 A.D. - Spain begins persecution of Jews in mistaken belief that they, and not the Romans, were responsible for the death of “Christ.”
711 A.D... - Muslims (Moors) enter Spain in the west and India in the east. Eventually almost the entire Iberian Peninsula is under Islamic control.
712 A.D. - Less than one hundred years after the founding of Islam, Christian and Muslim armies are already at war when Pelayo, a Visigoth King, defeats the Muslim Army in Covadonga, thus beginning the Christian Re-conquest of Spain.
732 A.D. - Muslim forces defeated at Tours by the Christian Armies under the command of Charles Martel.
750 A.D. - First great British epic poem, Beowulf, written in Old English. It exemplifies early medieval society and shows roots in Old Testament Law!
768-814A.D. - Charlemagne is crowned emperor by Pope Leo 111 at St. Peters Basilica in Rome. This Coronation marks the beginning of a new relationship between the church and state, with the emperor’s temporal authority depending upon the blessing of the pope.
871 A.D. -Alfred the Great of England constructs a system of government and education that allows for the unification of smaller Anglo-Saxon states in the ninth and tenth centuries. This was the start of the codification of English law, public interest in local government, and the reorganization of the army. He founds schools, promotes literacy, and a national culture.
900-1000 A.D. - House of Hapsburg starts accumulation of land and power with Otto 1st. -Forget about the British Royal Family or any of the other monarchies; this is who really pulled most of the strings in Europe for over a THOUSAND years!
-Vikings settle Iceland; establish Althing, the oldest body of representative government in Europe.
962 A.D.-Leif Ericsson explores North American coast. Calls it “Vineland!”
- Mayans immigrate to Yucatan Peninsula. - Otto 1 expands German Empire to Poland and Austria. Under Otto 1, the Holy Roman Empire (German) [House of Hapsburg] is officially revived making Catholicism the prevalent and dominant religion throughout Europe. - Europe immediately descends into the dark ages. (Coincidence?) - Exact start of Dark Ages unknown - too dark!
980 A.D. - As Europe descends into the ‘Dark Ages’ menaced by Vikings and Magyars alike, the Byzantine Empire struggles endlessly with Persia where the Arabs suddenly flare out in splendor under the banner of Islam.
1050-1200 A.D. - First agricultural revolution of Medieval Europe begins in 1050 A.D. with a shift to the northern lands for cultivation, along with a period of improved climate from 700 to 1200 A.D. in Western Europe.
This was combined with the widespread use and perfection of new farming techniques including the use of the heavy plow, the three field system of crop rotation, the use of mills for processing cloth, crushing pulp for paper manufacture, and the widespread use of iron and horses, and last, but not least, the brewing of beer!
With an increase in agricultural advancements, western towns and trade grow exponentially to the point where Western Europe runs on a money economy, in no small part started by the House of Hapsburg.
1054 A.D. - Schism between the Western Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches finalizes a long standing split between them when Pope Leo 1X and Patriarch Cerlarius excommunicate each other!
1066 A.D. - William the Conqueror invades England and claims the throne at the Battle of Hastings. England is, for the next few centuries, heavily influenced by French language and culture to the point where French becomes the language of the political realm. - William goes on to establish the feudal system.
1073 A.D. - Pope Gregory V11 begins widespread reforms of church practice, liturgies, and administration. - One of his first acts is to excommunicate all married priests.
1085 -1099 A.D. - At the Council of Claremont, Pope Urban 11 called the First Crusade (out of a total of eight) against Muslims in the Holy Lands. This crusade was carried out in an effort to aid Byzantine Christians against Muslim invaders. They sacked Jerusalem and killed 40,000 people!
1120 A.D. - Founding of the “Knights Templar” in Jerusalem.
1122 A.D. - Diet of Worms finally ends the long-standing investiture fight with a compromise, which retains church authority over Europe. -Death of Omar Khayyam, Persian poet.
1147-1149 A.D. - Second Crusade.
1184 A.D. - Spanish Theologian Dominic founded the Dominican Order of Monks. The group was authorized by Pope Innocent 111 the convert Muslims and Jews and put an end to Heresy. (This Medieval Inquisition was actually a practice run for three later Inquisitions)
1189-1192 A.D. - Third Crusade, lead by Frederick of Germany, Philip of France and Richard the Lion Heart of England. (The time of Robin Hood!)
1198-1216 A.D. - Power of the medieval papacy reaches its height with the reign of Innocent 111 who manages to excommunicate both Holy Roman emperor Otto1V and King John of England at the same time in 1209
1202 A.D. - Fourth crusade launched. – El Cid.
1204 A.D. - St. Francis of Assisi launched a monastic revolution in the Latin Church. Started the “Franciscans” in 1210 C.E.
1206 A.D. - Venetians convince soldiers to attack Constantinople before moving to the holy land. The residents of the city suffer the worst devastation on the city’s history. As a result, Latin domination of the Eastern Church began!
1208 A.D. - “Now we find a new game to play.” First witchcraft trial in England took place. Gideon, alleged to be a sorcerer, was acquitted!
1215 A.D. - Pope Innocent III organized the Fourth Lateran Council in Rome in order to discuss and define central dogmas of Christianity. It was one of the most important councils ever held, and its canons sum up Innocent’s ideas for the church. It recognizes the necessity of the Eucharist and penance as sacraments for salvation.
1215 A.D. - Magna Carta was signed by King John when English Barons forced him to agree to a statement of their rights. - The Children’s Crusade was launched. More than 50,000 children sold into slavery. (Pied Piper legend.)
While Europe was caught up in the conflict between Pope and Emperor, a storm was brewing in Asia. Genghis Khan united the Mongols in a military confederation and achieved such a series of conquests that has no parallel in history.
Allan W Janssen is the author of the book The Plain Truth About God (What the mainstream religions don't want you to know!) and is available at the web site http://www.god-101.com/
Visit the blog "Perspective" at http://God-101.blogspot.com
