World History Timeline

Timeline

14 events

3rd century

  1. c. 3rd century – c. 9th century★★★★★

    Classic period of Maya civilization

    Maya city-states such as Tikal, Palenque and Calakmul reach their height in architecture, writing, astronomy and calendrics.

    CultureScience· Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras
  2. c. 3rd century – c. 11th century★★★★★

    The Ghana Empire in West Africa

    The Soninke Ghana Empire (Wagadu) flourished in what is now Mauritania and Mali, growing rich from control of the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade.

    DynastyEconomy· Mauritania, Mali

8th century

  1. c. 8th century – c. 10th century★★★★★

    Classic Maya collapse

    Many Maya cities of the southern lowlands are gradually abandoned, possibly due to drought, warfare and political crisis.

    Politics· Guatemala, Mexico
  2. c. 800s – c. 820s★★★★★

    Construction of Borobudur

    The Sailendra dynasty builds Borobudur in Central Java, the largest Buddhist monument in the world.

    ReligionArt· Indonesia

9th century

  1. 802★★★★★

    Jayavarman II founds the Khmer Empire

    Jayavarman II proclaims himself chakravartin (universal monarch) on Phnom Kulen, declaring independence from Java and founding the Khmer Empire.

    DynastyPolitics· Cambodia
  2. c. 819 – 999★★★★★

    The Samanids and Bukhara's golden age

    The Persian Samanid dynasty rules Central Asia and Khorasan, making Bukhara and Samarkand cultural and trade centres on the Silk Road.

    DynastyCultureEconomy· Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan
  3. c. 820s★★★★★

    Al-Khwarizmi's treatise on algebra

    At Baghdad's House of Wisdom, al-Khwarizmi writes his treatise on completion and balancing, founding algebra as a discipline; the word "algebra" derives from its title.

    Science· Iraq
  4. c. 830s★★★★★

    House of Wisdom in Baghdad

    Under Caliph al-Ma'mun the House of Wisdom becomes a centre of translation and scholarship, preserving and extending Greek, Persian and Indian learning.

    ScienceCulture· Iraq
  5. August 843★★★★★

    Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian Empire

    Charlemagne's three grandsons divide the empire into three kingdoms, laying the groundwork for the later France and Germany.

    TreatyPolitics· France, Germany, Italy
  6. 859★★★★★

    Al-Qarawiyyin founded in Fez

    Fatima al-Fihri founds the al-Qarawiyyin mosque in Fez, which grew into a major centre of learning in the Islamic world.

    ReligionCulture· Morocco
  7. c. 862★★★★★

    Rurik comes to rule Novgorod (traditional)

    According to the Primary Chronicle, the Varangian chieftain Rurik was invited to rule Novgorod in 862, traditionally the start of the Rurik dynasty.

    DynastyPolitics· Russia
  8. 868★★★★★

    The Diamond Sutra is printed

    A copy of the Diamond Sutra found at Dunhuang is the oldest surviving dated printed book in the world.

    TechnologyReligionCulture· China
  9. 878★★★★★

    Battle of Edington

    Alfred the Great of Wessex defeats the Viking Great Army under Guthrum, securing the survival of Anglo-Saxon England.

    War· United Kingdom
  10. c. 9th century★★★★★

    Chichén Itzá becomes a major Maya center

    Chichén Itzá on the Yucatán Peninsula rises to become one of the most powerful Maya cities, with its famous El Castillo pyramid.

    Culture· Mexico
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