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  Martin Luther from The Shepherds Oracles
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Welcome
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Our approach to the chronology of the Age of Reformation follows three separate but intertwined branches: Chronology of Western Europe, Chronology of the Church and Religious Affairs, and Chronology of Eastern Europe and Beyond. They are presented here in separate documents, which are merged into a comprehensive chronology available for download at the bottom of this page.

These chronologies provide a visual guide to the order of historical events. A large amount of historical study is concerned with analysis and interpretation of cause and effect in human affairs. A basic tool of historical understanding is to determine the order in which events occurred. The CIA taught its analysts studying international situations that the first step toward understanding any event or situation is the construction of a chronology.

The Reformation was a complex set of events that interacted with one another to produce the body of recorded knowledge we now study as history. Furthermore, in the case of the Reformation, events sometimes had long antecedents. The Reformers made frequent references to the situation of the Early Church. They also considered the Medieval Papacy to be a corrupted institution. For students of the Renaissance and Reformation, it is important to know, for example, when the fall of the Roman Empire occurred, when the world of St. Augustine arose, when the Crusaders marched across the land, or what the Investiture Controversy was all about. The chronologies should help with that task.
 

Reformation Timeline No. 1
Chronology of Western Europe

306-337

Reign of Constantine the Great

410

Visigoths sack Rome

451

Battle of Chalons

455

Vandals sack Rome

476

End of the Western Roman Empire

496

Conversion of Clovis

533-43

Byzantines reconquer N. Africa

535-54

Byzantines reconquer Italy

711-15

Muslim conquest of Spain

800-14

Reign of Charlemagne

936-73

Reign of Otto I the Great

955

Battle of Lechfeld

1066

Norman Conquest of England

c1150-60

University of Paris Founded

1152-1190

Reign of Frederick I Barbarosa

1154-89

Reign of Henry II of England

1167

Oxford University Founded

1180-1223

Reign of Philip II Augustus of France

1189-99

Reign of Richard I of England

1208-13

Albigensian Crusade

1209

Cambridge University Founded

1211-50

Reign of Emperor Frederick II

1212

Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa

1214

Battle of Bouvines (27 July)

1215

Magna Carta

1222

University of Padua Founded

1226-70

Reign of Louis IX (Saint)

1272-1307

Reign of Edward I of England

1285-1314

Reign of Philip IV the Fair of France

1290

England expels the Jews

1321

Death of Dante

1327-77

Reign of Edward III of England

1337-1453

Hundred Years War

1340

Battle of Sluys

1343

University of Pisa Founded

1346

Battle of Crecy

1347-50

Black Death or Plague

1351-89

Statutes of Provisors

1353-93

Statutes of Praemunire

1356

Battle of Poitiers

1379

University of Erfurt Founded

1385

University of Heidelberg Founded

1388

University of Cologne Founded

1397

Establishment of Medici Bank

1409

University of Leipzig Founded

1411

St. Andrew's University Founded

1413

Rebellion of Sir John Oldcastle

1415

Portuguese capture Ceuta
Battle of Agincourt (25 Oct)

1426

University of Louvain Founded

1431

Burning of Joan of Arc

1455-1485

Wars of the Roses in England

1455

Gutenberg perfects printing press

1460

Death of Prince Henry the Navigator

1461-83

Reign of Louis XI of France

1469-1492

Lorenzo the Magnificent rules Florence

1469

Marriage of Ferdinand & Isabella

1476

William Caxton prints first book
       in England

1477

Battle of Nancy and death
       of Charles the Bold of Burgundy
University of Uppsala Founded

1478-80

Establishment of Spanish Inquisition

1488

Bartholomeu Dias sails around
       Cape of Good Hope

1492

Fall of Granada (2 Jan)
First Voyage of Columbus
Expulsion of Jews from Spain

1493-1519

Reign of Emperor Maximilian I

1494

Charles VIII of France invades Italy
Treaty of Tordesillas

1497

John Cabot sails to North America

1497-98

Gama's Voyage to India

1499

University of Alcala Founded

1502

University of Wittenberg Founded

1509-47

Reign of Henry VIII of England

1512

Battle of Ravenna (11 April)

1513

Battle of Novara (6 June)
Battle of Flodden (9 Sept)
Balboa discovers Pacific Ocean

1515-47

Reign of Francis I of France

1515

Battle of Marignano

1516

Death of Ferdinand and succession
       of Charles I (V) as king

1519-21

Conquest of Mexico by Cortes

1519

Charles V elected Holy Roman Emperor

1520

Field of the Cloth of Gold

1521-26

First War between Charles V
       and Francis I

1521

Revolt of the Communeros

1523

Battle of LaBicocca (24 June)

1524-25

Peasants' War in Germany

1525

Battle of Pavia (24 Feb)

1526

Treaty of Madrid (29 Aug)

1527-29

Second War between Charles V
       and Francis I

1527

Sack of Rome by Imperial Army

1529

Peace of Cambrai
Fall of Cardinal Wolsey
Thomas More appointed Chancellor
Reformation Parliament in England
Diet of Speyer-Protestants

