Timeline: 400-500

Timeline 400-500:

400	Click here to go to previous century. The Chinese invent edge-runner mills with water-powered drives and ships with watertight sub-compartments at about this time. Saint Augustine writes his Confessions.
401	Pope Innocent I establishes the Petrine Doctrine. He claims universal jurisdiction over the Roman Church. He serves as pope until 417.
402	The Western capital of the Roman Empire moved from Milan to Ravenna because of marauding barbarians
405	Saint Jerome finishes his translation of the Vulgate Bible.
406	Bitterly cold winter freezes the Rhine river, allowing hordes of Vandals, Alans, Suevi, and Burgundian warriors to cross into Rome's continental holdings. Vandals and other barbarians overrun the Roman province of Gaul.
407	The Avars found the first Mongol Empire. It lasts until 553. Orders begin to recall Roman troops from outlying provinces to protect Italy from barbarians.
409	Rome sends orders for British legion to withdraw and protect Italy. The last Roman forces abandon the province in 410. Vandals cross the Pyrenées and invade Spain.
410	Alaric the Goth leads his Germanic forces to sack Rome itself--the first time this had happened since looting Gauls invaded 800 years earlier. The last Roman forces leave Britain to assist in defending Rome from Alaric.
c. 410-417	First recorded use of commemorative metal crucifix over a church attributed to Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, between the basilica and rotunda. According to legend, Roman Emperor Theodosius II encased it in gold and precious metals, and then crucifixes began to appear in and on churches in increasing numbers.
413-26	Saint Augustine writes The City of God.
420s	Emperor Aetius begins a policy of hiring one mercenary barbarian band to attack other barbarian bands--Roman army now ineffective.
425	Scattered raids by Angles, Saxons, and Jutes on Britain. Valentinian III declared "Roman Emperor" in the West--though much of the old Empire is in ruins--with communication breaking down and widespread depopulation.
c. 428	Germanic tribes begin exploratory raids in Britain, now that Roman legions have departed.
429	Vandals cross the Straights of Gibraltar and conquer Roman holdings in North Africa. Vandal kingdom forms in northern Africa. It lasts until 535. The Arian heresy dominates this region.
432	Saint Patrick begins mission to Ireland.
433	Attila rules the Huns. He dies in 453.
439	Vandal forces under King Gaiseric capture Roman Carthage.
440	Pope Leo the Great elected Pope. He serves until 461.
449	Traditional date the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invade the part of Britain that will become England, introducing Old English as a language to the Celtic-speaking island. The Jutes under Hengest and Horsa conquer Kent (southeastern section of modern England).
450	Folklore attributes Saint Patrick with the invention of whiskey--though Romans probably brewed "aqua vitae" as early as 50 BCE. Establishment of the seven liberal arts as regular course of study in medieval colleges. Probably no connection to earlier events this year. 450-700 earliest possible period for Old English poems reflecting continental life (dates contested in scholarly circles)
451	Attila the Hun invades Gaul. Franks, Romans, and Alemanni repulse him at the battle of Châlons.
452	Attila the Hun invades northern Italy
453	Death of Atilla the Hun.
455	Gaiseric and the Vandals sack Rome. Death of Emperor Valentinian.
465	The so-called "White Huns" dominate northern India.
471	Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths. He rules until 526.
475	Romulus Augustus declared Roman Emperor. He will be the last one.
476	Rome falls in its final death spasms under Romulus Augustulus. Odovacar the Goth and his forces depose Romulus Augustus. Traditional end of the Western Roman Empire, though the Eastern half continues and grows into the Byzantine Empire.
477	Huneric, Vandal King of North Africa, rules until 484. Budhagupta, the last major Gupta Emperor in northern India, ascends to the throne. He rules until 495.
478
479
481	Clovis becomes King of the Franks. He rules until 511.
484	Gunthamund, Vandal king of North Africa, rules until 523.
493	Theodoric the Great becomes king of all Italy. His rule reinforces the dominance of the Arian heresy in place of Orthodox Catholicism.
495	Death of Budhagupta in northern India.
496	Thrasamund, Vandal King of North Africa, rules to 523. King Clovis of the Franks converts to Christianity.
500	Click here to go to next century.