Writers of the Middle Ages

The atlas holds 24 people and 482 moments here, from 482 to 1452. The most recorded lives are Ibn Battuta, Petrarch and Du Fu.

Notable people

  1. Ibn Battuta

    from 1304 to 1369

    113 moments here

    Maghrebi Muslim jurist, traveller, explorer, and author from Tangier. Between 1325 and 1354 he journeyed through North and East Africa, the Middle…

  2. Petrarch

    from 1304 to 1374

    38 moments here

    Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) was an Italian scholar, poet, cleric, diplomat, and foundational humanist.…

  3. Du Fu

    from 712 to 770

    35 moments here

    Tang-dynasty Chinese poet and minor official. His documented movements span the capital region, the northwest frontier, Sichuan, the Yangtze…

  4. Francis of Assisi

    from 1181 to 1226

    33 moments here

    Italian Catholic friar, deacon, preacher, and founder of the Order of Friars Minor. Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone at Assisi, he renounced his…

  5. Li Bai

    from 701 to 762

    27 moments here

    Li Bai (701–762), also known as Li Bo or Li Po, was a major Tang-dynasty Chinese poet. His surviving biography documents a childhood relocation to…

  6. 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.…

  7. 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…

  8. Marco Polo

    from 1254 to 1324

    25 moments here

    Venetian merchant, traveler, and author whose account describes journeys across Asia between 1271 and 1295.…

  9. Thomas Aquinas

    from 1225 to 1274

    21 moments here

    Italian Dominican friar, priest, theologian, and philosopher. His documented movements connected family residences in southern Italy, Dominican and…

  10. 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.…

  11. Avicenna

    from 980 to 1037

    17 moments here

    Ibn Sina (Avicenna; c. 980–22 June 1037) was a Persian philosopher, physician, and court official.…

  12. 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,…

  13. 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.…

  14. Al-Ghazali

    from 1058 to 1111

    14 moments here

    Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazali was a Persian Sunni jurist, theologian, philosopher, logician, and mystic.…

  15. Rumi

    from 1207 to 1273

    9 moments here

    Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi was a Persian-language poet, jurist, teacher, and Sufi mystic. Born at Wakhsh in the Khwarazmian Empire, he moved with his…

  16. Al-Biruni

    from 973 to 1048

    9 moments here

    Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni was a Khwarazmian polymath whose documented movements connect Kath and Khwarazm, Bukhara, Gurgan, Gurganj,…

  17. Murasaki Shikibu

    from 973 to 1013

    8 moments here

    Japanese novelist, poet, and lady-in-waiting of the Heian court, best known for The Tale of Genji.…

  18. 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…

  19. Averroes

    from 1126 to 1182

    6 moments here

    Averroes, also known as Ibn Rushd, was an Andalusian jurist, physician, philosopher, and commentator on Aristotle.…

  20. Omar Khayyam

    from 1048 to 1131

    5 moments here

    Persian polymath, mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and poet. The securely dated portions of his documented life place him in Nishapur,…

  21. Abu Nuwas

    from 756 to 814

    5 moments here

    Abū Nuwās al-Ḥasan ibn Hānī al-Ḥakamī was a classical Arabic poet. Sources document his birth in the Ahvaz area, childhood and study in Basra and…

  22. Muḥammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi

    from 780 to 825

    3 moments here

    Persian mathematician, astronomer, geographer, and author active under the Abbasid caliphs. Biographical evidence is exceptionally sparse and his…

  23. Hafez

    from 1315 to 1390

    2 moments here

    Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez Shirazi was a Persian lyric poet. Surviving biographical evidence is notably sparse; the defensible physical-presence…

  24. Leonardo da Vinci

    in 1452

    1 moment here

    Italian Renaissance painter, draftsman, engineer, architect, anatomist, and natural philosopher.…

Moments

  1. 482 Born at Tauresium Justinian I
  2. 518 Resides at the Palace of Hormisdas Justinian I
  3. 525 Marries Theodora in Constantinople Justinian I
  4. 532 Addresses the Nika rebels in the Hippodrome Justinian I
  5. 537 Inaugurates Hagia Sophia Justinian I
  6. 559 Establishes his court at Selymbria Justinian I
  7. 565 Dies in Constantinople Justinian I
  8. 600 Traditional birth at the Kaaba Ali ibn Abi Talib
  9. 622 Arrival and fraternity in Medina Ali ibn Abi Talib
  10. 622 Stayed in Mecca as Muhammad's decoy Ali ibn Abi Talib
  11. 624 Standard-bearer at Badr Ali ibn Abi Talib
  12. 625 Defended Muhammad at Uhud Ali ibn Abi Talib
  13. 627 Defeated Amr ibn Abd al-Wud at the Trench Ali ibn Abi Talib
  14. 628 Commanded the expedition to Fadak Ali ibn Abi Talib
  15. 628 Standard-bearer at Khaybar Ali ibn Abi Talib
  16. 628 Wrote the Treaty of al-Hudaybiya Ali ibn Abi Talib
  17. 630 Announced Quranic message in Mecca Ali ibn Abi Talib
  18. 630 Defended Muhammad at Hunayn Ali ibn Abi Talib
  19. 630 Left in charge of Medina during Tabuk expedition Ali ibn Abi Talib
  20. 631 Preached Islam in Yemen Ali ibn Abi Talib
  21. 632 Investiture scene at Ghadir Khumm Ali ibn Abi Talib
  22. 632 Mubahala appearance in Medina Ali ibn Abi Talib
  23. 656 Established himself at Kufa Ali ibn Abi Talib
  24. 656 Took the caliphal oath in Medina Ali ibn Abi Talib
  25. 656 Battle of the Camel outside Basra Ali ibn Abi Talib
  26. 657 Fought on the frontline at Siffin Ali ibn Abi Talib
  27. 658 Marched to and fought at Nahrawan Ali ibn Abi Talib
  28. 661 Assassinated during prayer at the Great Mosque of Kufa Ali ibn Abi Talib
  29. 701 Birth at Suyab Li Bai
  30. 705 Childhood relocation to Sichuan Li Bai
  31. 712 Birth near Luoyang Du Fu
  32. 718 Retreat at Mount Dakuang Li Bai
  33. 724 Travel at Mount Emei Li Bai
  34. 725 Arrival at Nanjing Li Bai
  35. 725 Departure through Dongting Lake Li Bai
  36. 725 Journey to Yunmeng Li Bai
  37. 727 Marriage at Anlu Li Bai
  38. 730 Stay at Zhongnan Mountain Li Bai
  39. 730 Stop at Luoyang Li Bai
  40. 730 Visit to Taiyuan Li Bai
  41. 735 Imperial examination Du Fu
  42. 735 Court-martial intervention in Shanxi Li Bai
  43. 740 Domestic residence Du Fu
  44. 740 Move to Shandong Li Bai
  45. 740 Wandering in Jiangsu Li Bai
  46. 740 Wandering in Zhejiang Li Bai
  47. 742 Summoned to Chang'an court Li Bai
  48. 744 Departure from Chang'an court Li Bai
  49. 744 Meeting Du Fu at Luoyang Li Bai
  50. 744 Second marriage in Liangyuan Li Bai

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