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{{Era|Timeline}}{{WP-REAL}}
{{Era|Timeline}}{{WP-REAL}}
{{Spoilerhd|19 January 2022}}
{{Update|''[[Discovery Tour: Viking Age]]''}}
{{Update|''[[Discovery Tour: Viking Age]]''}}
{{Imageneed}}
{{Imageneed}}
The '''Middle Ages''', also known as the '''medieval period''', was a period in [[Europe|European]] history which lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, beginning with the {{Wiki|Fall of the Western Roman Empire|fall}} of the [[Roman Empire|Western Roman Empire]] before transitioning into the [[Renaissance]] and the [[Age of Discovery]].
The '''Middle Ages''', also known as the '''medieval period''', was a period in [[Europe|European]] history which lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, beginning with the {{Wiki|Fall of the Western Roman Empire|fall}} of the [[Roman Empire|Western Roman Empire]] before transitioning into the [[Renaissance]] and the [[Age of Discovery|Age of Sail]].


==History==
==History==
===Early Middle Ages===
===Early Middle Ages===
The early period saw the large scale migration of the {{Wiki|Germanic peoples}} into northern and mainland Europe, occupying territories owned by the Roman Empire and forming various new kingdoms including [[Francia]]. In Northern Europe, the Germanic {{Wiki|Angles}}, {{Wiki|Saxons}}, and {{Wiki|Jutes}} migrated to [[Great Britain]], forming the bulk and foundation of what eventually became the kingdoms of [[Kingdom of England|England]], [[Scotland]], and [[Wales]].<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''</ref> Amidst the rapid displacement of the native {{wiki|Romano-British}} population, a young man known as [[Arthur Pendragon]] emerged as the leader of the Britons after he pulled [[Excalibur]] from the stone which proved that he was the true king of England.<ref name="Glyph">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Glyphs#5|Glyph 5: "Instruments of Power"]]</ref> Furthermore, Arthur was a member of an [[Isu]] religious cabal known as the [[Order of the Ancients]], who would aid him in uniting England against the invading [[Anglo-Saxons]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Heresy]]''</ref> At one point, he had placed his sword beneath an [[Isu Barracks|Isu structure]] beneath [[Stonehenge]] with an accompanying note hoping that whoever found Excalibur, it would serve them well.<ref name="ACV"/> Sadly for Arthur, he would grow disillusioned with the Order and he was eventually betrayed by his wife, best friend and son at the {{wiki|Battle of Camlann}}.<ref name="ACH">''[[Assassin's Creed: Heresy]]'' – Epilogue</ref> Eventually, Arthur's efforts to preserve the Roman and Celtic culture of England proved all for naught as the Anglo-Saxons quickly took control and established the [[Heptarchy]], a collection of seven kingdoms that existed throughout all of England and Wales.
[[File:ACV Statue of Saint Helen.png|thumb|250px|Aftermath of the collapse of the Roman Empire]]
The early Medieval period, sometimes referred to as the "'''{{Wiki|Dark Ages (historiography)|Dark Ages}}'''", saw the large scale migration of the {{Wiki|Germanic peoples}} into northern and mainland Europe, occupying territories owned by the Roman Empire and forming various new kingdoms including [[Francia]]. In Northern Europe, the Germanic {{Wiki|Angles}}, {{Wiki|Saxons}}, and {{Wiki|Jutes}} migrated to [[Great Britain]], forming the bulk and foundation of what eventually became the kingdoms of [[Kingdom of England|England]], [[Scotland]], and [[Wales]].<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''</ref>  


The period also saw a period of cultural resurgence in the [[Byzantine Empire]] under the reign of [[Justinian I]] from the reconquest of [[Italy]] and other lands west by [[Belisarius]] to the reconstruction of the [[Hagia Sophia]] and the codification of Western law between 527 and 541 CE.<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' – [[Database: Porta Pinciana]]</ref> {{wiki|The Plague of Justinian}} killed 40% of the population and eventually put an end to Byzantine aspirations of recreating the old Roman Empire after the death of Justinian I in 565.
Amidst the rapid displacement of the native {{wiki|Romano-British}} population, a young [[Britons|Briton]] named [[Arthur Pendragon]] emerged as a leader after he pulled [[Excalibur]] from the stone which proved that he was the true king of England.<ref name="Glyph">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Glyphs#5|Glyph 5: "Instruments of Power"]]</ref> Furthermore, Arthur was a member of an [[Isu]] religious cabal known as the [[Order of the Ancients]], who would aid him in uniting England against the invading [[Anglo-Saxons]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Heresy]]''</ref> At one point, he had placed his sword beneath an [[Isu Barracks|Isu structure]] beneath [[Stonehenge]] with an accompanying note hoping that whoever found Excalibur, it would serve them well.<ref name="ACV"/> Sadly for Arthur, he would grow disillusioned with the Order and he was eventually betrayed by his wife [[Guinevere]], best friend [[Lancelot]], and illegitimate son [[Mordred]] at the {{wiki|Battle of Camlann}}.<ref name="ACH">''[[Assassin's Creed: Heresy]]'' – Epilogue</ref> Eventually, Arthur's efforts to preserve England's Roman and Celtic cultures proved all for naught as the Anglo-Saxons quickly took control and established the [[Heptarchy]], a collection of seven kingdoms that existed throughout all of England and Wales.<ref name="ACV"/>


