1. Seljuk armies take over parts of Asia, Byzantine lands
2. Eastern and Western Christian churches split
3. Norman armies conquer England
4. Armed pilgrims recapture the Holy Land
5. Toltec empire continues to flourish
6. Cities in Africa and Europe grow
7. Commerce across the Sahara in Africa thrives
8. Chinese culture flowers under the Song dynasty
9. Ghana Empire in turmoil

2. Eastern and Western Christian churches split

In 1054, disputes over doctrine and church authority caused a schism between the Western and Eastern churches. Pope Leo IX, head of the Western church in Rome, expelled Eastern leader Michael Cerularius, patriarch of Constantinople, from the church. The patriarch responded by excommunicating the pope.

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