Medieval Timeline - Browse by Century

The Fifth Century (27 entries)

Battle of Frigidius
Date: 405 A.D.
Description:
Radagaesus recruited an army of reportedly 400,000 Germans and planned an invasion of Italy. Stilocho managed to scratch together a force of thirty Western Roman units amounting to only about 20,000 men.

Rather than taking a defensive stance, the Roman Commander instead actually crossed the Danube, and with a swift march, fell upon the German rear and utterly destroyed them.
Date added: 12.08.04
Region: Western Europe, Southern Europe, Germany, Italy
Category: Military
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Invasion of Roman Empire
Date: December 31st, 406 A.D.
Description:
The River Rhine in Central Europe freezes over, allowing hordes of Vandals, Alans, and Scieri to invade the Roman Empire, ultimately leading to its collapse.
Date added: 04.01.07
Region: Western Europe, Western Roman Empire
Category: Military
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Saxon Invaders Attack Britain
Date: 408 A.D.
Description:
During this invasion, the Britons defended themselves without the help of the Romans.
Date added: 06.06.05
Region: Western Europe, British Isles
Category: Military, Society
Source information: Hollister, Warren C., Stacey, Robert C., and Stacey, Robin Chapman. The Making of England to 1399. Eighth edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. 27.

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Romans Leave Britain
Date: 410 A.D.
Description:
The Roman legions are withdrawn from Britain after Alaric, king of the Goths, sacks Rome.
Date added: 11.26.04
Region: Western Europe, Western Roman Empire, British Isles, England
Category: Military, Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Pelagian Controversy Begins
Date: 411 A.D.
Description:
Lasting until the year 418, Pelagianism was a heresy asserting that man could attain salvation by the exercise of his own free will, without the help of divine grace. Pelagius (c.360-c.420) a Welsh (or Irish) monk started the heresy. His doctrines were attacked by St. Jerome and St. Augustine of Hippo. Augustine formulated the doctrine of divine grace partly in opposition to Pelagius' teachings.
Date added: 11.26.04
Region: Western Europe, British Isles, Wales, Ireland, England
Category: Religion, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Possible Return of Roman Troops to Britain
Date: 417 A.D.
Description:
It is likely that Roman troops returned briefly to Britain around this year.
Date added: 11.26.04
Region: Western Europe, Western Roman Empire, British Isles, England
Category: Military, Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Overthrow of the Tsin
Date: 420 A.D.
Description:
The kingdom of the Tsin that had ruled over southern China since 280 A.D. is overthrown and replaced by the Liu (Sung) dynasty.

The Tsin had originally been one of the three kingdoms that had succeeded the Han dynasty. These were the Wei in the north, the Shu in the west, and the Wu in the east. By 280 A.D. the Wei had defeated the other two kingdoms and came to dominate as the Tsin dynasty. Beginning in 304 A.D. China was ravaged by rampaging Turks, Tibetan, Hsiung-nu, and Mongolian hordes, and by 386 A.D. the Tsin effectively controlled only the southern part of China below the Yangtze River. Northern China fell under the control of the rival Northern Wei, founded by the Turks.
Date added: 12.08.04
Region: Eastern Asia, China
Category: Politics, Military, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Liu Song Dynasty Begins
Date: 420 A.D.
Description:
Liu Song dynasty replaces the Eastern Jin in the south.
Date added: 05.31.06
Region: Eastern Asia, China
Category: Politics
Contributor(s): Liang Jieming
Source information: Chronology of Chinese History and Culture - 7000 B.C. to A.D. 2004

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St. Germanus of Auxerre Visits Britain
Date: 429 A.D.
Description:
St. Germanus of Auxerre visits Britain to preach against the Pelagian heresy. He would also visit again later in the 430s.
Date added: 06.06.05
Region: Western Europe, British Isles
Category: Religion, Society
Source information: Hollister, Warren C., Stacey, Robert C., and Stacey, Robin Chapman. The Making of England to 1399. Eighth edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. 27.

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St. Patrick's Return to Ireland
Date: c. 433 A.D.
Description:
St Patrick (The Patron Saint of Ireland) returned to Ireland with a missionary party circa 433.

As a boy Patrick had been captured by Irish raiders from a Romano-British family and taken to Northern Ireland as a slave. After six years he escaped to the continent where he trained as a priest, and finally as a Bishop. He brought the Roman Church to Ireland.
Date added: 11.26.04
Region: Western Europe, British Isles, Ireland
Category: Religion, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Angle, Saxon, and Jute Invasions Begin
Date: 449 A.D.
Description:
The first waves of Angle, Saxon and Jute invaders arrive in Britain.

Hengist (probably a Jute) and his brother Horsa are said by Bede to have come to Britain at the invitation of Vorigern, a Romano-British leader to help combat a threat from Pictish and Scottish Raiders. The brothers then revolted and seized Kent. Later, Kentish Kings are said to have claimed descent from Aesc (or Oisc), said to have been Hengist's son.

Hengist is reported to have been killed in battle at Aegelsthrop (probably Aylesford in Kent) circa 488.
Date added: 11.26.04
Region: Western Europe, British Isles, England, Scotland
Category: Military, Society, Politics
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Battle of Campus Mauriacus
Date: 451 A.D.
Description:
Having lost control of much of North Africa to the Vandals the Romans were required to utilize a large number of Barbarian allies in this battle against Attila's Huns.

The allied force drew up for battle with Aetius' Romans on the left flank; A large force of Visigoths on the right; and a mixed force of Franks, Alans, Sarmations, Saxons and Burgundians holding the center. A band of Armorican Britons (who it seems had become an independent kingdom) added additional reinforcement.