In {{wiki|Saudi Arabia|Arabia}}, a man by the name of {{wiki|Muhammad}} created a new religion known as [[Islam]]. Soon, this new faith quickly spread across the [[Middle East]] and [[Africa|North Africa]], even reaching as far as [[Spain]] through the rapid expansion of the {{wiki|Umayyad Caliphate}} after the death of Muhammad in 632. The Umayyads were stopped from expanding into Europe any further by {{wiki|Charles Martel}} of [[Francia]] in the {{wiki|Battle of Tours}}. Eventually, they were overthrown by the [[Abbasid Caliphate|Abbasids]] led by [[Abul Abbas As-Saffah]] in 750, though one surviving prince {{wiki|Abd-ar-rahman I}} fled to Muslim-controlled Spain to establish the {{wiki|Emirate of Cordoba}}.
The period also saw a period of cultural resurgence in the [[Byzantine Empire]] under the reign of [[Justinian I]] from the reconquest of [[Italy]] and other lands west by [[Belisarius]] to the reconstruction of the [[Hagia Sophia]] and the codification of Western law between 527 and 541 CE.<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' – [[Database: Porta Pinciana]]</ref> The "{{wiki|plague of Justinian}}" killed 40% of the population and eventually put an end to Byzantine aspirations of recreating the old Roman Empire after the death of Justinian I in 565.


in 793, a group of [[Norsemen|Norse]] raiders known as the [[Vikings]] led a military expedition off the coast of northeastern England. Among the participants in this expedition was the [[Viking raider|ancestor]] of [[Juhani Otso Berg]] who fought and killed a Saxon warrior in combat. This became known as the [[Lindisfarne raid]] and it marked the beginning of the [[Viking Age]] as well as the [[Viking expansion|subsequent expansion]] across most of [[Europe]] from the rivers of [[Russia]] to the shores of [[Ireland]] over the course of two centuries.<ref name="Lindsifarne">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'' – [[Numbskull's personal files]]: "Otso Berg's Profile: Lindsifarne"</ref> Some would also lend their services to the [[Byzantine Empire]] as bodyguards and these Vikings would eventually become known as the [[Varangian|Varangians]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
[[File:ACMir Baghdad Overview.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age]]
In [[Arabia]], a man by the name of [[Muhammad]] created a new religion known as [[Islam]]. Soon, this new faith quickly spread across the [[Middle East]] and [[Africa|North Africa]], even reaching as far as [[Spain]] through the rapid expansion of the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] after the death of Muhammad in 632. The Umayyads were stopped from expanding into Europe any further by {{wiki|Charles Martel}} of [[Francia]] in the {{wiki|Battle of Tours}}. Eventually, they were overthrown by the [[Abbasid Caliphate|Abbasids]] led by [[al-Saffah]] in 750, though one surviving prince [[Abd al-Rahman I]] fled to Muslim-controlled Spain to establish the [[Emirate of Córdoba]].


In Western Europe, [[Charlemagne]] helped consolidate and expand the [[Franks]] to much of [[France]], [[Belgium]], western [[Germany]] and northern [[Italy]]. He was then crowned "Roman Emperor" by {{wiki|Pope Leo III}} on {{wiki|Christmas Eve}} in 800. Charlemagne would create the {{wiki|Carolingian Empire}}, the director precursor to the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. Unbeknownst to his subjects, Charlemagne was also a leader in the Order of the Ancients in spite of his strong [[Christianity|Christian]] beliefs. In 803, an Anglo-Saxon scholar known as [[Alcuin]] had discovered that the Order had infiltrated the church, intent on corrupting its beliefs. One year after the investigation, he wrote a letter to Charlemagne urging him to steer clear from the Order, unaware that he was a member of the organization. A week later, he died under mysterious circumstances.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[The Poor Fellow-Soldier]]</ref>
In 793, a group of [[Norsemen|Norse]] raiders known as the [[Vikings]] led a military expedition off the coast of northeastern England. Among the participants in this expedition was the [[Viking raider|ancestor]] of [[Juhani Otso Berg]] who fought and killed a Saxon warrior in combat. This became known as the [[Lindisfarne raid]] and it marked the beginning of the [[Viking Age]] as well as the [[Viking expansion|subsequent expansion]] across most of [[Europe]] from the rivers of [[Russia]] to the shores of [[Ireland]] over the course of two centuries.<ref name="Lindsifarne">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'' – [[Numbskull's personal files]]: "Otso Berg's Profile: Lindsifarne"</ref> Some would also lend their services to the [[Byzantine Empire]] as bodyguards and these Vikings would eventually become known as the [[Varangian|Varangians]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>


