1098
| ii
1291

The Crusades. These forays by European nations into the Middle East, in an effort to recapture the Holy Land and subjugate Arab (and later Muslim) peoples, set in motion the rocky and often violent dynamics of East and West relationships.

1453
| ii
1683

Ottoman Empire. Islamic Turks rise to the European threat and extend their empire through northern Africa, from Egypt to Morocco, under the Ottoman sultan.

1783
| ii
1912

Europeans assert their dominance and carve up the Middle East. In Africa, France takes Algeria, Egypt, and Morocco. Great Britain takes Egypt from the French and invades Sudan.

1899

Sudan is under joint British-Egyptian rule.

1914
| ii
1936

The Ottoman Empire, which sided with Germany, is crushed after World War I. Here begins 17 years of civil war between Arab-controlled northern Sudan and African-dominated southern Sudan

1956

Sudan gains its independence.

1958

A military coup led by General Abboud ends the elected civilian government

1972

The Addis Ababa peace agreement between the government and the Anya Nya movement of the south gives Southern Sudan self-governance. Conflict subsides

1978

Oil is discovered in Bentiu, Southern Sudan.

1983

Civil War breaks out again between the Sudanese government and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) led by John Garang. Here begins another 21 years of conflict between the northern and southern parts of the country.

1989

The National Salvation Revolution takes over in a bloodless military coup led by Lt. General Omar al-Bashir.

1993

Omar al-Bashir is appointed president. He then dissolves the Revolution Command Council.

1998

The Clinton Administration launches US missile attacks on a pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum, alleging that it was making ingredients for chemical weapons. Earlier, in 1996, Sudan had expelled Osama bin Laden, at which time he returned to Afghanistan.

1999

Sudan begins to export oil.

2003

Rebels in Sudan's western region of Darfur attack the Sudanese government.

2004

The Sudanese army moves on the western region of Darfur, sending hundreds of thousands of refugees into neighboring Chad. Pro-government Arab "Janjaweed" militias create havoc in Darfur, indiscriminately killing African villagers, burning villages. Millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) flee across Sudan.

2005

The government and the southern rebels sign a peace agreement. John Garang, former rebel leader in Southern Sudan, becomes Sudan's first vice president. Three weeks later, he dies in a plane crash. An autonomous government is formed in Southern Sudan.

2006

UN tries to send a peacekeeping force to Darfur, but President Bashir rejects it. The African Union sends peacekeeping troops to Darfur.

2007

Sudan accepts a partial UN troop deployment to help the African Union peacekeepers in Darfur.

2008

The UN takes over the Darfur peacekeeping force. In July, the International Criminal Court calls for the arrest of President Bashir to answer charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes relating to the government's actions against the people of Darfur in 2003-2004.

2009

The International Criminal Court issues a warrant for President Bashir, the first arrest warrant it has ever issued for a sitting head of state. President Bashir and the Sudanese government defy the order and refuse to cooperate with the International Criminal Court. Sudan begins to oust some humanitarian agencies and foreign workers from the country.