Political Leaders of the Middle Ages
The atlas holds 11 people and 218 moments here, from 482 to 1452. The most recorded lives are Zheng He, Dante Alighieri and Saladin.
Notable people
Zheng He
from 1371 to 1433
36 moments here
Zheng He (born Ma He) was a Ming Chinese admiral and diplomat who commanded seven state-sponsored voyages across the South China Sea and Indian…
Dante Alighieri
from 1265 to 1321
26 moments here
Florentine poet, prose writer, philosopher, and statesman whose Divine Comedy became a foundational work of Italian and European literature.…
Saladin
from 1137 to 1193
26 moments here
Kurdish military commander, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, and sultan of Egypt and Syria. Born at Tikrit, Saladin rose through the Zengid…
Giovanni Boccaccio
from 1313 to 1375
26 moments here
Italian writer, poet, and humanist, best known for the Decameron. His documented life moved between Florence, Naples, Romagna, papal Avignon and…
Marco Polo
from 1254 to 1324
25 moments here
Venetian merchant, traveler, and author whose account describes journeys across Asia between 1271 and 1295.…
Ali ibn Abi Talib
from 600 to 661
21 moments here
Ali ibn Abi Talib was the fourth Rashidun caliph (656–661), cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, and first Shia Imam.…
Umar ibn al-Khattab
from 584 to 644
19 moments here
Umar ibn al-Khattab (c. 584–644) was the second Rashidun caliph, ruling from 634 until his assassination.…
Geoffrey Chaucer
from 1359 to 1400
16 moments here
English poet, courtier, diplomat, and civil servant, best known for The Canterbury Tales. His documented career included military service in France,…
Ibn Khaldun
from 1332 to 1406
15 moments here
Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) was a Tunis-born historian, jurist, political official, teacher, and author of the Muqaddimah.…
Justinian I
from 482 to 565
7 moments here
Eastern Roman emperor from 527 to 565, noted for the Corpus Juris Civilis, extensive building programs, religious policy, and campaigns that…
Leonardo da Vinci
in 1452
1 moment here
Italian Renaissance painter, draftsman, engineer, architect, anatomist, and natural philosopher.…
Moments
- 482 Born at Tauresium Justinian I
- 518 Resides at the Palace of Hormisdas Justinian I
- 525 Marries Theodora in Constantinople Justinian I
- 532 Addresses the Nika rebels in the Hippodrome Justinian I
- 537 Inaugurates Hagia Sophia Justinian I
- 559 Establishes his court at Selymbria Justinian I
- 565 Dies in Constantinople Justinian I
- 584 Birth in Mecca Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 600 Traditional birth at the Kaaba Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 616 Public prayer after conversion Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 622 Arrival and fraternity in Medina Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 622 Stayed in Mecca as Muhammad's decoy Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 622 Migration and residence at Quba Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 624 Standard-bearer at Badr Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 624 Battle of Badr Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 625 Defended Muhammad at Uhud Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 625 Battle of Uhud Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 627 Defeated Amr ibn Abd al-Wud at the Trench Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 627 Battle of the Trench Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 628 Commanded the expedition to Fadak Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 628 Standard-bearer at Khaybar Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 628 Wrote the Treaty of al-Hudaybiya Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 628 Campaign at Khaybar Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 628 Treaty of al-Hudaybiya Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 628 Expedition to Turbah Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 630 Announced Quranic message in Mecca Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 630 Defended Muhammad at Hunayn Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 630 Left in charge of Medina during Tabuk expedition Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 630 Battle of Hunayn Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 630 Guarding the camp before Mecca's conquest Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 631 Preached Islam in Yemen Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 632 Investiture scene at Ghadir Khumm Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 632 Mubahala appearance in Medina Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 632 Farewell Pilgrimage Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 632 Meeting at Saqifa after Muhammad's death Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 634 Accession as caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 637 Acceptance of Jerusalem's surrender Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 638 Famine relief in Medina Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 639 Administrative visit to Syria Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 639 Turned back at Elat during the plague Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 644 Assassination and death Umar ibn al-Khattab
- 656 Established himself at Kufa Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 656 Took the caliphal oath in Medina Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 656 Battle of the Camel outside Basra Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 657 Fought on the frontline at Siffin Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 658 Marched to and fought at Nahrawan Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 661 Assassinated during prayer at the Great Mosque of Kufa Ali ibn Abi Talib
- 1137 Born at Tikrit Saladin
- 1167 Defends Alexandria Saladin
- 1167 Fights at al-Babein Saladin