Years 500-1000

Medieval Britain and Europe: The Dark Ages

Legendary dates and information are indicated by square brackets;

ca.="circa" (approximately).

• 524 Boethius writes the Consolation of Philosophy, while imprisoned by the Ostrogoth emperor Theodoric.
• [542 According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, writing ca.1135, the King of the Britons, Arthur Pendragon, is fatally wounded by his son Mordred at the battle of Camblam; he passes the crown to Constantine III--see above, ca.406-409.]
• ca.570-632 Lifetime of the Islamic Prophet Muhammed.
• 622 The "Hegira" marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
• 597 St. Augustine of Canterbury, an Italian missionary, arrives in England, becoming the first archbishop of Canterbury; Aethelbert becomes the first Christian king of the Anglo-Saxons.
• 800 Coronation as emperor of Charlemagne, king of the Franks.
• ca.886 After a period of obscurity following the Roman withdrawal (ca.409), London regains importance as a town under King Alfred.
• ca.860 A Varangian empire is established in Russia by Rurik, grandfather of the legendary Amleth (Hamlet).
• 865 Danes launch full-scale invasion of Britain; though checked by King Alfred of Wessex, they settle in the Midlands (Danelaw) by 886.
• 868 The Danegeld land tax is first levied to pay tribute to invading Danes.
• 962 Coronation as emperor of the German king Otto I, founder of the Holy Roman Empire (successor state to the empire of Charlemagne).