Over fifty years after the Lindisfarne raid, the [[Vikings]] would sail down the [[Seine]] to [[Siege of Paris (845)|besiege]] the Carolingian capital of [[Paris]] in one of their most ambitious raids yet. [[Ragnar Lothbrok]], a young Viking leader from [[Sweden]], led a force of 4,000 men to plunder and occupy the city before departing after Frankish king {{wiki|Charles the Bald}} paid a ransom of 7,000 livres of [[silver]] and [[gold]]. Twenty years later, Ragnar landed in [[Northumbria]] and attempted to outdo his [[Sons of Ragnar|sons]] by planning to conquer the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England, using only two ships. However, he was captured by [[Ealdorman|ealdorman]] [[Ælla of Northumbria|Ælla]] and put to death by being thrown into a pit of snakes.<ref>''[[Echoes of Valhalla]]'' –  Episode 2: Dragon of the Seas</ref><ref name="LostDrengir">''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[The Lost Drengir of Ragnar Lothbrok]]</ref> The death of Ragnar Lothbrok led to his sons launching an invasion of England to avenge their late father, followed by the arrival of another contingent of Vikings led by [[Bersi]] and [[Guthrum]] in 871. Soon, they formed a grand coalition known as the [[Great Heathen Army]], which would go on to conquer a huge swath of northern England that later became known as the [[Danelaw]]. Soon, another group of Norwegian Vikings known as the [[Raven Clan]], who refused to swear fealty to the newly crowned king [[Harald Fairhair]], against the wishes of their leader [[Styrbjorn Sigvaldisson]]. With the help of the [[Hidden Ones]], the Raven Clan led by [[Sigurd Styrbjornsson]] and [[Eivor Varinsdottir]] would set their sights on colonizing England and establishing a new home that would be named [[Ravensthorpe]].<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[Settling Down]]</ref> The village was also part of a larger plan by [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]] and [[Hytham]] to re-establish the Hidden Ones in England, who were completely absent from the island since 430 CE.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' – [[To Serve the Light...]]</ref> The Raven Clan would be caught in an [[Assassin-Templar War|ancient conflict]] between the Hidden Ones and their mortal enemies, the Order of the Ancients. Eivor unwittingly allowed King [[Alfred the Great]] of [[Wessex]] to eliminate the last vestiges of the Order in England and reform it into the Knights Templar, otherwise known as the [[Templar Order]] by 878. Aside from the Lothbrok family, Guthrum and the Raven Clan, other notable participants in the Viking invasion of England included [[Geirmund Hel-hide]], the son of [[Hjorr Halfsson]] and [[Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir]], and the Stensson brothers, Ulf and Björn.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga]]''</ref><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers]]</ref> Eventually the Vikings would be confined to the northernmost regions of England when Alfred would return from his exile in [[Athelnay]] after the [[Battle of Chippenham|Battle of Cippanhamm]] and mustered an army to defeat Guthrum in the [[Battle of Edington|Battle]] of {{wiki|Edington, Wiltshire|Edington}}. His actions laid the foundation for what eventually became the Kingdom of England, founded by his grandson {{Wiki|Æthelstan}} in 927.
In Western Europe, [[Charlemagne]] helped consolidate and expand the [[Franks]] to much of [[France]], [[Belgium]], western [[Germany]], and northern [[Italy]]. He was then crowned "Roman Emperor" by Pope [[Leo III]] on {{wiki|Christmas Eve}} in 800. Charlemagne would create the [[Carolingian Empire]], the director precursor to the [[Holy Roman Empire]].<ref name="Poor Fellow-Soldier">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[The Poor Fellow-Soldier]]</ref>


Aside from England, the Vikings would [[Siege of Paris (885–886)|sack and plunder]] [[Paris]] once more, this time under the leadership of young Norwegian aristocrat [[Rollo]] between 885 and 886. With the aid of Eivor Varinsdottir, Rollo and his men were able to infiltrate the city and form key alliances inside. [[Charles the Fat]] eventually allowed the Norse raiders to sail further up the Seine to raid {{wiki|Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundy}} to avoid a complete sacking of the city.<ref>''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' - ''[[The Siege of Paris]]''</ref> In 911, Rollo willingly became a vassal to West Frankish king {{wiki|Charles the Simple}} and established the {{wiki|Duchy of Normandy}}.
[[File:ACV SoP Tapestry of Charlemagne's crowing.png|thumb|250px|Tapestry depicting Charlemagne]]
Unbeknownst to his subjects, Charlemagne was also a leader of the Order of the Ancients in spite of his strong [[Christianity|Christian]] beliefs. In 803, an Anglo-Saxon scholar known as [[Alcuin]] had discovered that the Order had infiltrated the church, intent on corrupting its beliefs. One year after the investigation, he wrote a letter to Charlemagne urging him to steer clear from the Order, unaware that he was a member of the organization. A week later, Alcuin died under mysterious circumstances.<ref name="Poor Fellow-Soldier" />
 
