Saga Setting

The canonical Ars Magica start date is 1220 A.D. This saga began in 1314 A.D.

The following changes from world history and Ars setting are notable: The saga is centered around Vardian's Tomb, a Hermetic covenant set in the catacombs of Rome, within the Roman Tribunal. When the saga began the covenant was down to a single member, who extended invitation to all the PCs to join. The sourcebook for the Roman Tribunal is from the 3rd edition and serves as a vague guideline but may be deviated from often.
 * The Normandy Tribunal is in a state of near anarchy. There is no regular tribunal meeting. Breaches in the code are only mediated by vigilante justice. An extension of its chivalric history is a new tradition of ransoming: Magi fighting one another outside of Wizard's War, taking the loser's items, equipment, or even person as hostage, and negotiating a ransom of vis. The redcaps of Normandy faciliate this trade.
 * Parts of the Normandy & Rhine tribunals around Flanders/Frisia broke off to form their own new tribunal, the Lotharingian tribunal, around 1270 A.D., with strong Hermetic government. Included in this are former Normandy covenants of Requies Aeterna, Eboris, Dragon's Rest, Cunfin, and the Guernicus covenant of Spider's Palace.
 * The ancient knowledge of Fertility Magic (Ancient Magic) was recreated Hermetically and published for general use in the Library of Durenmar. The current living experts are gifted Merceres.
 * Around the turn of the 14th century, longevity rituals started to become less effective.

Timeline
~4000 BC: Earth created

AD 767: First Tribunal of the Order of Hermes

1214: Founding of the covenant of Mont-Mercure in the Normandy Tribunal

1237: Mongols invade the territories of the Rus

1254: Pope Tiberius I recognizes the spirits of the seven planets as divinities next in rank to the Holy Trinity, an episode recalled only in scattered worship of Saint Luna and Saint Venus.

1270: The Tribunal of Normandy dissolves

1282: Sicilian Vespers; a member of the Augustan Brotherhood defects to the Order of Hermes

1294: The Lotharingian Tribunal, constituting Flanders/Holland, is recognized by the Grand Tribunal of the Order

1307: Pope Clement V orders the arrest of members of the Knights Templar and dissolution of their order

1309: Pope Clement V relocates the Papal court to Avignon

1314: A new batch of Magi arrive at the almost abandoned covenant of Vardian's Tomb in the catacombs of Rome. Pope Clement V dies and is succeeded by Pope John XXII.

1318 - 1320: The Great Famine in Europe

1334: Pope John XXII dies and is succeeded by Pope Benedict XII

1342: Pope Benedict XII dies and is succeeded by Pope Clement VI. Severin is elected Primus of Roman Tribunal.

1345: The Great Herbam Blight

1347: Rienzi's first rebellion of Rome, Rienzi escapes

1350: The Great Corpus Blight aka The Black Death

1355 - 1358: Rienzi's second rebellion