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Also known as St. Gregory the Great or Saint Gregory I.

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To begin my timeline of influential people of the Middle Ages, I focus on Pope Gregory I. Born in a time of famine and plague, Gregory sought a life in service of God. He even converted his family estate into a monastery when he inherited it and became a monk, priest, then pope (590-604). Gregory successfully helped the population as well as serve for the church, missionaries were sent to England on his bequest and encouraged the continued founding of monasteries. Not only did he serve God and the people, but he was also a renowned writer. Gregory wished to leave a legacy of faithfulness to God, after his death, he was known as Gregory the Great.

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Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (800-814).

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This next entry features on the impact that Charlemagne had in his time. He was an intelligent man who inherited his father’s kingdom as the King of the Franks, a Germanic tribe that invaded the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. This area is presently known as northern France, Belgium and western Germany.  Through his power, he sought to convert all the Germanic people to Christianity. As a leader, Charlemagne waged wars against his enemies, the Saxons, and through violence made them convert their spiritual beliefs to his. Through his zealous beliefs, Charlemagne donated land and money to the church and protected the popes, to acknowledge this, Pope Leo III crowned him as Emperor of the Romans and the first ruler of the Holy Roman Empire in 800.

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When discussing influential people of the Middle Ages, William I, known as William the Conqueror, made quite the impact through his conquests. William, as Duke of Normandy, was known for his strength and hatred of lawlessness, while that did not make him popular with most people he was honorable and devout in the Church, making his half brother Odo the bishop of Beyeux at 16 years of age. To ascend to the throne of England, William travelled from Normandy to defeat Harold Godwineson, earl of Wessex, which culminated at the fateful Battle of Hastings. This was known as the Norman Conquest which changed the course of English history.

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German abbess, prophet, Christian mystic and composer.

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Hildegard of Bingen; German abbess (c.1098 – 1179)

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Hildegard of Bingen; German abbess (c.1098 – 1179)

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At the age of 15, Hildegard began wearing the Benedictine habit to pursue a life in the church. As she progressed through her religious life, she confessed to having visions from a young age, she was encouraged to write down the prophetic visions and published, Scivias (‘Know the way of the Lord’). Through these visions, people sought out her advice and counsel in many different matters, her popularity continued as she travelled through Germany and wrote letters to other leaders in the church. She was a talented poet and composer with an interest in medicine and natural history. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared Hildebrand to be canonised as a ‘doctor of the church’ and the patron saint of musicians and writers.

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Saint Francis - founder of the Franciscan Order

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Saint Francis of Assisi (c. 1181 – 1226)

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Saint Francis of Assisi (c. 1181 – 1226)

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Born in Assisi, Italy, Francesco (originally named Giovanni – John) was the son of a businessman. With the aspirations of becoming a knight he went to joining the war that Assisi had with Perugia. Upon return to Assisi after being a prisoner of war for one year, he had a vision from God which changed his life. Though his devout life was not simple and easy, this made the conversion of Francis to Saint Frances of Assisi, an inspirational leader in the history of Christian faith even more powerful. When beginning to preach, he spoke about his life with nothing but everything, the life that God was giving him was more than material things. Saint Francis practice equality by showing respect to all people regardless of their societal or religious values.

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Saint Joan of Arc, national heroine of France

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My last historically significant person I will focus on is Joan of Arc. Born a French peasant girl, Joan was not very educated, but her mother inspired in her a love of the Catholic Church. Joan began to have visions, she claimed that she heard the voices of Saints Michael, Catherine and Margaret. When she was 16 years old, she claimed the voices urged her to help Prince Charles in the war and to instil him as the King. She claimed that she was the prophesied virgin that was destined to save France. Charles permitted Joan to take men to fight in the siege of Orléans, after their success Charles was crowned King. Joan was then captured by enemies and was threatened with death to deny all previous claims of divine guidance. She was then burned at the stake at the age of 19. Twenty years later Joan’s name was cleared, and in 1920 she was canonised as Saint Joan of Arc.

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Catholic Online. (n.d.). Pope Saint Gregory the Great. https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=54

Straw, C. and Sivaramamurti, . Calambur (2023, June 8). St. Gregory the Great. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/St-Gregory-the-Great

Sullivan, R. E. (2023, June 28). Charlemagne. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charlemagne

History. (2009). Charlemagne. https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/charlemagne

Inaburra Senior Library. (2022). Influential figures during the Middle Ages. https://inaburraseniorlibrary.weebly.com/year-8-history-influential-people-in-the-middle-ages.html

Barlow, F. (2023, July 7). William I. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-I-king-of-England

Wood, M. (2014). William the Conqueror: A Thorough Revolutionary. BBC UK History. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/conquest/norman/william_the_conqueror_01.shtml

Stevenson, K. (2017). William the Conqueror. William the Conqueror, 1–2.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, May 5). St. Hildegard. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Hildegard

Hildegard, Baird, J. L., & Ehrman, R. K. (1998). The letters of Hildegard of Bingen. volume 2. Oxford University Press.

Mark, J. J. (2019, May 30). Hildegard of Bingen. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Hildegard_of_Bingen/

Catholic Online. (n.d.). St. Francis of Assisi. https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=50

St. Francis of Assisi (1181 – 1226) Italian Saint and Religious Leader. Environmental Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 27, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/st-francis-assisi-1181-1226-italian-saint-and-religious-leader

Robinson, M. (2002). St. Francis of Assisi: The Legend and the Life. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Lanhers, Y. and Vale, Malcolm G.A. (2023, July 7). St. Joan of Arc. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc

Goy-Blanquet, D. (2016). Joan of Arc, a saint for all reasons : studies in myth and politics. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315251516

History. (2009). Joan of Arc. https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/saint-joan-of-arc