Over fifty years after the Lindisfarne raid, the [[Vikings]] would sail down the [[Seine]] to [[Siege of Paris (845)|besiege]] the Carolingian capital of [[Paris]] in one of their most ambitious raids yet. [[Ragnar Lothbrok]], a young Viking leader from [[Sweden]], led a force of 4,000 men to plunder and occupy the city before departing after Frankish king [[Charles the Bald]] paid a ransom of 7,000 livres of [[silver]] and [[gold]]. Twenty years later, Ragnar landed in [[Northumbria]] and attempted to outdo his [[Sons of Ragnar|sons]] by planning to conquer the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England, using only two ships. However, he was captured by [[ealdorman]] [[Ælla of Northumbria|Ælla]] and put to death by being thrown into a pit of snakes.<ref>''[[Echoes of History]]: Vikings'' –  Episode 2: Dragon of the Seas</ref><ref name="LostDrengir">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[The Lost Drengir of Ragnar Lothbrok]]</ref>
 
The death of Ragnar Lothbrok led to his sons launching an invasion of England to avenge their late father, followed by the arrival of another contingent of Vikings led by [[Bersi]] and [[Guthrum]] in 871. Soon, they formed a grand coalition known as the [[Great Heathen Army]], which would go on to conquer a huge swath of northern England that later became known as the [[Danelaw]].<ref name="Geirmund's Saga">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga]]''</ref>
 
[[File:AC Twelve Trials Valhalla Q10 Ravensthorpe.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Ravensthorpe]]
Soon, another group of Norwegian Vikings known as the [[Raven Clan]], who refused to swear fealty to the newly crowned king [[Harald Fairhair]], against the wishes of their leader [[Styrbjorn Sigvaldisson]]. With the help of the [[Assassins|Hidden Ones]], the Raven Clan led by [[Sigurd Styrbjornsson]] and [[Eivor Varinsdottir]] would set their sights on colonizing England and establishing a new home that would be named [[Ravensthorpe]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[Settling Down]]</ref> The village was also part of a larger plan by [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]] and [[Hytham]] to re-establish the Hidden Ones in England, who were completely absent from the island since 430 CE.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[To Serve the Light...]]</ref>
 
The Raven Clan would be caught in an [[Assassin-Templar War|ancient conflict]] between the Hidden Ones and their mortal enemies, the Order of the Ancients. Eivor unwittingly allowed King [[Alfred the Great]] of [[Wessex]] to eliminate the last vestiges of the Order in England and reform it into the Knights Templar, otherwise known as the [[Templar Order]] by 878. Aside from the Lothbrok family, Guthrum and the Raven Clan, other notable participants in the Viking invasion of England included [[Geirmund Hel-hide]], the son of [[Hjorr Halfsson]] and [[Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir]], and the Stensson brothers, Ulf and Björn.<ref name="Geirmund's Saga" /><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Blood Brothers]]</ref> Eventually the Vikings would be confined to the northernmost regions of England when Alfred would return from his exile in [[Athelnay]] after the [[Battle of Chippenham|Battle of Cippanhamm]] and mustered an army to defeat Guthrum in the [[Battle of Edington]]. His actions laid the foundation for what eventually became the Kingdom of England, founded by his grandson [[Æthelstan]] in 927.
 
[[File:ACV SoP Siege Of Paris - Concept Art.jpg|thumb|250px|The 885–886 Siege of Paris]]
Aside from England, the Vikings would [[Siege of Paris (885–886)|sack and plunder]] [[Paris]] once more, this time under the leadership of young Norwegian aristocrat [[Rollo]] between 885 and 886. With the aid of Eivor Varinsdottir, Rollo and his men were able to infiltrate the city and form key alliances inside. [[Charles the Fat]] eventually allowed the Norse raiders to sail further up the Seine to raid {{wiki|Kingdom of Burgundy|Burgundy}} to avoid a complete sacking of the city.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]] – [[The Siege of Paris]]''</ref> In 911, Rollo willingly became a vassal to West Frankish king {{wiki|Charles the Simple}} and established the {{wiki|Duchy of Normandy}}.


