The Middle Ages

Duke of Normandy Invades England

Jan 4, 1066

William I Duke of Normandy invaded England and defeated the English line. He was then crowned King of England.

King Edward the Confessor dies

Jan 5, 1066

King Edward the Confessor died and left no heirs to the throne. His death is often thought to be the date which marks the end of Saxon England.

Domesday Book

Dec 1, 1066

The first book to complie all the landownership in England. It was 413 pages originally written by one person and then reviewd by another. The book was written in short latin.

The First Crusade

Nov 27, 1095

The first crusade was the beginning of an on-going battle to free Jerusalem from Palestine. Various warriors of Europe were called upon to help free the "holy land" from Muslim control.

Song of Roland is written

Jan 15, 1100

It is a French epic poem about a hero Roland at the Battle of Roncesvaux Pass which was a fictional encounter between Christians and Arabs.

Mabinogion

Apr 29, 1100

Is a collection of Welsh stories;one of the earliest of Arthurian legends, This work voiced concerns of the time

Historia Regum Britanniae

May 31, 1136

Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae (History of Kings in Britain) was a fictional history about Britain and was one the most popular works at the time.

Léonin

Feb 1, 1163

Léonin is born. He is a famous composer at Notre Dame known for composing a type of music called Ars Antiqua or “old art”. Ars Antiqua was a type of chant melody composed for multiple voices.

Death of Thomas Becket

Dec 29, 1170

Thomas Becket was the Archbishop of Canterbury and a close friend of King Henry II. Thomas Becket was murdered by knights of the king on the altar of his church. It was caused by an outrage by the king due to Becket not being willing to absolve with other bishops. After his death the knights were disgraced and the Canterbury Cathedral was made into a shrine which attracted over 4,000 pilgrims mourning the archbishops death.

Henry II Invades Ireland

Aug 1, 1171

On a request of the pope, Henry II invaded Ireland to "clean up" the mess and lack of Christianity. Many think of it as being the fall of Ireland, when really the Irish built a shrine for Henry II and embraced the protection provided to them now by the English.

Magna Carta was signed

Jun 15, 1215

The Magna Carta was signed by King John and was the founding document of English liberties. It showed that the king's powers could be restricted by a written grant.

Cimabue

Period: Sep 19, 1240 to Feb 2, 1302

Accomplishments- He was the last great painter who worked in the Byzantine tradition but also a founder of the movement towards greater realism which culminated in the Renaissance

First Commoners were allowed into British Parliament

Jan 30, 1250

By allowing commoners into British Parliament, they were further limiting the control of the King and providing for a better representation of the people.

Giotto

Period: Feb 2, 1266 to Jan 8, 1337

• Accomplishments-Architect, sculptor, and painter

Summa Theologica

Mar 31, 1266

Thomas Aquinas writes Summa Theologica; based on Christian ideology which became the basis for the Roman Catholic church values.

The End of the Crusades

Jan 30, 1270

The end came after the death of Henry III and the warriors were foreced to return home to England.

Guillaume de Machaut

May 1, 1300

Guillaume de Machaut, a famous composer is born. He was known as a representative of the Ars Nova tradition. He wrote polyphonic music. He wrote a total of 42 ballads, 33 virelais, 21 rondeaux, 19 lais, 1 complainte, 1 chanson royale, 23 motets; most known of which is "Messe de Nostre Dame" and a hocket titled "David."

Church of San Francesco in Assisi by Cimabue

Jan 16, 1302

He did alot of frescos in the upper part of the church

The Divine Comedy

Jul 31, 1307

Dante begins writing The Divine Comedy; themes within the work addressed social and political problems of the time.

Noli me tangere "Touch me not” by Giotto

Nov 27, 1314

Noli me tangere is part of the story in the Bible of the Resurrection of Christ where Jesus appears before the weeping Mary Magdalene at his empty tomb. She reaches out to him but he does not allow her to touch him.

The last Supper by Giotto

Apr 4, 1320

In medieval examples the apostles are usually arranged around the table, even if this means having some of their backs to the viewer

Ars Compositionis de Motetis

Aug 1, 1320

Written by Philippe de Vitry, who died Bishop of Meaux. Ars Compositionis de Motetis was a very famous motet and is also one of the oldest.

Decameron

Jan 31, 1349

Giovanni Boccaccio writes the Decameron; told the story of the Black Plague but not in the traditional Christian interpretation.

Bible Translated to English

Apr 28, 1380

The entire Bible is translated to English for the first time, making it more accessible to people and this spread Christian ideals.

John Dunstaple

May 1, 1385

Dunstaple ComposerJohn Dunstaple is born. He is one of the leading English composers of his time. He wrote many famous motets and works such as Quam Pulchra Es.

Donatello

Period: Feb 2, 1386 to Dec 13, 1466

• Accomplishments- famous Italian sculptor

The Cantebury Tales

Jan 31, 1387

Chaucer begins The Canterbury Tales; it is a story of traveling pilgrims. This was one of the first major literary works to be written in English over French which was widely spoken at the time.

Leon Battista Alberti

Period: Feb 14, 1404 to Apr 25, 1472

Accomplishments- an early Renaissance architect and artist. The architect of the Malatesta temple.

Madonna by Donatello

Feb 2, 1409

Madonna- Was a raised type of art. It was a technique Donatello had invented and perfected.

David by Donatello

Feb 2, 1415

David- recorded as the centerpiece of the first courtyard in the Palazzo Medici during the wedding festivities of Lorenzo de' Medici and Clarice Orsini in 1469

Gothic church of S. Francesco by Leon Battista Alberti

Feb 2, 1450

He was commissioned to transform this church

Malatesta temple by Leon Battista Alberti

Aug 5, 1450

Was the first building that Leon Battista Alberti designed and attempted to construct based on his architectural principals.

First Book with Movable Type

Jun 27, 1455

Gutenberg prints first book with movable type. This made the production process easier and cheaper, became possible to distribute to more people which then increased the literacy rate; this then led to censorship by authority.

The Legend of King Arthur

Sep 28, 1469

Malory wrote The Legend of King Arthur, about King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table and how they searched for the Holy Grail. The story contained tales of chivalry and noble values, the War of the Roses was going on when he wrote this and these values were being disrupted from war.