1531

Establishment of Schmalkaldic
       League by German Protestants
Battle of Kappel (11 Oct)

1534

Act of Supremacy in England

1536-38

Third War between Charles V
       and Francis I

1539

Six Articles in England

1542-44

Fourth War between Charles V
       and Francis I

1546-47

Schmalkaldic War

1547

Battle of Muhlberg

1552-56

War between Charles V and Henry II

1556-98

Reign of Philip II of Spain

1557

Battle of St. Quentin (10 Aug)

1558-1603

Reign of Elizabeth I of England

1559

Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis

1562-63

First French War of Religion

1567

Alba in the Netherlands
      and Council of Blood

1568-1648

Revolt of the Netherlands

1568

Second French War of Religion

1569-70

Third French War of Religion

1569-71

Revolt of the Moriscos

1572

Massacre of St. Bartholomew

1572-74

Fourth French War of Religion

1574-76

Fifth French War of Religion

1576-1612

Reign of Emperor Rudolf II

1576

Pacification of Ghent
Sack of Antwerp
Organization of Holy League in France

1577

Sixth French War of Religion

1579

Union of Utrecht

1580

Seventh French War of Religion

Philip II becomes king of Portugal

1584

Assassination of William the Silent
       (10 July)

1585-89

Eighth French War of Religion
       (War of the Three Henries)

1585

Antwerp surrenders to Duke of Parma

1588

Defeat of the Spanish Armada
Day of the Barricades (12 May)
Assassination of the Guises (23 Dec)

1589-1610

Reign of Henry IV of France

1589

Assassination of Henry III (31 July)

1593

Henry IV abjures Protestantism

1598

Edict of Nantes (15 April)
Death of Philip II of Spain
Treaty of Vervins

1600

English East India Company Founded

1602

Dutch East India Company Founded

1603

Death of Elizabeth I of England

 

Reformation Timeline No. 2
Chronology of Church
and Religious Affairs

325

Council of Nicaea / Nicene Creed

340-420

St. Jerome

354-430

St. Augustine

440-64

Pontificate of Leo the Great

590-604

Pontificate of Gregory the Great

867

Orthodox schism with Rome

1054

Great Schism between Eastern
        and Western Churches

1059-1122

Investiture Controversy

1073-85

Pontificate of Gregory VII

1077

Henry IV submits to Gregory VII
        at Canossa

1095-1100

First Crusade

c1120

Foundation of the Templars

1147

Second Crusade

1170

Murder of Archbishop Becket

1189-92

Third Crusade

1198-1216

Pontificate of Innocent III

1204

Fourth Crusade

1218-21

Fifth Crusade

c1225-74

Thomas Aquinas

1228-29

Sixth Crusade

1248-54

Seventh Crusade

1270

Eighth Crusade

c1285-1347

William of Occam

1307-1312

Suppression of the Templars

1294-1303

Pontificate of Boniface VIII

1302

Unam Sanctum

1309-77

Avignon Papacy / Babylonian Captivity

c1330-84

John Wycliffe

1370

Devotio Moderna

1378-1417

Great Schism of Western Church

1409

Council of Pisa

1411

Excommunication of John Huss

1414-18

Council of Constance
Burning of John Huss (6 July)

1430-48

Council of Basel

1438

Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges

1440

Lorenzo Valla's On the Donation
        of Constantine

1450

Vatican Library Founded

1464

Death of Nicholas of Cusa

1466

Birth of Erasmus

1483

Birth of Martin Luther

1484

Birth of Ulrich Zwingli

1487

Malleus Maleficarum

1491?

Birth of Ignatius Loyola

1492-1503

Pontificate of Alexander VI

1497

Confraternity of Divine Love founded

1498

Execution of Savonarola

1503-1513

Pontificate of Julius II

1509

Erasmus publishes Praise of Folly
Jacques Lefevre d'Etaples
       publishes edition of Psalms
Cardinal Cisneros founds
       University of Alcala
Birth of John Calvin

1511-21

Fifth Lateran Council

1513-21

Pontificate of Leo X

1514

Publication of Polyglot New Testament

1516

Concordat of Bologna
Erasmus publishes Greek New Testament

1517

Martin Luther's 95 Theses

1519

Leipzig Debate

1520

Luther's Three Reformation Treatises

1521

Excommunication of Luther
Luther at Diet of Worms

1522

Luther's New Testament in German

1523-34

Pontificate of Clement VII

1523

Zurich becomes a Reformed City
        (24 June)

1524

Theatine Order Approved

1525

Tyndale's New Testament in English
        (24 Feb)

1529

Marburg Colloquy
Luther's Small and Large Catechisms

1530

Augsburg Confession
Ignatius Loyola's Spiritual Exercises

1531

Death of Zwingli

1534-49

Pontificate of Paul III

1534

Anabaptists take over Munster
Loyola founds Society of Jesus
Luther's Complete German Bible

1535

Ursuline Order Founded

1536

Calvin's Institutes of Christian Religion
       
published
Death of Erasmus
Execution of William Tyndale
First Helvetic Confession

