1450- 1485 - The War of the Roses was a civil war that broke out between English ducal houses. The house of Lancaster, whose symbol was a red rose, and the house of York, adopting the white rose. In the 1450's many aristocratic families were pitted against one another. Later, in …

1377- After determining that a decline in papal authority was due, at least in part, to an Avignon Papacy , Pope Gregory XI returned the seat of papal power to Rome. Unfortunately, in 1378 Gregory died, resulting in a new struggle for papal power. Many Roman cardinals feared that the powerful …

1305- 1377 - Continuing his bid to quell papal power, Philip IV pressured French cardinals to elect a French pope in the wake of the death of Bonifice VIII. Clement~V, 1305- 1314 was elected and moved the seat of the Papacy to Avignon, southern France, citing political turmoil in Rome …

1337- 1461

- Growing tensions between the King of England, Edward III, and Philip VI of France resulted in a Hundred Years' War. Edward III was duke of Gascony, which meant he must swear allegiance as a vassal of the King of France, however, tensions between the two and political disagreements …

1100

The trading fairs of Champagne were the largest marketplaces in western Europe. Champagne hosted fairs annually as part of a French program to increase trade. Merchants were promised protection from harm and reduced taxes, while the state enjoyed increased commercial activity.