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  In 476‚ the year Rome fell‚ heralded the Medieval Period‚ lasting until around 1492 when Christopher Columbus reached the Americas. Like any timespan‚ this Period was not immune to wars and protracted conflicts. Some took decades for resolution‚ while a single engagement could decide fate. It’s always interesting to see the impact of battles and conflicts on Europe.   The Battle of Tours – Muslim Expansion Stopped Charles Martel versus the Moors at Tours‚ by Jean Fouquet‚ 15th century.   Seven hundred and thirty-two marked the Battle of Tours as one of the most significant pivotal battles. The Muslim Moors invaded from Spain‚ seeking to expand into Frankish lands. France’s most powerful leader‚ Charles Martel‚ stealthily marched south to Tours. There‚ his army fought the Moorish cavalry force from a hillside‚ defeating and killing their leader. This battle checked the Moors’ rapid growth into Europe‚ preserving Christianity in the West. Charles later became the King of France‚ helping to establish feudalism.   The Reconquista – Spain Unites The Capitulation of Granada‚ by Francisco Pradilla y Ortiz‚ 1882. Source: Wikimedia Commons   When the Pope’s call for a Crusade went out in 1095‚ Spain’s version had been ongoing for nearly two centuries. An invading Moorish army had seized the Iberian Peninsula‚ pushed out the Visigoth nobility‚ and established the Ummayad Caliphate in 711. Only Charles Martel’s victory over a Muslim army in the Battle of Tours in 732 pushed the Moors back.    The Reconquista‚ or “reconquering” of Spain‚ commenced in 718. It differed from the later Crusades by being a territorial expansion‚ not a religious war. The Moors granted Jews and Christians freedoms‚ preventing much hatred. Meanwhile the wars in Iberia lasted for hundreds of years as the Christians went south‚ capturing swathes of land.    The Reconquista only took on a religious tone as the Crusades to the Holy Land began. Their final campaign was the capture of Granada‚ the Moor’s last stronghold in Spain‚ in 1492. This final victory led to the expulsion of Jews and Muslims.   The Crusades – The Popes’ Call Taking of Jerusalem by the Crusaders‚ 15th July 1099‚ by Émile Signol‚ 19th-century‚ via Crusades.Usherbrooke.ca   The Crusades started in 1095‚ with Pope Urban II asking for volunteers to retake the Holy Lands from Islam. This Holy City and surrounding lands had fallen several years before. The First Crusade retook Jerusalem in 1099‚ establishing kingdoms‚ touching off a religious war until 1291. The Crusades seized back the Holy Lands and became de facto rulers. By doing so‚ the Crusaders encountered a very different culture. New food‚ trading routes‚ and ideas like a better numbering system soon spread back home. Eight Crusades reached the Middle East‚ primarily to defend their kingdoms. By 1291‚ the Muslim armies from Egypt and Syria under the famous Saladin gained had retaken most of the Holy Land.   The Mongol Invasions – Unstoppable Genghis Khan wax image. Source: Wikimedia Commons.   The Mongols‚ the dreaded horse lords‚ swarmed out from the Asian plains beginning around 1206 under the infamous Genghis Khan. Their armies reached Eastern Europe by the 1220s‚ devastating the Rus Principality in 1223. The Mongols‚ after pausing in the 1230s‚ pushed further into central Europe. After defeating several Polish‚ Hungarian‚ and Russian armies‚ they sacked Kiev and invaded Hungary. Mongols used terror tactics such as mass slaughter and enslavement. One-half of Hungary’s population was killed during this conflict.   The Mongol Invasion‚ by Tsolmonbayar Art‚ 2011. Source: DeviantArt   Their armies reached Dalmatia by 1240. One leader‚ Subutai Khan‚ lay poised in eastern Austria when the Great Khan died back in Mongolia. This forced leaders to return home and select a new Khan. Their armies raided deep into Europe‚ even to Lithuania. The Mongols settled in southern Russia‚ establishing khanates. Europeans didn’t defeat the Mongols until the late 1300s.   The Battle of Agincourt – The Longbow Henry V at Agincourt. Source: Picryl   Few history buffs have not heard of Agincourt‚ one of the most famous medieval battles. This battle was one of many during the Hundred Years’ War. On October 25‚ 1415‚ near Agincourt in northern France‚ an outnumbered English army led by King Henry V clashed with a larger French one.    Henry V campaigned in France through the fall to press his claim to the French throne. His army weakened from continual fighting and disease‚ sought to return to England—the pursuing French army‚ led by knights‚ caught up and fought in a muddy field.   The English killed many charging French knights with powerful longbows as they forced their way through thick mud. In the melee‚ the English infantry overran the knights‚ killing thousands. But the longbow‚ with its range and killing power‚ was the prime reason for victory. The defeat helped secure England’s hold on their French territories‚ leaving the French in disarray. It took until 1453 for the French to reduce England’s possessions to Calais. 

