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They established a state, in the middle of the 9th century in Northern Russia, around the important trade center of Novgorod.

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The Papal States were territories in central Italy that were directly governed by the papacy—not only spiritually but in a temporal, secular sense. The extent of papal control, which officially began in 756 and lasted until 1870, varied over the centuries, as did the geographical boundaries of the region.

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During the Middle Ages, Brittany fought to become and remain an independent duchy. It was first united in the 9th century under the rule of Nomenoë, Brittany's national hero, who revolted against the Carolingians. By repelling the Norse invaders, his successors were able to keep the independence he had won.

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At a moment of European history marked by considerable urban and mercantile growth, Portugal's position placed the country in the sea routes between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. This fact favored her entry into international trade.

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The province of León is home to places with a rich cultural heritage such as Ponferrada, Astorga with its Episcopal Palace by Gaudí; as well as the capital, León, with its Cathedral and the Casa Botines building, also designed by Gaudí.

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The Kingdom of Castile (/kæˈstiːl/; Spanish: Reino de Castilla, Latin: Regnum Castellae) was a large and powerful state on the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region.

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Holy Roman Empire, Piazza Enrico Mattei, Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy

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The Holy Roman Empire ruled over much of western and central Europe from the 9th century to the 19th century. It envisioned itself as a dominion for Christendom continuing in the tradition of the ancient Roman Empire and was characterized by strong papal authority.

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As time went on, Bohemia became one of the most powerful kingdoms in Europe with a huge influence on the Holy Roman empire. In these times, Bohemia was ruled by the Přemyslid dynasty, the oldest dynasty that has ever reigned over the Bohemian Kingdom.

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Founded in the 3rd millennium B.C., Damascus was an important cultural and commercial centre, by virtue of its geographical position at the crossroads of the orient and the occident, between Africa and Asia. The old city of Damascus is considered to be among the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

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Medieval Denmark was an agricultural country characterized by the influence of great landowning families. It was these noble landowners who undertook military service for the king but were able to control their estates without paying taxes to him.

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Over time, Church came to play a very significant role and became one of the key power-brokers, others being the princes of various Germanic states. Medieval Germany played an important role in contributing to the traditions of Europe, particularly the tradition of building castles.

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During the late Middle Ages Flanders' trading towns (notably Ghent, Bruges, and Ypres) once again made it one of the richest and most urbanized parts of Europe, weaving the wool of neighboring lands into cloth for both domestic use and export.

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The Swedes had been known to have powerful and fast longships that were capable of long journeys and manned by strong men.

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The Danube played a vital role in the settlement and political evolution of central and southeastern Europe. Its banks, lined with castles and fortresses, formed the boundary between great empires, and its waters served as a vital commercial highway between nations.

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The Danube played a vital role in the settlement and political evolution of central and southeastern Europe. Its banks, lined with castles and fortresses, formed the boundary between great empires, and its waters served as a vital commercial highway between nations.

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Water and wind power also became important during the Middle Ages. Europe's rivers provided power for water mills to grind grain into flour. In places without rivers, windmills could be used for grinding grain, pumping water, and sawing wood. Another improvement in agriculture was crop rotation.

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Seine River, a river of France, after the Loire its longest. It rises 18 miles (30 kilometers) northwest of Dijon and flows in a northwesterly direction through Paris before emptying into the English Channel at Le Havre.

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Jerusalem is especially sacred because it was in this city that Jesus died on the cross and, Christians believe, rose from the dead. The sites that he visited, and especially the site believed to be his tomb, made Jerusalem the most important objective for medieval Christian pilgrimage.

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Constantinople is generally considered to be the center and the "cradle of Orthodox Christian civilization". From the mid-5th century to the early 13th century, Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest city in Europe.

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Naples, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy

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Throughout the High and Late Middle Ages, Naples expanded its authority over neighboring towns and cities and became a center of wealth and trade for the region. This helped set the stage for Naples' importance as a major city-state during the Italian Renaissance.

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In terms of its ancient history, the city of Milan was an important center in the time frame of the Roman Empire. For example, it was from Milan that Roman Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 CE. This was an important event not only for the Roman Empire but also for Christianity as a religion.

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Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy

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Florence was a center of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era. It is considered by many academics to have been the birthplace of the Renaissance, becoming a major artistic, cultural, commercial, political, economic, and financial center.

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Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy

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The Republic of Venice was a major financial and maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain, and spice) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century.

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In the Middle Ages, Ghent was one of the biggest cities in Europe. The wealth amassed as a result of the cloth trade and grain storage was made manifest in the construction of large stone houses, guild houses, and monumental public buildings.

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Bruges, with its canals, is also known as the Venice of the north. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the most important merchant-town of North-Western Europe, therefore it was a desirable town for noble dynasties like the Dukes of Burgundy or the Kings of France to get under their jurisdiction.

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Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, it was the center of the flourishing craft industry, specializing in swords and lace.

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During the Middle Ages, Cairo occupied an important place in the spice trade between Europe and Asia. By the 1340s its population had reached half a million. But beginning with an outbreak of the Black Death in 1348, Cairo was struck by a series of plagues and other misfortunes.

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In the Early Modern era, the Baltic Sea was called the Nordic Mediterranean because of its unique outlet on the high seas and its narrowness. Like its southern counterpart, the Baltic is at the crossroads of several peoples and cultures. Also like the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic had different populations on each of its shores, yet in another way facilitated relations and became a space for interconnections.

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The Black Sea region is regarded as a 'strategic bridge' an economic, geo-political and trade corridor of strategic importance, connecting to the Mediterranean Sea via the Marmara and Aegean Seas, and Europe with Asia to the Caspian Sea, Central Asia and the Middle East and with south-east Asia and China.

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The Adriatic Sea has served throughout history as a source of transportation, recreation, and sustenance. During the Roman period, Brundisium, located on the western shore, and Apollonia and Dyrrachium, situated on the eastern shore, became important ports that were mainly used to transport goods and military troops.

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The Mediterranean Sea was the central superhighway of transport, trade, and cultural exchange between diverse peoples encompassing three continents: Western Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe.