476 End of the Roman Empire.

489 Odoacer, chief of the Heruli, becomes king of Italy; Ostrogoths invade Italy and defeat Odoacer.

496 Clovis the Great, king of France; Feudal system begins.

529 Age of Justinian; Belisarius (Roman general).

622 Mahomet, aged 53, flies from Mecca to Medina, which forms the first year of the Hegira or Mahometan Era.

632 Death of Mahomet; Abubeker, his successor or first Caliph.

636 Saracens conquer Egypt; destroy the Alexandrian Library.

712 The Moors invade Spain; 713 conquer the Visigoths.

742 Charlemagne, son of Pepin the Short, born; 768 crowned king of the Franks; 774 crowned king of Italy; 800 crowned emperor of the West, by Pope Leo III; 814 Charlemagne dies. Charlemagne was the most powerful Christian monarch of the middle ages; he was a renowned warrior, he also encouraged learning and religion, and collected around him the most noted scholars of his time.