The Middle Ages

1066-William the Conqueror invades England

Sep 28, 1066

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

1150 paper is first mass-produced in Spain

Sep 27, 1150

The Muslim conquest of Spain brought papermaking into Europe.

1215-Magna Carta

Sep 28, 1215

Magna Carta originated as an unsuccessful attempt to achieve peace between royalist and rebel factions in 1215, as part of the events leading to the outbreak of the First Barons' War.

1270-end of the Crusades

Sep 28, 1270

It is said that King Louis always regretted the result of his fateful Seventh Crusade that led to his capture at the hands of the Mamluks. 20 years later, nearing the end of his reign at the age of 56, Louis concocted plans for a final attempt to restore Christian rule in the Holy Land

1348-The Plague

Sep 28, 1348

The Black Death or Black Plague was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and peaking in Europe in the years 1346–53.

1378 first appearance of Robin Hood 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.

1387 Chaucer writes The Canterbury Tales

Sep 27, 1387

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of 24 stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer.The tales (mostly written in verse, although some are in prose) are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from London to Canterbury in order to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The prize for this contest is a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark on their return.

1455-1485-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.

1485 first printing of Le Morte d’Arthur

Sep 27, 1485

Le Morte d'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

1485-First Tudor king, Henry VII, is crowned

Sep 28, 1485

Henry won the throne when his forces defeated King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the culmination of the Wars of the Roses. Henry was the last king of England to win his throne on the field of battle.