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Feb 18, 1066
The reign of King William
1066-1087 The reign of King William the Conqueror
The Battle of Hastings and the defeat of Harold Godwinson
The Building of Norman castles in England including the Tower of London in 1073
1086 - Compilation of the Doomsday book -
Feb 19, 1087
The reign of King Rufus
1087-1100 The reign of King William Rufus (son of William)
William invades Wales and builds castles on the borders. -
Feb 19, 1100
The reign of King Henry 1
The reign of King Henry I (William Rufus brother -
Feb 19, 1135
The reign of King Stephan
The reign of King Stephen (nephew of Henry I)
1099: First Crusade. Jerusalem is re-taken from the Muslims on the urging of Pope Urban II
1118: The Knights Templar founded to protect Jerusalem and European pilgrims on their journey to the city
1147: Second Crusade -
Feb 19, 1147
The second crusade
1147 Second Crusade was launched. This Crusade is generally considered to have been a failure. -
Feb 19, 1189
The third crusade
1189 Third Crusade was one of the more successful. In it King Richard the Lion-Hearted obtained certain privileges for Christians from the Turkish ruler, Saladin. -
Feb 19, 1202
Forth Crusade
1202 Forth Crusade launched. In this Crusade the original purpose of the Crusades was abandoned, and the Crusaders burned and sacked many cities and villages on their route. They never reached the Holy Land. -
Feb 19, 1215
King John signed the Magna Carta
1215 King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta gave some basic rights to the people and also said that the king was not above the law. -
Feb 19, 1291
end of crusades
1291 Fall of Acre marked the end of the Crusades. Acre, the last Christian city in the Near East, was lost to the Turks. -
Feb 19, 1348
The Black Plague
1348 The black plague swept England and Europe. It was estimated that one out of every five people in England died. Spread by fleas which infested a huge rat population, the disease is characterized by the victim turning dark purple in the last hours of life due to respiratory failure, hence the name, black plague.