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Oct 14, 1066
The Battle of Hastings
The meeting of two armies at Hastings on 14th October in one of the most famous moments in British history. William used archers and mounted warriors, whereas Harold's men were mostly foot soldiers, who relied on their shield wall to protect them from enemy assaults. The battle raged for hours before the Normans eventually managed to make inroads against the English shield wall. The crucial moment come when Harold was killed. The English were overcome and they were forced to leave the country. -
Jan 1, 1085
The Domesday Book
The Domesday Book was a record of a survey of the lands of England made by order of William the Conqueror about 1086, giving ownership, extent, value of the properties and to know what people lived in it. -
Jan 1, 1154
A war of succession
On his deathbed, William the Conqueror accorded the Duchy of Normandy to his son Robert, the Kingdom of England to his son William II, and money for his youngest son Henry I for him to buy land. William II had no children. On his death, on 2 August 1100, his brother Robert was away and Henry I became king. -
Jan 1, 1154
A war of succession
The succession to Henry I was altered by the death of his son, William. Left without male heirs, his barons swear to accept his daughter Matilda as his heir. However, the throne was usurped by Stephen (the third son of Adela of Normandy). He became King.
The aristocracy were sick of the lack of an effective monarch. They obliged Stephan and Henry to come to an arrangement in 1153. The compromise was that Stephan would retain the crown but be succeeded by Henry on his death. -
Jun 15, 1215
The Magna Carta
John tried to usurp the throne of his brother. When Richard died, John became the king. John wasn't a good king infact the rebellion that started had John as its cause. His defence of the French territories was ineffective and the costant collection of taxes increased the discontent. The barons refused to pay scutage and conspired to resist the king. In 1215 king John was obliged to sealed the Magna Carta. This document limited the king's power and granted rights to people. -
Oct 25, 1343
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer was born in 1343 in London from a quite rich family; after the legal studies, He come in the court of Edward III and He did al lot of trips: in France, in Flanders and also in Italy. Geoffrey Chaucer was an English poet, singer, writer, bureaucrat and diplomatic. -
Jan 1, 1346
The Black Death
The Black Death was an incurable disease in Medieval times, largely contributed to the social changes in England. When it struck in 1348, it decimated the population and especially the peasants, who were essential for working the land, but were underpaid and exploited. Economic and socio-political chaos blew up in 1381. when villagers started the "Peasants revolt" to demand greater rights. -
Jan 1, 1387
The Canterbury Tales
The story is about thirty people, including Chaucer as narrator, who meet at the Tabard Inn in London. They are all there to join a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral and the shrine of Thomas Becket. The innkeeper decides to make things interesting by suggesting that every pilgrim should tell two stories on the way to Canterbury and two on the way back; the pilgrim who tells the best story will win a dinner. The various tales are both religious and humorous, moral and satirical. -
Jan 1, 1400
The three orders of medieval society
The society was divided into three divinely ordained orders: the nobles, those who fought, the clergy, those who prayed, the peasants, those who worked. None of them should attempt to fill the offices of the other. The nobles include the kings, the dukes, the earls and the knights who occupied to lowest rank of the nobility. The peasants are mostly servants, they worked in exchange for a place to live or to have protection in times of difficulty.
