Europe

From the Romans to the Tudors

  • 450

    Saxons come to Britain from Germany.

    Saxons come to Britain from Germany.
    Saxons Hengist and Horsa settle in Kent. [All clipart courtesy of Phillip Martin Clip Art.)
  • 460

    St Patrick returns to convert Ireland.

    St Patrick returns to convert Ireland.
  • 510

    The Battle of Mount Badon: British victory over the Saxons

  • Jan 1, 617

    Northumbria becomes the Supreme Kingdom

  • Jan 1, 1016

    King Canute of Denmark captures the English Crown.

  • Jan 1, 1042

    Edward the Confessor becomes King

  • Jan 1, 1055

    Westminster Abbey is completed

    Westminster Abbey is completed
  • Jan 1, 1066

    The Battle of Hastings : William of Normandy defeats the Saxons' leader, Harold, with a lucky shot and becomes King of England.

    The Battle of Hastings : William of Normandy defeats the Saxons' leader, Harold, with a lucky shot and becomes King of England.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1066 to Jan 1, 1485

    Norman Conquest - Medieval Britain

  • Jan 1, 1070

    Work starts on Canterbury Cathedral

  • Jan 1, 1078

    Work starts on The Tower of London

  • Jan 1, 1170

    Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas a Becket is murdered by the knights of Henry II

    Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas a Becket is murdered by the knights of Henry II
  • Jan 1, 1215

    Civil War : the conclusion being the Magna Carta signed by King John.

    Civil War : the conclusion being the Magna Carta signed by King John.
  • Jan 1, 1283

    King Edward conquers Wales, 1282-1283

  • Jan 1, 1296

    King Edward invades Scotland

  • Jan 1, 1297

    The Battle of Stirling Bridge : The Scots under William Wallace defeat the English.

    The Battle of Stirling Bridge : The Scots under William Wallace defeat the English.
  • Jan 1, 1306

    Robert Bruce crowned King of the Scots.

  • Jan 1, 1314

    Robert the Bruce leads the Scots to victory over the English at the battle of Bannockburn.

  • Jan 1, 1337

    King Edward claims the Throne of France which starts the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)

  • Jan 1, 1348

    The Black Death (bubonic plague) struck England killing nearly half of the population (1348-1349).

  • Jan 1, 1415

    English defeat the French at the battle of Agincourt.

  • Jan 1, 1455

    The War of the Roses (Civil War) begins

    The War of the Roses was between the feuding Houses of Lancaster (red rose) and York (white rose).
  • Jan 1, 1485

    The War of the Roses ends at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry Vll crowned king.

    The War of the Roses ends at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry Vll crowned king.
    Henry Tudor, of the Lancaster branch, defeated Richard III (York), then married Elizabeth, the daughter of Edward IV, to unite the houses of Lancaster and York. This formed the House of Tudor.
  • St Augustine brings Christianity to Britain from Rome and becomes Archbishop of Canterbury

    Missionaries from Roman spread Christianity across southern Britain.
  • Wessex becomes the Supreme Kingdom

  • Mercia becomes the Supreme Kingdom and King Offa builds a Dyke along the Welsh Border

  • First Viking Invasion

    First Viking Invasion
  • King Alfred defeats the Vikings but allows them to settle in Eastern England.

  • The Anglo Saxon Chronicle starts

  • Eastern England (Danelaw) is conquered by the Saxons

  • Period: to Jan 1, 1066

    Viking Britain

  • Period: to

    Anglo-Saxon Britain

    Anglo-Saxon Britain [Historical dates and descriptions courtesy of Mandy Barrow, Project Britain, projectbritain.com]