During the medieval era the Eastern Orthodox Church was centered in the Byzantine Empire. The Patriarch of Constantinople was considered the leader of Eastern Orthodoxy. Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

During the medieval era the Eastern Orthodox Church was centered in the Byzantine Empire. The Patriarch of Constantinople was considered the leader of Eastern Orthodoxy. Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

The Prophet Muhammad died in 632, having united the entire Arabian peninsula into a single polity under Islam. By 732, Islamic armies had swept across north Africa, conquered the Iberian Peninsula, and were heading into France. At the Battle of Tours, a Christian army under Charles Martel defeated the Islamic army of Abdul Rahman, halting the Islamic advance and making the Muslim armies stop in Spain.

The Prophet Muhammad died in 632, having united the entire Arabian peninsula into a single polity under Islam. By 732, Islamic armies had swept across north Africa, conquered the Iberian Peninsula, and were heading into France. At the Battle of Tours, a Christian army under Charles Martel defeated the Islamic army of Abdul Rahman, halting the Islamic advance and making the Muslim armies stop in Spain.

Trebuchets are siege weapons that became a popular component of medieval war-making in the twelfth century. A trebuchet is similar in design to a catapult, although significantly more complicated and effective. Trebuchets were eventually phased out in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the advent of gunpowder and cannons.

Trebuchets are siege weapons that became a popular component of medieval war-making in the twelfth century. A trebuchet is similar in design to a catapult, although significantly more complicated and effective. Trebuchets were eventually phased out in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the advent of gunpowder and cannons.

Simony is the practice of selling (or buying) positions in the Catholic Church. Although technically forbidden under church canon law, it was nonetheless extremely common throughout the early medieval period. It was an important part of various controversies throughout the Medieval period and contributed to the loss of faith, among certain parts of the European population, in the Catholic Church.

Simony is the practice of selling (or buying) positions in the Catholic Church. Although technically forbidden under church canon law, it was nonetheless extremely common throughout the early medieval period. It was an important part of various controversies throughout the Medieval period and contributed to the loss of faith, among certain parts of the European population, in the Catholic Church.

The Great Schism of Christianity, sometimes called the East-West Schism, took place in 1054 C.E. It involved the fracture of Christianity between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. The dispute arose over different interpretations of scripture between two of the major centers of Christian theology - the Vatican and Constantinople. After the Great Schism Catholicism continued to be centered in Vatican City and Eastern Orthodoxy was centered in Constantinople.

The Great Schism of Christianity, sometimes called the East-West Schism, took place in 1054 C.E. It involved the fracture of Christianity between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. The dispute arose over different interpretations of scripture between two of the major centers of Christian theology - the Vatican and Constantinople. After the Great Schism Catholicism continued to be centered in Vatican City and Eastern Orthodoxy was centered in Constantinople.