By 975, the Hidden Ones and the Templars were active throughout [[Scandinavia]], long after the conquests of the Great Heathen Army and Rollo. A succession crisis arose within the [[House of Munsö]] after the Hidden Ones assassinated Swedish king [[Olof Björnsson]] after he finished a poisoned meal. The Hidden Ones would also back Olof's son [[Eric the Victorious]], who was largely under the influence of his advisor [[Torgny the Lawspeaker]]. The Templars would help forge an alliance between the disgruntled [[Styrbjörn the Strong]] and [[Harald Bluetooth]], the king of [[Denmark]] and Norway, as part of their efforts to claim the Swedish throne from Eric. However, Eric emerged victorious and crushed his rivals, including Styrbjörn and his sister [[Gyrid of Sweden|Gyrid Olafsdottir]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods]]''</ref>
By 975, the Hidden Ones and the Templars were active throughout [[Scandinavia]], long after the conquests of the Great Heathen Army and Rollo. A succession crisis arose within the [[House of Munsö]] after the Hidden Ones assassinated Swedish king [[Olof Björnsson]] after he finished a poisoned meal. The Hidden Ones would also back Olof's son [[Eric the Victorious]], who was largely under the influence of his advisor [[Torgny the Lawspeaker]]. The Templars would help forge an alliance between the disgruntled [[Styrbjörn the Strong]] and [[Harald Bluetooth]], the king of [[Denmark]] and Norway, as part of their efforts to claim the Swedish throne from Eric. However, Eric emerged victorious and crushed his rivals, including Styrbjörn and his sister [[Gyrid of Sweden|Gyrid Olafsdottir]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods]]''</ref>


In 1001, the people of [[Rome]] revolted against Pope [[Sylvester II]], a leader in the [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Roman Rite]] of the [[Templar Order]], who was branded a heretic for his support and promotion of science.<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref>
In 1001, the people of [[Rome]] revolted against Pope [[Sylvester II]], a leader in the [[Roman Rite of the Templar Order|Roman Rite]] of the [[Templars]], who was branded a heretic for his support and promotion of science.<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref>


In 1054, [[Papacy|Pope]] {{wiki|Pope Leo IX|Leo IX}} and {{wiki|Patriarch Michael I}} of the Byzantine Empire excommunicated each other, because of disputes over the usage of unleavened bread in the liturgy and fasting days, papal authority over all of Christendom, the procession of the Holy Spirit and disagreements over the teachings of [[Jesus of Nazareth|Jesus Christ]]. This split within Christianity was known as the {{wiki|East-West Schism}} and it directly led to the creation of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
In 1054, [[Papacy|Pope]] {{wiki|Pope Leo IX|Leo IX}} and {{wiki|Patriarch Michael I}} of the Byzantine Empire excommunicated each other, because of disputes over the usage of unleavened bread in the liturgy and fasting days, papal authority over all of Christendom, the procession of the Holy Spirit and disagreements over the teachings of [[Jesus of Nazareth|Jesus Christ]]. This split within Christianity was known as the {{wiki|East–West Schism}} and it directly led to the creation of the Eastern Orthodox Church.


In 1060, [[Edward the Confessor]] died without a male heir. Soon, a power struggle for the throne of England ensued between Rollo's descendant [[William the Conqueror]] and the Anglo-Saxon king {{wiki|Harold Goodwinson}}. William eventually made an alliance with Norwegian king {{wiki|Harald Hadrada}} to invade England and overthrow Goodwinson. The invasion eventually culminated in 1066 with the decisive {{wiki|Battle of Hastings}} where William crushed Goodwinson's forces. Because Harald had died in the {{wiki|Battle of Stamford Bridge}}, William became the first Norman king of England.<ref name="EoV">''[[Echoes of Valhalla]]'' – Episode 5: The Dawn of a New Era</ref> It was also marked the end of the Early Middle Ages and the Viking Age with the rapid spread of Christianity and the gradual decline of paganism throughout much of Europe.
In 1060, [[Edward the Confessor]] died without a male heir. Soon, a power struggle for the throne of England ensued between Rollo's descendant [[William the Conqueror]] and the Anglo-Saxon king {{wiki|Harold Godwinson}}. William eventually made an alliance with Norwegian king [[Harald Hardrada]] to invade England and overthrow Goodwinson. The invasion eventually culminated in 1066 with the decisive {{wiki|Battle of Hastings}} where William crushed Goodwinson's forces. Because Harald had died in the {{wiki|Battle of Stamford Bridge}}, William became the first Norman king of England.<ref name="EoV">''[[Echoes of History]]: Vikings'' – Episode 5: The Dawn of a New Era</ref> It was also marked the end of the Early Middle Ages and the Viking Age with the rapid spread of Christianity and the gradual decline of paganism throughout much of Europe.


