Timeline Description: The Dark Ages were a time in history when the population was declining and there was little literature or other arts. It gave way to a more enlightened time. This is a timeline of those years.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 150 | The world's populations begin to fall Over the course of 250 years, Rome's population dropped from about 65 million to 50 million. Some people believe this was because of a global cold front that swept the earth. |
| 300 | The Roman Empire begins to decline The Romans slowly lost their control of the empire as other, stronger groups moved through the area. There were many battles, and the Romans were defeated. |
| 400 | The people scattered through the lands As the Roman Empire fell apart, the new groups of people scattered across the land. They were uneducated people who spoke different languages, and they replaced the more civilized Romans. |
| 500 | The Byzantine Empire continues to rule In spite of the fighting going on around Western Europe, the Byzantine Empire continued to hold their land for another 200 years. |
| 600 | The Bulgarians begin expanding their kingdom The Bulgars led attacks along the Black Sea and began establishing a powerful rule. |
| 650 | A rise in Islamic victories Muslim people began moving into what had been Roman territory in the past. Their influence spread quickly and they took over many lands. |
| 700 | Western Europe begins to see improvement Historical records show that the temperatures began to warm up, and crops began to grow. The population and farms saw an increase. |
| 750 | Education begins to rise again Life settled down some, and after the fighting and death of so many people, those who were left began to focus on education once again. |
| 800 | The people fall into a new pattern of life As the weather warmed, the people fell into a regular way of life. Lands were split into 1 acre blocks of land, and they were farmed. |
| 850 | Italy is split into many lands Italy went through a time of turmoil. The north was ruled by the Franks, and the south was ruled by the Muslim people. |
| 850 | Charlemagne takes charge Charlemagne led the Frankish people through Italy, and then continued west. He established what became France, and he helped spread Christianity. |
| 865 | The Vikings invade Britain A Viking army moved into Britain and took over the island. They eventually established the Kingdom of England. |
| 927 | The Bulgarian Orthodox Church The Bulgarians established the first European national church of the age with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. |
| 1000 | The abacus was brought to Europe The Muslim nations had developed the abacus for mathematics, and as more Muslim people migrated west, they brought their teachings with them. |
| 1000 | Christianity is on the rise As Christianity spread through the lands, the people began to settle down. The lands settled firmly into their own kingdoms, and the fighting died down for a time. It was considered the end of the "Dark Ages". |