The center held a small hill from which they successfully repulsed the initial Hunnic attacks. The Visigoths counter-attacked and broke the opposing wing forcing Attila to break off the battle at nightfall and order a general retreat. The allies did not follow up on this victory.
Date added: 12.09.04
Region: Western Europe, Western Roman Empire
Category: Military
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Death of Atilla the Hun
Date: 453 A.D.
Description:
The 60-year-old Atilla the Hun dies. It is alleged that he died of of a burst blood vessel that he incurred during his wedding night exertions, following his marriage to a local blond German princess named Hildico.
Date added: 11.15.05
Region: Eastern Europe, Hungary
Category: Politics
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Ostrogoths Gain Independence
Date: 454 A.D.
Description:
The Ostrogoths regain their independence from Hun overlordship.
Date added: 12.02.04
Region: Southeastern Europe
Category: Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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The Vandals Sack Rome
Date: 455 A.D.
Description:
The Vandals, under Genseric, sack Rome.
Date added: 11.28.04
Region: Western Europe, Western Roman Empire, Southern Europe, Italy
Category: Military, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Ecclesiastical Council of Arles
Date: 455 A.D.
Description:
An ecclesiastical council was held at Arles in Gaul. Representatives of the British church attended, and Pelagianism was still a concern.
Date added: 06.06.05
Region: Western Europe, France, British Isles
Category: Religion
Source information: Hollister, Warren C., Stacey, Robert C., and Stacey, Robin Chapman. The Making of England to 1399. Eighth edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. 30.

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Britons Largely Take Armorica
Date: c. 460 A.D.
Description:
By the 460s the Britons had largely taken Armorica (a Gaulish province), eventually changing it's name its name to Brittany and its language to Breton.
Date added: 06.06.05
Region: Western Europe, British Isles, France
Category: Military, Politics, Society
Source information: Hollister, Warren C., Stacey, Robert C., and Stacey, Robin Chapman. The Making of England to 1399. Eighth edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. 30.

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Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Date: 476 A.D.
Description:
During this year, the Western half of the Roman Empire collapsed after the fall of Rome to the Germanic tribes. The Eastern half of the Empire, (centered in Constantinople and called Byzantium at this point) would live on until 1453.
Date added: 09.30.04
Region: Western Europe, Western Roman Empire
Category: Military, Politics, Society

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Last Roman Emperor in the West
Date: 476 A.D.
Description:
Romulus Augustus (also derogatively referred to as Romulus Augustulus), was the last Roman Emperor in the Western empire. He was deposed by the German King Odoacer.
Date added: 11.28.04
Region: Western Europe, Western Roman Empire
Category: Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Arrival of the Saxons
Date: 477 A.D.
Description:
Aelle and his Saxon followers settle in the area along the South coast of England that is now known as Sussex (a name which originates from south Saxons).
Date added: 11.28.04
Region: Western Europe, British Isles, England
Category: Military, Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Liu Song Dynasty Ends
Date: 478 A.D.
Description:
The southern dynasty of Liu Song ends in China.
Date added: 05.31.06
Region: Eastern Asia, China
Category: Politics
Contributor(s): Liang Jieming
Source information: Chronology of Chinese History and Culture - 7000 B.C. to A.D. 2004

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Founding of the Ch'i Dynasty
Date: 479 A.D.
Description:
The Liu (Sung) dynasty in southern China, below the Yangtze River, is succeeded by the Ch'i dynasty.
Date added: 12.09.04
Region: Eastern Asia, China
Category: Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Qi Dynasty Begins
Date: 479 A.D.
Description:
The southern dynasty of Qi begins in China.
Date added: 05.31.06
Region: Eastern Asia, China
Category: Politics
Contributor(s): Liang Jieming
Source information: Chronology of Chinese History and Culture - 7000 B.C. to A.D. 2004

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The Acacian Schism
Date: 484 A.D.
Description:
The increasingly Monophysite provinces of Egypt, Palestine and Syria began to raise concerns throughout the Church about a monophysite heresy. An attempt was made to try and resolve the differences between the supporters of Orthodoxy and Monophysitism through an edict authored by the Patriarch of Constantinople, Acacius. The Henotikon Edict of 482 was issued by the Byzantine Emperor Zeno I, notably, without first seeking approval from the pope. Pope Felix III came to power in 483, and the entire ordeal escalated. Patriarch Acacius ignored Pope Felix III's order to return to Rome to answer charges brought against him. At a synod in 484, Felix III irrevocably excommunicated Patriarch Acacius. Acacius was not informed in person by any messenger about his excommunication; instead, a piece of parchment with the order of excommunication written on it was pinned to the back of Acacius's robe during a service in St. Sophia. Acacius later discovered the parchment and excommunicated Pope Felix III right back. This led to a schism between the Churches that lasted for 35 years.
Date added: 09.01.05
Region: Byzantine Empire, Western Europe
Category: Religion
Contributor(s): Natalie Kohout
Source information: Norwich, John Julius. A Short History of Byzantium. New York: Vintage Books, 1997. 57.

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Conquest of Sussex
Date: 491 A.D.
Description:
Aelle and his Saxon followers complete their occupation of Sussex.
Date added: 11.28.04
Region: Western Europe, British Isles, England
Category: Military, Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Conquest of Kent
Date: 494 A.D.
Description:
The Jutes complete their occupation of Kent in southeastern England.
Date added: 11.28.04
Region: Western Europe, British Isles, England
Category: Military, Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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Conversion of Clovis I
Date: 496 A.D.
Description:
Clovis I of the Franks becomes a Christian.
Date added: 11.28.04
Region: Western Europe, France
Category: Religion, Politics, Society
Contributor(s): Alan Chanter

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