===High Middle Ages===
===High Middle Ages===
The Hidden Ones went public in 1090 as the [[Assassin Brotherhood]] when [[Hassan-i Sabbāh]] established a {{wiki|Nizari Ismaili state}} in [[Iran]]. The Brotherhood in the Middle East was based in the desert fortress of [[Alamut]], which had already served as an important stronghold for the Hidden Ones.<ref name="The Essential Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref><ref name="ACV"/>  
[[File:ACMirage Promotional Screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Alamut Castle]]
The Hidden Ones went public in 1090 as the Assassin Brotherhood when [[Hassan-i Sabbāh]] established a {{wiki|Nizari Ismaili state}} in [[Iran]]. The Brotherhood in the Middle East was based in the desert fortress of [[Alamut]], which had already served as an important stronghold for the Hidden Ones.<ref name="The Essential Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref><ref name="ACV"/><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''</ref>
{{-}}


==Appearances==
==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
**''[[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|Battle of Forli]]''
**''[[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|Battle of Forli]]''
Line 42: Line 59:
**''[[Copernicus Conspiracy]]''
**''[[Copernicus Conspiracy]]''
**''[[The Da Vinci Disappearance]]''
**''[[The Da Vinci Disappearance]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' {{Fb}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' {{c|appears in flashbacks}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods]]''
*''[[Echoes of Valhalla]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory]]''
*''[[Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Echoes of History]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Song of Glory]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''
**''[[The Legend of Beowulf]]''
**''[[The Way of the Berserker]]''
**''[[River Raids]]''
**''[[Mastery Challenge]]''
**''[[Wrath of the Druids]]''
**''[[Wrath of the Druids]]''
**''[[The Siege of Paris]]''
**''[[The Siege of Paris]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga]]''
**''[[Dawn of Ragnarök]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (webcomic)|''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' (webcomic)]]
**''[[The Forgotten Saga]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers]]''
**''[[The Last Chapter]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (graphic novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' (graphic novel)]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (webcomic)|''Assassin's Creed: Valhalla'' webcomic]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Blood Brothers]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Hidden Codex]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Highlands Children]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Highlands Children]]''
*''[[Discovery Tour: Viking Age]]''
*''[[Discovery Tour: Viking Age]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Golden City]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''
**''[[The Forty Thieves]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage – Daughter of No One]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR]]'' {{Mdat}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage – A Soar of Eagles]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]'' {{Mdat}}


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 01:09, 19 August 2025

Patience, brothers. Soon we will reveal the secrets of Discovery Tour: Viking Age.

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The Middle Ages, also known as the medieval period, was a period in European history which lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, beginning with the fall of the Western Roman Empire before transitioning into the Renaissance and the Age of Sail.

History[edit | edit source]

Early Middle Ages[edit | edit source]

Aftermath of the collapse of the Roman Empire

The early Medieval period, sometimes referred to as the "Dark Ages", saw the large scale migration of the Germanic peoples into northern and mainland Europe, occupying territories owned by the Roman Empire and forming various new kingdoms including Francia. In Northern Europe, the Germanic Angles, Saxons, and Jutes migrated to Great Britain, forming the bulk and foundation of what eventually became the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Wales.[1]

Amidst the rapid displacement of the native Romano-British population, a young Briton named Arthur Pendragon emerged as a leader after he pulled Excalibur from the stone which proved that he was the true king of England.[2] Furthermore, Arthur was a member of an Isu religious cabal known as the Order of the Ancients, who would aid him in uniting England against the invading Anglo-Saxons.[3] At one point, he had placed his sword beneath an Isu structure beneath Stonehenge with an accompanying note hoping that whoever found Excalibur, it would serve them well.[1] Sadly for Arthur, he would grow disillusioned with the Order and he was eventually betrayed by his wife Guinevere, best friend Lancelot, and illegitimate son Mordred at the Battle of Camlann.[4] Eventually, Arthur's efforts to preserve England's Roman and Celtic cultures proved all for naught as the Anglo-Saxons quickly took control and established the Heptarchy, a collection of seven kingdoms that existed throughout all of England and Wales.[1]

The period also saw a period of cultural resurgence in the Byzantine Empire under the reign of Justinian I from the reconquest of Italy and other lands west by Belisarius to the reconstruction of the Hagia Sophia and the codification of Western law between 527 and 541 CE.[5] The "plague of Justinian" killed 40% of the population and eventually put an end to Byzantine aspirations of recreating the old Roman Empire after the death of Justinian I in 565.

Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age

In Arabia, a man by the name of Muhammad created a new religion known as Islam. Soon, this new faith quickly spread across the Middle East and North Africa, even reaching as far as Spain through the rapid expansion of the Umayyad Caliphate after the death of Muhammad in 632. The Umayyads were stopped from expanding into Europe any further by Charles Martel of Francia in the Battle of Tours. Eventually, they were overthrown by the Abbasids led by al-Saffah in 750, though one surviving prince Abd al-Rahman I fled to Muslim-controlled Spain to establish the Emirate of Córdoba.

