8th century B.C.: the poet, Hesiod, refers to the myth of Europe for the first time

According to legend, Europe was a Phoenician princess who seduced Zeus, King of Olympus.  Zeus, in the form of a bull, took her away and brought her to Crete where she gave birth to the mythical king, Minos.

The origins of the name Europe are still unclear. It may be a contraction of the Greek words Eurus (meaning broad or ample) and Ops (meaning face). Another theory is that it comes from the Phoenician word Ereb (meaning dark), a term used for the land where the sun sets.  The term gradually became used in Greek to refer to all the land north of the Mediterranean basin. 

2nd century A.D.: peak of the Roman Empire

At the height of its power, the Roman Empire covered the area stretching from the Mediterranean basin to Asia Minor. Under Pax Romana (Roman Peace), a culture inspired by Greek humanism and the Christian religion developed that was the basis of ‘European civilisation’.

800 : Charlemagne is crowned Emperor of the West

On Christmas day in the year 800, Charles, King of the Franks, was crowned Emperor by the Pope in Rome. Three centuries after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, this event signalled the reunification of Western Europe under a single monarch. During his lifetime, Charlemagne even took the name Pater Europae (Father of Europe). However, this period of European unity was short-lived. A few years after Charlemagne’s death, the Carolingian empire was divided into kingdoms which quickly became rivals.

1556 : The abdication of Charles V puts an end to his dream of unifying Christendom

Throughout the Middle Ages, the German Holy Roman Empire, which inherited Charlemagne's imperial crown, tried in vain to restore its lost authority. The Empire was worn down by a long dispute with the Papacy, which wanted the unification of Christendom under the spiritual authority of Rome. 

During this period, the great European kingdoms, particularly France, established power. In spite of this political separation, Europe retained some economic, cultural and, in particular, religious unity.

In 1519, Charles of Hapsburg was elected German Emperor and given the name Charles V. Convinced that he had a divine mission to reunite Christendom under imperial authority, Charles strived to spread his territory through a policy of alliances and wars. But his dream of a universal empire clashed with the rival ambitions of the Kingdom of France, the rise of the Ottomans and especially the religious Reformation started by Luther which was shaking up the Christian world.  Accepting that his plans had failed, Charles ended up renouncing his crown.  
 

1603: Johannes Althusius, first federalist thinker

Theorists of European unification have always tried to find a fair balance between the unity of Europe and the diversity of its constituent parts.

Among these thinkers, the German jurist Johannes Althusius (1557-1638) was the theorist behind ‘subsidiarity’, a principle that is fundamental to the current workings of the European Union.

This principle states that political problems must be solved at the relevant level and superior authorities cannot intervene unless this is deemed more efficient.  Subsidiarity is the basis of federal relations.

Althusius’ ideas on the structure of power levels were later taken up by Montesquieu and Proudhon.

1807: peak of the Napoleonic Empire

For some, Napoleon Bonaparte was responsible for spreading throughout Europe the ideas of the French Revolution such as the abolition of privilege, the Civil Code and individual freedoms. For others, all he did was establish French domination over other nations.

Whatever the truth about Napoleon, the desire to unify Europe was never far from his plans.  During his coronation by the Pope in 1804, the new Emperor declared: “I am not succeeding Louis XVI but Charlemagne.”  His reign would last 10 years.

In 1815, the Congress of Vienna heralded a form of cooperation which prevailed until 1914 – the Concert of Europe. This was a group of leaders from the principal European states who met regularly to deal with matters of war and trade.

1814: Saint-Simon proposes the creation of a European parliament

At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the French philosopher, Henri de Saint-Simon, (pioneer in the field of sociology) predicted that the new technology would dramatically alter relations between nations.

On the eve of the Congress of Vienna, he published a text entitled: "On the Reorganisation of European Society" in which he discussed the need for the peoples of Europe to come together as a single political body while maintaining their national independence.  

At the top of his model, he put a parliament of 240 members: "Europe would be organised to its maximum potential if each nation therein, while governed by its own parliament, recognised the supremacy of a general parliament placed above all the national governments and invested with the power to judge their disputes."

21st August 1849: National resurgences inspire Victor Hugo to write his speech on the United States of Europe

In 1848, a wave of revolutions passed through Europe -  in Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Hungary etc. where people were rising up to fight for more liberty. Within the Austrian Empire, these uprisings brought with them nationalist demands.

Writer and statesman, Victor Hugo, saw in this resurgence of nations the promise of European unification. During the International Peace Congress which was held in Paris in 1849, he declared: "A day will come when you France, you Russia, you Italy, you England, you Germany, you all, nations of the continent, without losing your distinct qualities and your glorious individuality, will be merged closely within a superior unit and you will form the European brotherhood".  

Memories of Napoleon and ‘The Springtime of the Peoples’ compromised the myth of a European Empire, making way for federal-style plans for the organisation of the continent.  However, the dreams of peace between European nations soon gave way to bellicose nationalism which led to the two great wars of the 20th century.  

Last update: Feb 21st, 2010