Medieval Timeline

William the Conqueror invades england

Sep 27, 1066

William argued that Edward had previously promised the throne to him, and that Harold had sworn to support William's claim. William built a large fleet and invaded England in September 1066, decisively defeating and killing Harold at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066

Paper is mass produced in Spain

Sep 27, 1150

After keeping the art to themselves for 500 years, Chinese papermaking spread to Japan and Korea in the east, and to Persia and Arabia in the west. It reached Korea in 600 A.D. and Baghdad in 793 A.D. Four hundred years went by before Europeans picked up paper making from the Arabs. The first Western paper-mill was finally built in Spain in 1150 A.D. by the Moors

The Magna Carta

Sep 27, 1215

First drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury to make peace between the unpopular King and a group of rebel barons, it promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice, and limitations on feudal payments to the Crown, to be implemented through a council of 25 barons.

End of the Crusades

Sep 27, 1270

The last major crusade aimed at the Holy Land, and an failure that well symbolizes the end of the crusades.

The Plague

Sep 28, 1348

The disastrous mortal disease known as the Black Death spread across Europe in the years 1346-53.
The tragedy was extraordinary. In the course of just a few months, 60 per cent of Florence’s population died from the plague, and probably the same proportion in Sienna.

Robin Hood appears in Literature

Sep 27, 1378

Robin Hood is a heroic outlaw in English folklore who, according to legend, was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. Traditionally depicted as being dressed in Lincoln green, he is often portrayed as "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor" alongside his band of Merry Men. Robin Hood became a popular folk figure in the late-medieval period, and continues to be widely represented in literature, films and television

Geoffrey Chaucer writes "The Canterbury Tales"

Sep 27, 1387

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories in a frame story, between 1387 and 1400. It is the story of a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury (England). The pilgrims, who come from all layers of society, tell stories to each other to kill time while they travel to Canterbury.

War of the Roses

Sep 28, 1455

The Wars of the Roses were a series of wars for control of the throne of England. They were fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet, those of Lancaster and York. They were fought in several sporadic episodes between 1455 and 1487.

Le Mote d'Arthur's first publishing

Sep 27, 1485

Le Morte d'Arthur (originally spelled Le Morte Darthur, Middle French for “the death of Arthur”) is a reworking of traditional tales by Sir Thomas Malory about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table. Malory interprets existing French and English stories about these figures and adds original material. Le Morte d'Arthur was first published in 1485 by William Caxton, and is today perhaps the best-known work of Arthurian literature in English.

Henry VII, the first tutor king, is crowned

Sep 28, 1485

Henry VII, known before accession as Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond (Welsh: Harri Tudur; 28 January 1457 – 21 April 1509), was King of England after seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death, the first monarch of the House of Tudor. He ruled the Principality of Wales[1] until 29 November 1489 and was Lord of Ireland.