In 793, a group of Norse raiders known as the Vikings led a military expedition off the coast of northeastern England. Among the participants in this expedition was the ancestor of Juhani Otso Berg who fought and killed a Saxon warrior in combat. This became known as the Lindisfarne raid and it marked the beginning of the Viking Age as well as the subsequent expansion across most of Europe from the rivers of Russia to the shores of Ireland over the course of two centuries.[6] Some would also lend their services to the Byzantine Empire as bodyguards and these Vikings would eventually become known as the Varangians.[7]

In Western Europe, Charlemagne helped consolidate and expand the Franks to much of France, Belgium, western Germany, and northern Italy. He was then crowned "Roman Emperor" by Pope Leo III on Christmas Eve in 800. Charlemagne would create the Carolingian Empire, the director precursor to the Holy Roman Empire.[8]

Tapestry depicting Charlemagne

Unbeknownst to his subjects, Charlemagne was also a leader of the Order of the Ancients in spite of his strong Christian beliefs. In 803, an Anglo-Saxon scholar known as Alcuin had discovered that the Order had infiltrated the church, intent on corrupting its beliefs. One year after the investigation, he wrote a letter to Charlemagne urging him to steer clear from the Order, unaware that he was a member of the organization. A week later, Alcuin died under mysterious circumstances.[8]

Over fifty years after the Lindisfarne raid, the Vikings would sail down the Seine to besiege the Carolingian capital of Paris in one of their most ambitious raids yet. Ragnar Lothbrok, a young Viking leader from Sweden, led a force of 4,000 men to plunder and occupy the city before departing after Frankish king Charles the Bald paid a ransom of 7,000 livres of silver and gold. Twenty years later, Ragnar landed in Northumbria and attempted to outdo his sons by planning to conquer the other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England, using only two ships. However, he was captured by ealdorman Ælla and put to death by being thrown into a pit of snakes.[9][10]

The death of Ragnar Lothbrok led to his sons launching an invasion of England to avenge their late father, followed by the arrival of another contingent of Vikings led by Bersi and Guthrum in 871. Soon, they formed a grand coalition known as the Great Heathen Army, which would go on to conquer a huge swath of northern England that later became known as the Danelaw.[11]

Ravensthorpe

Soon, another group of Norwegian Vikings known as the Raven Clan, who refused to swear fealty to the newly crowned king Harald Fairhair, against the wishes of their leader Styrbjorn Sigvaldisson. With the help of the Hidden Ones, the Raven Clan led by Sigurd Styrbjornsson and Eivor Varinsdottir would set their sights on colonizing England and establishing a new home that would be named Ravensthorpe.[12] The village was also part of a larger plan by Basim Ibn Ishaq and Hytham to re-establish the Hidden Ones in England, who were completely absent from the island since 430 CE.[13]

The Raven Clan would be caught in an ancient conflict between the Hidden Ones and their mortal enemies, the Order of the Ancients. Eivor unwittingly allowed King Alfred the Great of Wessex to eliminate the last vestiges of the Order in England and reform it into the Knights Templar, otherwise known as the Templar Order by 878. Aside from the Lothbrok family, Guthrum and the Raven Clan, other notable participants in the Viking invasion of England included Geirmund Hel-hide, the son of Hjorr Halfsson and Ljufvina Bjarmarsdottir, and the Stensson brothers, Ulf and Björn.[11][14] Eventually the Vikings would be confined to the northernmost regions of England when Alfred would return from his exile in Athelnay after the Battle of Cippanhamm and mustered an army to defeat Guthrum in the Battle of Edington. His actions laid the foundation for what eventually became the Kingdom of England, founded by his grandson Æthelstan in 927.

The 885–886 Siege of Paris

Aside from England, the Vikings would sack and plunder Paris once more, this time under the leadership of young Norwegian aristocrat Rollo between 885 and 886. With the aid of Eivor Varinsdottir, Rollo and his men were able to infiltrate the city and form key alliances inside. Charles the Fat eventually allowed the Norse raiders to sail further up the Seine to raid Burgundy to avoid a complete sacking of the city.[15] In 911, Rollo willingly became a vassal to West Frankish king Charles the Simple and established the Duchy of Normandy.

