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It became evident with the fall of Rome -- even the largest empires can fall, and Europe saw many of them come and go over the centuries. Learn about European empires here.

FORMER EUROPEAN EMPIRES LIBRARY

How the Vikings Worked

The Vikings were bloodthirsty raiders outfitted with armor and dragon boats, pillaging the coasts. Or was there more to the Age of Vikings?

Anglo-Saxons

Anglo-Saxons, the name given the Germanic, or Teutonic, peoples who invaded and occupied Britain beginning in the fifth century.

British Empire

British Empire, in history, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the lands and peoples under its control.

Byzantine Empire

Byzantine Empire, the great empire that had its origin in the founding of Constantinople by the Roman emperor Constantine in 330 A.D.

Commonwealth and Protectorate

Commonwealth and Protectorate, The, the republican government in England from the beheading of Charles I in 1649 to the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II in 1660.

Etruscans

Etruscans , an ancient people of Italy. The Etruscans inhabited a region known as Etruria, consisting of 12 city-states.

Franks

Franks , an ancient Germanic people. They are believed to have originated in Pomerania on the southern Baltic coast.

Gaul

Gaul (Latin: Gallia), an ancient region of western Europe. Gaul in Julius Caesar's time included most of northern Italy (Cisalpine Gaul), which was occupied by the Romans, and the vast extent of territory from the Rhine River to the Pyrenees called Transalpine Gaul (Gaul beyond the Alps), which was largely inhabited by Celts.

Helvetians

Helvetians, the ancient Celtic inhabitants of what is now western Switzerland. In 102 B.C.

History of Czechoslovakia

A country in central Europe that existed from 1918–93. The country consisted of the Czech lands (Bohemia and Moravia) and Slovakia.

Holy Roman Empire

Holy Roman Empire, a realm in medieval and early modern times that consisted primarily of Germany and that part of Italy governed by the German ruler.

Huguenots

Huguenotsthe common name of French Protestants during the Reformation. The name is still sometimes applied to French Protestants, especially French Calvinists.

Kingdom of Sardinia

Sardinia, Kingdom of, a former Italian kingdom founded in the 18th century. In the 19th century, it was the leading state in the Italian unification movement and was largely instrumental in creating the Kingdom of Italy.

Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Sicilies, Kingdom of the Two , a former kingdom consisting of the island of Sicily and southern Italy.

Lombards

Lombards, an ancient Germanic people. In the first century A.D. they were living along the lower Elbe River.


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