Famous People of the Middle Ages

Famous People of the Middle Ages

We cover the biggies, all 94 of 'em.
The fall of the Roman Empire: from Julius Caesar to Attila the Hun. Islam in the Middle Ages: from Muhammad to Ibn Battuta. Africa in the Middle Ages: from Sundiata to Mansa Musa. China in the Middle Ages: from the Han dynasty to the Mongols. Medieval Japan: including Prince Shotoku and Lady Murasaki. Medieval Europe: everybody from Charlemagne and William the Conqueror to Eleanor of Aquitaine. [see sample pages]

Gifts and the Chinese Inventors

It’s holiday time and our minds turn to gift-giving. Every civilization has bestowed gifts on the world, but medieval China was downright magnificent. Thanks to trade along the Silk Road, four crucial inventions shaped medieval Europe and the Americas.

The Han dynasty invented paper.
Without this, medieval monks in Europe could never have copied their manuscripts.

The Sui dynasty invented gunpowder, which could blast a hole in a castle.
So gunpowder eventually caused the collapse of feudalism.

The Tang dynasty invented wood-block printing.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Renaissance & Reformation.

The Ming dynasty invented the magnetic compass.
Without this, Europe would never have experienced the Age of Exploration.
And Columbus would never have landed in the Americas!

Are you teaching the Middle Ages?
FREE lesson “The great Chinese inventors!”.