By 975, the Hidden Ones and the Templars were active throughout Scandinavia, long after the conquests of the Great Heathen Army and Rollo. A succession crisis arose within the House of Munsö after the Hidden Ones assassinated Swedish king Olof Björnsson after he finished a poisoned meal. The Hidden Ones would also back Olof's son Eric the Victorious, who was largely under the influence of his advisor Torgny the Lawspeaker. The Templars would help forge an alliance between the disgruntled Styrbjörn the Strong and Harald Bluetooth, the king of Denmark and Norway, as part of their efforts to claim the Swedish throne from Eric. However, Eric emerged victorious and crushed his rivals, including Styrbjörn and his sister Gyrid Olafsdottir.[16]

In 1001, the people of Rome revolted against Pope Sylvester II, a leader in the Roman Rite of the Templars, who was branded a heretic for his support and promotion of science.[17]

In 1054, Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael I of the Byzantine Empire excommunicated each other, because of disputes over the usage of unleavened bread in the liturgy and fasting days, papal authority over all of Christendom, the procession of the Holy Spirit and disagreements over the teachings of Jesus Christ. This split within Christianity was known as the East–West Schism and it directly led to the creation of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In 1060, Edward the Confessor died without a male heir. Soon, a power struggle for the throne of England ensued between Rollo's descendant William the Conqueror and the Anglo-Saxon king Harold Godwinson. William eventually made an alliance with Norwegian king Harald Hardrada to invade England and overthrow Goodwinson. The invasion eventually culminated in 1066 with the decisive Battle of Hastings where William crushed Goodwinson's forces. Because Harald had died in the Battle of Stamford Bridge, William became the first Norman king of England.[18] It was also marked the end of the Early Middle Ages and the Viking Age with the rapid spread of Christianity and the gradual decline of paganism throughout much of Europe.

High Middle Ages[edit | edit source]

Alamut Castle

The Hidden Ones went public in 1090 as the Assassin Brotherhood when Hassan-i Sabbāh established a Nizari Ismaili state in Iran. The Brotherhood in the Middle East was based in the desert fortress of Alamut, which had already served as an important stronghold for the Hidden Ones.[19][1][20]

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
  2. ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Glyph 5: "Instruments of Power"
  3. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Heresy
  4. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Heresy – Epilogue
  5. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood – Database: Porta Pinciana
  6. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Rogue – Numbskull's personal files: "Otso Berg's Profile: Lindsifarne"
  7. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Revelations
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Poor Fellow-Soldier
  9. ↑ Echoes of History: Vikings – Episode 2: Dragon of the Seas
  10. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Lost Drengir of Ragnar Lothbrok
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Geirmund's Saga
  12. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Settling Down
  13. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – To Serve the Light...
  14. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Blood Brothers
  15. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – The Siege of Paris
  16. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Fate of the Gods
  17. ↑ Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia
  18. ↑ Echoes of History: Vikings – Episode 5: The Dawn of a New Era
  19. ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide
  20. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Mirage

Timeline
Before Common Era
Prehistory
13th–6th centuries BCE
5th century BCE
4th–2nd centuries BCE
1st century BCE
5th–13th centuries
5th–7th centuries
8th century
9th century
10th century
11th century
12th century
13th century
14th–17th centuries
14th century
15th century
16th century
Siege of Monteriggioni • Liberation of Rome (Skirmish in the Campagna District) • Search for Cesare Borgia (Attack on Valencia • Siege of Viana) • Italian Wars (War of the League of Cambrai (Battle of Agnadello) • Assassination of Niccolò di Pitigliano) • Little Judgment Day • Prince of Anhua rebellion • Ottoman Civil War (Attack on Prince Suleiman) • Riot at the Harbor of Theodosius • Prince of Ning rebellion • Destruction of the Great Chain • Fight for the Masyaf Keys • Age of Discovery (Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (Night of Sorrows) • Battle of Mactan • Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (Siege of Cuzco)) • Assassin expedition to the Mekong • Great Rites Controversy • 1526 Macau fires • 1527 Sack of Rome • Roman Inquisition • Battle of Gogunda • Sengoku period (Battle of Okehazama • Siege of Kanegasaki • Battle of Anegawa • Siege of Mount Hiei • Ishiyama Hongan-ji War • Tenshō Iga War • Honnō-ji incident • Imjin War • Battle of Sekigahara)
17th century
18th century
1701–1730
1731–1769
1770–1785
1786–1800
19th–21st centuries
19th century
20th century
Modern times • Tunguska explosion • World War I (Battle of Mons • Christmas truce) • Russian Revolution (Execution of the Romanov family • Kazan Operation) • Irish War of Independence • Red Scare (Palmer Raids) • Shanghai massacre of 1927 • Invergordon Mutiny • Spanish Civil War • World War II (The Blitz • Operation Weserübung • Operation Sealion • Operation Barbarossa • Operation Silver Fox • Manhattan Project • Second Battle of El Alamein • Normandy landings • Japanese invasion of Burma • Battle of Tinian • Battle for Brest • Yalta Conference) • Philadelphia Project • Bretton Woods Conference • Cold War (1954 Guatemalan coup d'état • Vietnam War • Assassination of John F. Kennedy • Apollo 11 • 1973 Chilean coup d'état • Operation Gardel • Iranian Revolution • Dissolution of the Soviet Union)
21st century

zh:中世纪

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