The Second Millenium

[Vince53]

Brethren, for about five years now, I have been writing a history thread on another Christian forum. Starting with the year 1 AD, I have advanced about one year every day, although certain years have taken several days. The thread has about a dozen followers.

I have been locked out of the other forum (There were no issue or complaints) and they will not answer my requests. I have learned a lot from researching the thread, and I'm just going to continue it here.

I had left off the series at the year 1340.

 

[Vince53]

Welcome to 1341 AD!

The Byzantine Empire plunges into a seven year long civil war. When it is over, the Bulgarian Empire and the new Serbian Empire have seized a lot of Byzantium's territory.

George the Brilliant had successfully driven the Mongol Empire out of Georgia, a Christian kingdom in Asia. Through careful diplomacy, he makes peace with the Moslems on his western flank. He returns Jerusalem (which he had briefly captured) in return for other lands the Moslems had captured from him.

A massive flood in southern India permanently changes the course of one river, destroys a major seaport so thoroughly that archaeologists still can't find it, and creates several new islands.

 

[iambren]

What's the point?

 

[Vince53]

1342 is here!

Clement VI begins his ten year reign as Pope. During this time, three years of the Black Death break out, killing about one half of Europe. Attributing the plague to a conjunction of three planets, Pope Clement personally tends to the dying and gives generously to the poor. Pained by the suffering of the victims, he grants all those who die the remission of sins. When persecution of the Jews breaks out (because they were blamed) he vigorously condemned the persecutors, protected the Jews near him, and ordered all Catholic clergy to protect the Jews.
He bungled badly in his political interferences, initiated the sale of indulgences that would later produce the Protestant Reformation, and lived in luxury, explaining that his predecessors didn't know how to live as Popes. He organized a Crusade that fought a single naval battle.

Louis the Great begins his forty year reign as King of Hungary. He will later absorb Poland into his empire, and under him, Hungary will reach its greatest influence. Unfortunately, he gets bogged down in wars with Venice (then an independent republic within the Holy Roman Empire) and he has to battle the Turks on his southeastern flank.

 

[Vince53]

It is now 1343.

A tidal wave hits Italy's southwestern coast.

In northern Europe, Estonia rebels against its German and Danish conquerors, seeking to expel them and Catholicism as well. The Estonians were winning, when the Knights of the Teutonic Order invaded and ended the revolt. Later, Denmark will sell Estonia to the Teutonic Knights.

The Catholic Church declares that it has a "Treasury of Merits" in Heaven. Formed by the excess righteousness, of Jesús and the saints, these merits are granted as indulgences, later given in return for offerings, and finally sold outright.

 

[Vince53]

1344 has just begun.

Needing money to finance the Hundred Years War with France, England issues three new coins that have less gold than their face value. They are widely rejected, and within a few months are recalled and melted down.

Three major European companies, all centered in Florence (at the time, an independent republic within the Holy Roman Empire) go bankrupt. A variety of problems, including England's default on loans and internal conflict in Florence, caused the failures.

In France, Levi ben Gershon, the Jewish philosopher and scientist dies. His various commentaries on Scripture and Greek philosophy attempt to unite the two with his own theories.

 

[Vince53]

1345 is a good year for the Moslems.

Welcome to 1345!

The Holy Roman Empire, which is full of civil wars among its constituents, seizes the Netherlands.

Moslem Turks attack Smyrna, still a Byzantine possession, on Turkey's western coast. And in Spain, Moslems successfully defeat a Catholic attack on their tiny kingdom of Grenada. Meanwhile, African Moslems sail to Bulgaria and conduct raids.

March 24 is a rough day. There is a solar eclipse, and that night Mars, Júpiter, and Saturn align into one visible object. Later, when the Black Plague resurges in Europe, it is blamed on the events of March 24.

Taking light losses, an English army of 1500 men smashes a French army of 7,000 men in France. So far, the Hundred Years War is going very well for England.

 

[Vince53]

1346 is a really, really bad year for France.

The Hundred Years War continues to be a disaster for France. For those who came in late, the Holy Roman Empire has recognized England's King John III as the rightful King of France, and John is Determined to annex France to England. England already holds part of France.

France attacks Aiguillon, an English city in southwestern France. With their navy shattered from their massive defeat a few years ago, the French begin preparing for a large-scale English invasion of northern France. England, Meanwhile, begins assembling its invasion fleet at Portsmouth. In Brittany (northern France), French forces suffer two minor defeats from a small English armies, and this shakens the confidence of local French nobles enough that many of them defect to England's side. England now sends its fleet to invade northwestern France,and they land tropos that begin pillaging the countryside. Under the personal command of King Edward III, England wins a major victory at Crec, and begins to besiege Calais.

