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Venice, City in the Sea 1350 – 1590
The houses of Venice are “like sea-birds half on sea and half on land,” said Cassiodorus. An officer of a
Rome, the City of the Pope 1492-1564
In 1492, young Giovanni de’ Medici bade farewell to his father, Lorenzo the Magnificent and left Florence to take his
Gentlemen, Scholars and Princes 1400 – 1507
One day in the fifteenth century, the Turkish potentate of Babylonia decided to send gifts to the greatest ruler in
Early Civilizations to Modern Age
The Sui and T’ang Restore the Empire A.D. 589-979
IN 589, a warlord named Sui Wen Ti conquered the last dynasty in the south and so became emperor of
The Sung Dynasty: Barbarians Threaten the Empire A. D. 960 – 1279
DURING THE turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era, the main outside threat to China came, as usual, from the
The Coming of the Mongols A.D.1135-1368
IN 1135, Hangchow became the capital of the Southern Sung. Thereafter, the Sung kept an uneasy peace with their unwelcome
Distant Past and New Challenges
Milestones of History
Charlemagne’s Empire Destroyed by Eastern Hordes (800-886 A. D.)
Charlemagne’s empire destroyed and dissolved in the ninth century, but the idea of “Europe” survived. By the late tenth century,
Alfred “The Great” builds England for the English (886 A. D.)
Alfred “The Great”, alone amongst the English kings, has been awarded this title. Earlier invaders of the British Isles had
Baghdad Founded (886 – 950 A. D.)
Baghdad founded and became the centre of Islamic learning and culture. England in the tenth century As a soldier, Alfred,
