What is the most important Event in European History

[Soulforged]

This is a really difficult question, because Europe is the craddle of civilization, almost everything that happened there was important. But for modern history i would say two (closely realted): the French Revolution (and all it could have been if the buorgeoisie didn't take the power) and the creation of the Commune of Paris, one of the most relevant evidence that communism works (sure the central power on Paris wiped them out of the planet when they changed their minds and wanted them under their dominion...)

[Kagemusha]

I think the most Important was the creation of Roman Empire.They used Hellenistic science, philosophy and Gladius,to create a Europe from various tribes.

[King Henry V]

The most important event which changed European history is the birth of Christ.

[cegorach]

Chrystianity in all its consequences from liberating millions of slaves to the French Revolution and the fall of the SU.

[Adrian II]

I think the most Important was the creation of Roman Empire.They used Hellenistic science, philosophy and Gladius,to create a Europe from various tribes.

How would you answer Hurin's point that the fall of Rome is most important because it led to scores of (radically) different and often competing Europes?

I couldn't answer the initial poster's question because of its essentialist nature. If you want to know what 'made' Europe, I think several important developments must be pointed out, among which Pindar's birth of rationality, Cegorach's rise (and fall...) of Christianity and Hurin's 'creative' fragmentation since Charlemagne would all rate at the same level of importance, along with a host of (as yet unmentioned) events, from the scientific break-throughs of a Huygens, Newton, Freud or Pasteur and the political breakthrough of Socialism all the way down to the horror of 'Auschwitz' and all that it entails.

[CBR]

Hm there are lots of important events in European history...

I would say the Reformation as that stopped the power of the church and from that point science had more freedom to develop. It also opened up the society which made more free thinking possible which eventually lead to democracy.


CBR

[caesar44]

If Hitler have won the war , all of the above was to be just a far memory...some of us even could not be here .
So 1942 to 1944/5 - the most important years/event in Europe (and in North Africa and the M. East) .

[Kagemusha]

How would you answer Hurin's point that the fall of Rome is most important because it led to scores of (radically) different and often competing Europes?

I couldn't answer the initial poster's question because of its essentialist nature. If you want to know what 'made' Europe, I think several important developments must be pointed out, among which Pindar's birth of rationality, Cegorach's rise (and fall...) of Christianity and Hurin's 'creative' fragmentation since Charlemagne would all rate at the same level of importance, along with a host of (as yet unmentioned) events, from the scientific break-throughs of a Huygens, Newton, Freud or Pasteur and the political breakthrough of Socialism all the way down to the horror of 'Auschwitz' and all that it entails.

Im aware of this.I thought only to post my opinion.Its very hard to name just one event.

[Meneldil]

French Revolution
Retreat of the Mongols in the 13th century
Fall of the Roman Empire
Reformation

And so on... you can't really say there's a 'most important event', because unlike America history (no offense intended here), there are a whole lot of different point of views there. As a French, I'd say the French Revolution/Napoleonic Era, but people from Italy and Greece might say 'the beginning/end of the roman empire', people from Eastern europe might say 'the retreat of the mongol hords' or 'the Yalta treaty',etc.

[Redleg]

And so on... you can't really say there's a 'most important event', because unlike America history (no offense intended here), there are a whole lot of different point of views there. As a French, I'd say the French Revolution/Napoleonic Era, but people from Italy and Greece might say 'the beginning/end of the roman empire', people from Eastern europe might say 'the retreat of the mongol hords' or 'the Yalta treaty',etc.

You missed the point I believe - its all about the different points of view - and it will be based upon what regions the individual lives in.

[Meneldil]

You missed the point I believe - its all about the different points of view - and it will be based upon what regions the individual lives in.

Oh, sorry for misunderstanding the question. I'd have to say that the French Revolution was really important, but obviously, I'm biased here

On a larger scale, then I'done could say that the 9th century (as a group of events) was fairly important, since it was more or less the era that saw the creation of many european modern states (France, Germany and Italy with the collapse of the Carolingian Empire, Poland, England - I think the Anglo-saxons more or less ruled all of modern day England in the 9th C -, Scotland - I think the Kingdom of Alba was 'created' in 843 - The Scandinavian States, Bohemia, Hungary - not sure about this though, the Magyars might have settled there a bit later, in the early 10th - , Russia with the beginnings of Kievan Rus, and Spain - as the different Spanish Kingdoms saw the Reconquista as one of their main aim.)

[Adrian II]

Its very hard to name just one event.

Exactly. For the same reason, I am sure that Hurin would agree with you that without the institutional inheritance of the Roman Empire, in particular Roman law, the long period of fragmentation that followed wouldn't have been nearly as fruitful.

[Hurin_Rules]

Exactly. For the same reason, I am sure that Hurin would agree with you that without the institutional inheritance of the Roman Empire, in particular Roman law, the long period of fragmentation that followed wouldn't have been nearly as fruitful.

Yes, indeed. The reason I chose the fall rather than the rise of the Empire is that European civilzation is usually seen as first arising AFTER Rome, in the period of Charlemagne. Before that, the civilization that dominated the area was that of Greece and Rome, centred on the Mediterranean rather than on Europe. So if you're talking about the birth of Europe, the first event really is the fall. Europe was heavily dependent on the heritage of Greece and Rome, but it was something quite different than both.

[eadeater]

The Russian Revolution(s). These two events of 1917 put a full stop to the old ways in Europe; the last completely autocratic ruler, Tzar Nicholas II was deposed. In October the Bolsheviks took power and this event would shape not only European but world history for most of the 20th century. It allowed the great struggle between two ideologies to take place, and helped to shape modern Europe.

[Redleg]

I couldn't answer the initial poster's question because of its essentialist nature. If you want to know what 'made' Europe, I think several important developments must be pointed out, among which Pindar's birth of rationality, Cegorach's rise (and fall...) of Christianity and Hurin's 'creative' fragmentation since Charlemagne would all rate at the same level of importance, along with a host of (as yet unmentioned) events, from the scientific break-throughs of a Huygens, Newton, Freud or Pasteur and the political breakthrough of Socialism all the way down to the horror of 'Auschwitz' and all that it entails.

I actually like that answer Adrian, it shows a better understanding of History then most. The course of development of any culture, group of nations, or even a single nation is based upon many different events. To narrow down it down to one event is indeed essentialist in nature.

But its an interesting discussion because of that - it shows what individuals think about what was the most important thing to them concerning the history. There is a philisophical (SP) reason for doing this - but that would be a Backroom thread not a Monastery one.