1539

Great Bible in England

1542

Francis Xavier arrives in India
Roman Inquisition Established

1543

Copernicus De Revolutionibus

1544

Papal Approval of the Ursulines

1545-47

First Meeting of the Council of Trent

1546

Death of Luther

1548

Augsburg Interim

1549

Book of Common Prayer composed
       by Thomas Cranmer
Francis Xavier reaches Japan
Paul IV publishes
       Index of Forbidden Books

1551-52

Second Meeting of the Council of Trent

1552

Magdeburg Centuries
Death of Francis Xavier

1553

Michael Servetus burned for heresy
        in Geneva

1555

Peace of Augsburg

1556

Abdication of Charles V
Death of Ignatius Loyola
Execution of Thomas Cranmer

1557

Geneva Bible New Testament

1559

Genevan Academy Founded

1560

Geneva Bible Complete

1561

Colloquy of Poissy

1562-63

Third Meeting of the Council of Trent

1562

Heidelberg Catechism
Second Helvetic Confession

1563

John Foxe's Acts and Monuments

1564

Death of Calvin
Tridentin Index of Prohibited Books

1568

Bishop's Bible in England

1577

Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle

1580

Book of Concord

1582

Gregorian Calendar appears
Reims New Testament in English

1585

Death of John Foxe

1591

Richard Hooker's Laws of Eccles. Polity

 

Reformation Timeline No. 3
Chronology of Eastern Europe
and Beyond

330

Constantinople becomes capital
       of Eastern Roman Empire

445-53

Hunnic Empire

453

Death of Attila

527-65

Reign of Emperor Justinian

541

Justinian's Plague

570-632

Mohammed, founder of Islam

622

Mohammed's flight to Medina

634-40

Muslim conquest of Palestine and Syria

637-38

Muslim conquest of Iraq

639-42

Muslim conquest of Egypt

642-51

Muslim conquest of Persia

673-78

First Muslim attacks and
       siege of Constantinople

717-18

Second Muslim siege of Constantinople

786-809

Caliphate of Harun al Rashin

996-1020

Caliphate of Al-Hakim of Egypt

1036-51

Rise of the Seljuk Turks

1055

Seljuks capture Baghdad

1071

Battle of Manzikert

1187

Battle of Hattim

1204

Crusaders capture Constantinople

1206

Chinggis Khan unites Mongols

1219-21

Mongol conquest of Khwarazm

1237-40

Mongol conquest of Russia

1241

Mongol raid on Hungary

1243

Mongol conquest of Anatolia

1250

Mamluks take control of Egypt

1257-94

Reign of Kublai Khan

1258-60

Mongol conquest of Iraq

1260

Battle of Ayn Jalut

1275-92

Marco Polo in China

1291

Fall of Acre to Mamluks

1338

Black Death in Central Asia

1348

University of Prague Founded

1356-68

Ming Dynasty replaces Mongols

1360

Murad I establishes the Janissaries

1365

University of Vienna Founded

1389

Battle of Kosovo

1396

Nicopolis Crusade

1402

Battle of Ankara, Tamerlane
       captures Bayazid I

1405-33

Voyages of Zheng He

1420-33

Hussite Wars in Bohemia

1451-81

Reign of Mehmet II the Great of Turkey

1453

Capture of Constantinople
       by the Ottoman Turks

1454-66

War between Poland and Russia

1458-90

Reign of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary

1462-1505

Ivan III, Grand Duke of Muscovy

1480-81

First unsuccessful Turkish siege of Rhodes

1512-20

Reign of Selim I the Grim of Turkey

1516

Ottomans conquer Syria

1517

Ottomans conquer Egypt

1520-66

Reign of Suleyman the Magnificent
       of Turkey

1520-23

Swedes revolt from Denmark

1521-33

Ottoman wars against Hungary and Austria

1521

Ottomans capture Belgrade

1522

Fall of Rhodes to Ottomans

1525

Teutonic Knights secularized

1526

Battle of Mohacs

1529

Siege of Vienna by Ottomans
Sweden adopts Lutheranism

1533-84

Reign of Ivan IV the Terrible

1537-40

War between Ottomans and Venice

1541-47

War between Ottomans and Austria

1547

Ivan the Terrible reaches his majority

1548-72

Reign of Sigismund II of Poland

1551-1562

War between Ottomans and Austria

1552-54

Russia conquers Kazan and and Astrakhan

1557-82

Livonian War

1565

Siege of Malta by Ottomans

1566-1568

War between Ottomans and Austria

1569

Union of Lublin between
        Poland and Lithuania

1571

Fall of Cyprus to Ottomans
Battle of Lepanto

1582

Yermak begins Russian conquest
        of Siberia

1583

Matteo Ricci reaches China

1589

Establishment of the Russian
        Patriarchate

1593-1606

War between Ottomans and Austria

 

Comprehensive Chronology
for the Age of the Reformation

The three chronologies presented on this page are merged into a comprehensive chronology available for download as an Excel file.   You can either click on the watch icon to open the document in Excel, or right click and execute the "save target as" command on Windows operating systems. 

chronology
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