Elsewhere in the news, the disintegrating Mongolian Empire still holds the Crimean Peninsula on the north coast of the Black Sea. But the Black Plague breaks out so severely that they have to abandon some of their towns.

The Moslem Turks continue to be a rising power, and the Byzantine Emperor even gives his daughter to the sultan as a member of his harem in an unsuccessful attempt to form an alliance.

 

[Vince53]

1347

Byzantium's civil war ends, with the Emperor victorious. Unfortunately, a ship full of Italian refugees fleeing the Black Plague shows up at Constantinople, and the Plague breaks out there. For those who came in late, the Byzantine Empire used to be the eastern half of the Roman Empire.

Meanwhile, the French not only lose Calais to the English, but the Black Plague begins appearing in different parts of France.

Victorious Moslems form the Bahmani Sultanate, which will rule much of central and southern India until it breaks apart in 1518.

In December, the Black Plague reaches Spain for the first time. For those who came in late, African Moslems had conquered and held central and southern Spain for centuries. When their empire disolved into timy kingdoms, the Catholics of northern Spain began the centuries-long "Reconquest," eventually taking their nation back.

 

[Vince53]

Unfortunately, 1348 is not an improvement over last year.

Two ships from France arrive in southern England, and within two months, southern England is in the grip of the Black Plague. And as the Plague increases in western and central Europe, the Catholic Church forbids persecution of the Jews as scapegoats. For those who came in late, persecution was often justified by saying that the gods (or God) was punishing a nation for permitting a false religion to exist. However, tortured into confessing that they had deliberately spread the Black Plague to Catholics, so many Jews are killed in Germany and Switzerland that German Jews do not recover until the 17th century.

The Black Death is difficult to explain scientifically. It seems that it is spread by a species of flea that only lives on rats. But when the rats are killed, the fleas are forced to move to humans. This would explain why the Plague was often carried by ships, rather than by travellers.

Hangzou, China (which is still part of the Mongolian Empire) replaces Cairo, Egypt as the most populated city in the world. To make matters worse, the Black Plague breaks out in Cairo.

 

[Vince53]

1349 is another rough year.

The Black Death reaches Poland. An English ship, with everybody dead, floats ashore in Norway, bringing the Black Death with it; ultimately, about 2/3 of Norway will die from the Plague. Mecca, site of Moslem pilgrimages, is also struck with the Black Plague.

Panic-stricken citizens of Basil, Stasbourg, and Erfurt commit mass murder of Jews, believing that they are the cause of the Black Death. Massacres also break out in various Swiss and German cities. In several cases, town councils and government officials unsuccessfully tried to dissuade the mobs but were outnumbered.

And to top it off, Rome is struck by a massive earthquake.

 

[Vince53]

1350

About this time, the Vikings abandon their Western Settlement in Greenland, while keeping two other settlements. Archaeologists have found the remains of 65 farms in the Western Settlement.

For those who came in late, the Vikings had exploded across northern Europe, ruling Denmark, Norway, part of Sweden, England (That's right, the Vikings conquered England), Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland (a large island off the Canadian coast that is now part of Canada). A century and a half after reaching its height, the Viking Empire had virtually collapsed.

The Spanish Catholic kingdom of Castille had been taking advantage of the Hundred Years War to seize English merchant ships, throw the crews overboazrd, and keep the ships. Under the personal command of King Edward III, England smashes a Castillian fleet, capturing about half their ships while only losing two English ships.

The Black Death reaches Scotland.

A French scientist almost discovers "inertia" (the tendency of an object to continue moving or remaining stationary unless acted upon). He shows that the planets are not being pushed by angels, but are moving according to scientific principles.

In Iran, Mongolian engineers build a 200 foot high bridge. For those who came in late, the Mogolian Empire had expanded too rapidly, leaving Mongolia without enough people to rule their empire. It had rapidly split into four empires and steadily declined over a period of centuries.

 

[Vince53]

Welcome to 1351

It will take them 17 years to do it, but the Red Turbans begin a rebellion against the Mongol rulers of China, and the Red Turbans eventually win.
The Kingdom of Siam begins. Lasting 416 years, it eventually conquered most of Ind-China, bringing in prosperity and a great deal of culture. Siam maintained friendly relations with foreigners, including Europeans. In its last fifty years, the kingdom was beset by civil war, was devastated by Burma, and re-emerged as the modern nation of Thailand.

For the first time, Turkey invades Europe.

Tired of the Habsburg Family's mistreatment, Zúrich withdraws from the Holy Roman Empire and joins Switzerland.

 

[Vince53]

Let's see what new in 1352!