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Life changed dramatically when father-of-7 Dakota Nelson lost his wife suddenly. But the widower’s story of loss turned into an inspirational Christmas story of hope when a stranger showed up with a huge surprise. In 2018‚ life was hectic‚ but happy‚ for Dakota Nelson. He and his wife‚ Ream Nelson‚ had seven children ranging in age from 1 to 16 and things were good. RELATED: Mom Dies Moments After Giving Birth To Twins But New Dad Trusts In God's Plan But in July of that year‚ everything changed. Dakota left the garage to go put some tools away. And when he came back‚ he found his 38-year- wife’s lifeless body on the ground. For reasons we’ll never know‚ 38-year-old Ream’s heart just stopped beating and she collapsed on the floor. The sudden tragedy left Dakota Nelson a widower and single father of 7. But there is always some kind of light in the darkness and the kindness of others helped cut through this dark time. Prayers poured in for the grieving father and his kids. Friends and family raised money through a Dakota Nelson GoFundMe page. And a Secret Santa even surprised the father of 7 one day with a completely unexpected act of kindness. Kindness Creates Inspirational Christmas Story Of Hope On a day in December that started like any other‚ a stranger walked up to Dakota Nelson and his kids in a parking lot. The stranger was Nate Eaton‚ a news anchor for East Idaho News. And he was there to present the Nelson family with gifts from a Secret Santa. Dakota watched in shock as his kids opened a gift box containing a $1‚000 gift card for groceries and another $1‚000 Walmart gift card. But that wasn’t all. RELATED: Devastated Mom Receives Outpouring Of Support After The Tragic Death Of Her 2-Year-Old Nate handed Dakota a check for $8‚000 and the stunned father of 7 broke down in tears. Dakota’s gratitude was already evident through his flood of emotions. But he followed up again later with a heartfelt thank you note‚ saying: “I have noticed that through this ordeal‚ we have been blessed to see kindness replace the pain of losing a loved one whom I had been married to for 17 years. My children have noted this and have stated that they want to do the same for others. Thank you again for making this Christmas special.” WATCH: Stranger Hands $10k Gift Over To Widowed Father Of 7‚ Dakota Nelson  Follow Up With Dakota Nelson A few years after the Secret Santa surprise‚ Dakota Nelson and his family have had more time to heal. And the father of 7 says they are doing well and it’s all because of the love and support they received. “It’s thanks to everyone who helped out‚” Dakota explained. “All the prayers and donations and everything else. It really made a transition into a different lifestyle a lot easier.” While their hearts will always ache for Ream‚ the kindness showed by others is what helped carry the family through the darkest days of their grief. “The amount of help and love and support we got really made a difference. Especially that first year‚” Dakota said. Through the love and support of others‚ Dakota and his children have felt the love of their Heavenly Father. And though the tragedy they’ve endured has been unbelievable‚ their reliance on Him has only deepened. And Dakota gives all the glory to God for the healing in their hearts. “Honestly‚ it’s our Father in Heaven working in each one of our lives‚” the father of 7 says. “I’ve realized that I’m nothing without Him.” YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Wife Dies Hours After Giving Birth And Husband's Gut Tells Him To Check Her Blog It can be hard to find the light in the darkness‚ but it is there. And Dakota Nelson’s story of tragedy turned inspirational Christmas story of hope is a perfect example! WATCH: Dakota Nelson Gives Update On Family In 2020  LISTEN: Triplets Turn Sorrow to Joy by Arriving as ‘Gift from Heaven' on Same Due Date As Baby Couple Lost h/t: East Idaho News Featured Image: Youtube/East Idaho News The post Young Widower And Father Of 7 Breaks Down When A Stranger Walks Up And Hands Over $10k appeared first on GodUpdates.