European History

The two theological questions at play in the long drawn out Great Schism (1054 to 1472), also called the East-West schism or the Eastern Schism, were the wording of the Nicene Creed in relation to...

Napoleon is an interesting historical figure. He is known for his short stature and his ruthless and perhaps brilliant military tactics. He also came to power at just the right moment, and grew...

I should note that in addition to what has already been said, Lenin's significance to the Revolution goes well beyond his activities during World War I and dates back to his work going all the way...

There are numerous reasons for Spain's intolerance towards these groups during this period. Both Jews and Muslims were widely viewed as enemies of the state. This view enabled the Spanish monarchy...

Of the many realities to which the Enlightenment period led, one of them was the growth of the Romantic movement in Europe. The Enlightenment period emphasized reason and science. It praised...

The Reconquista is the name given to the wars waged by the various states of what is now Spain (Spain wasn't one country in those days) to take Spain and Portugal back from the Muslims who ruled...

By 1917, the Romanov dynasty had been in decline for a number of years, but their inefficient decisions during World War I finished them off. When the Petrograd garrison mutinied, Tsar Nicholas II...

The Locarno Pact of 1925 was an agreement signed by Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, and Germany to keep the peace in Europe. Overall, the Pact had three aims: to secure the borders of the nations...

The Ten Commandments have mainly been important in two ways in European history. They have served as moral guidelines (though they have clearly not prevented people from acting in horrible ways)....

The Weimar Republic was in a no-win situation from its beginnings with the signing of the post-World War One Treaty of Versaille. The treaty, of course, imposed a series of conditions on Germany...

As a preceding contributor has already detailed, Luther came to prominence with the 95 Theses, though he would continue publishing and preaching in the years to follow, eventually being...

Although I agree with #7's point -- that national competition led to innovation -- I also think that the weakening of the Church had a great deal of influence as well. Before the Great Schism, the...

During the 1840s, Italy was experiencing a tumultuous period. The Revolutions of 1848 were led by people revolting against the monarchies of Europe in several countries. It all started in Sicily in...

The principal aims of Napoleon's domestic policy were simple: to unify the various factions that had been fighting continually since the Revolution and to concentrate power in his own hands,...

Generally speaking, Napoleon enjoyed great popularity in France during these years. After a long period of chronic political instability, it appeared to many that some measure of order had finally...

The Britons (meaning those who live in Britain) were one of few native peoples inhabiting Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasions of the fifth century; they were once believed to be descendants of...

Irish political nationalism greatly intensified during the late 19th century. One of the movement’s core tenets was that Ireland already had a long history of self-governance before the English...

The reconquista lasted a very long time, with territories and cities changing hands many times. It resists a linear narrative, as some of the wars associated with this long historical process were...

In the early stages of the Revolution, most of France was actually very much unified in their support and enthusiasm about the Revolution. It was only when it began to extend its focus towards...