The Old English Period

Angles, Saxons

449

Jutes, and Frisians began to occupy Great Britain. This is a traditional date the actual migrations doubtless began earlier.

Saint Augustine

597

Canterbury arrived in England to begin the conversion of the English by baptizing King Ethelbert of Kent

664

664

The Synod of Whitby aligned the English with Roman rather than Celtic Christianity.

730 The Venerable

730

Bede produced his Ecclesiastical History of the English
People, recording the early history of the English people.

787 The Scandinavian invasion

787

The Scandinavian invasion began with raids along the northeast seacoast.

871 King of Wessex

871

Alfred became king of Wessex and reigned until his death in 899, rallying the English against the Scandinavians,

987 Ælfric, the homilist and grammarian,

987

Ælfric, the homilist and grammarian, went to the abbey of Cerne, where he became the major prose writer of the Old English period

991 Olaf Tryggvason

991

Olaf Tryggvason invaded England, and the English were defeated at the
Battle of Maldon.

1000

1000

1000 The muscript of the Old English epic Beowulf was written about this
time.

1016 Canute

1016

1016 Canute became king of England, establishing a Danish dynasty in Britain

1066

1066

Edward the Confessor became king of England.
1066 Edward the Confessor died and was succeeded by Harold, last of the Anglo-Saxon kings, who died at the Battle of Hastings while fighting against the invading army of William, duke of Normandy, who was crowned king of England on December 25.