Pope Innocent VI begins his ten year reign. During the election by the cardinals, each cardinal expressed what his policy would be if elected, and swore that he would not change it. Innocent took the oath, and almost immediately repealed it when he became Pope. He was honest and competent, however, but the Black Plague, along with Italian wars, had devastated the Papal treasury. He had to reject an offer to assist a contender for the Byzantine throne who promised to bring the Orthodox Church under Papal control.

Two more cites withdraw from the Holy Roman Empire to join Switzerland. Could they do this? With rugged mountains as their homeland, the Swiss could withstand large invading armies at a high cost to the invaders.

Victorious Moslem Turks seize a European castle, and Turkey now holds part of Europe (and still does today).

 

[Vince53]

1353 is a very quiet year.

The "Book of Prince Galehaut" is completed. It contains one hundred stories and describes everyday life in the fourteenth century.

Ibn Battuta is one of the greatest travellers in history. During his lifetime, he will visit almost every part of the known world. This year he describes his visit into northern Africa.

 

[Vince53]

1354 has got to be more interesting than last year.

The civil war in Byzantium ends, with John V as sole Emperor. But their devastating losses make Byzantium even weaker than it had been.

For those who came in late, when the western Roman Empire collapsed, the eastern part became the Byzantine Empire. At its height, Byzantium actually recaptured all of north Africa and most of Italy, including the city of Rome. But over the centuries it steadily declined.

A massive earthquake devastates the Greek city of Gallipoli in eastern Europe. Most inhabitants abandon the city, and Turkey quickly seizes it, holding the city to this day. From here, Turkey will continue its expansión into Europe.

Wanting his own kingdonm, a Cambodian prince leads a 50,000 man army that seizes a vast area of southeast Asia. Surviving until 1707, the Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under White Parasols will eventually include parts of six modern nations.

 

[Vince53]

1355 is a rough year for college towns.

Two days of rioting break out in Exford, England, when two university students beat up a bartender because they don't like the quality of his drinks. About 200 students violently attack the city leaders. Angered over previous incidents with the students, countryfolk join in, and about 65 students and 30 local citizens are killed.

Civil war breaks out in Portugal after the King murders his his son's lover, hoping to get him to marry a princess. After devastating Portugal for two years, the son gets reconciled with his father and becomes King.

The Auld Alliance, the oldest international military treaty still in force, requires Scotland to aid France in event of war. After centuries of enduring English invasions, Scotland invades England, sacks a city, and defeats an English army.

A Turkish army advances on Sofia, the capital of the Bulgarian Empire. With heavy losses and the death of their future King, the Bulgarians stop them.

 

[Vince53]

1356 is a really fantastic year for England.

Edward the Black Prince, heir to the English throne, follows a scorched earth policy in France, burning entire towns to the ground and pillaging or destroying everything he can. He defeats Fance in a major battle and captures their king. Chaos then breaks out in France as robber bands seize much of the countryside and the nobles serve whatever side has the best chance of victory.

Edward Balliol, part-time King and part-time pretender to the throne of Scotland, hands over the kingdom to England. His rivals, of course, do not recognize the legality of his action. Meanwhile, King Edward III of England is busily burning down every town and village in Scotland he can get to.

The greatest earthquake in the history of central Europe destroys Basel, Switzerland and every large building within thirty miles. Occurring at 10 PM, the quake knocked down so many candles that the wooden city was set on fire. Further damage occurred in France and Germany, and aftershocks continued for another year.

The once-great Mongol Empire continues to collapse, as Red Turban rebels capture Nanjing, China, and make it their capital.

 

[Vince53]

1357

The Shroud of Tourin is displayed for the first known time. A fantastic piece of cloth artwork that pretends to be Jesus' burial shroud, it will remain controversial until Twentieth Century science finally exposes it as a fake. The majestic face of Jesús is in clear contradiction to the Biblical teaching that He was an ordinary-looking Man.

Sweden and Portugal end their civil wars as victorious sons take their father's thrones.

In the Mid-east, the Ilkanate Empire had broken loose from the Mongol Empire. At its height, it included all or most of seven modern nations and parts of others. But its rapid collapse is sped up when a revolt replaces their ruler.

 

[Vince53]

1358

Suffering from the Hundred Years War, French peasants stage a major revolt. After a few months, they are defeated by a coalition of nobles, as the central government is unable to stop them.

The Republic of Dubrovnik is formed on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, across from Italy. It will thrive as a commercial center until seized by Napoleón in 1808.

Nanjing, China, the capital of the Red Turban rebels, becomes the most populated city in the world.

Iran successfully rebels against the fading Ilkanate Empire. The rest of the Empire continues its collapse.