757 - Offa seizes the Kingdom Mercia after the murder of his cousin Aethelbald.
776 - Defeats the men of Kent at Otford
779 - Offa defeats Cynewulf of Wessex at Bensington in Oxfordshire.
784 - Offa defeats the Welsh. Around this time work on Offa's Dyke is started
marking the border with Wales.
785 - Egbert son of Eahmund of Kent flees to Wessex and then to exile in the Frankish
court of Charlemagne
787 - 1st recorded Viking raids on England
789 - Beorhtric of Wessex marries Offa's daughter Eadburgh
792 - Aethelred king of Northumbria marries Offa's daughter Aelfflaed
793 - St Albans Abbey founded. Offa annexes East Anglia and joins it to the
kingdom of Mercia
793 - Vikings raid the Christian monastery on Lindisfarne
795 - Vikings raid the monastery on Iona in Scotland
796 - Offa's dyke is completed. The death of Offa marks the end of Mercian
supremacy in England. His son Ecgfrith reigns for less than 6 months.
800 - Around this time the Book of Kells is written in Ireland
802 - Death of King Beorthric of Wessex
802 - Egbert returns from exile in Charlemagne and becomes King of Wessex
825 - King Egbert of Wessex wins a decisive victory over King Beornwulf of
Mercia at Ellendun. Wessex becomes the dominant kingdom.
827 - Following his conquest of Mercia, Egbert controls all of England south of
the Humber
829 - Egbert defeats the Northumbrian king at Dore near Sheffield
830 - Wiglif of Mercia revolts against Wessex rule
830 - Egbert subdues North Wales. He is recognized as overlord of other English
kings
836 - Egbert is defeated by the Danes at Carhampton in Somerset
838 - Defeats Vikings and Cornish at Hingston Down in Cornwall
839 - Death of Egbert. He is succeeded by his son Aethelwulf.
839 - Aethelwulf succeeds his father Egbert as King of Wessex
841 - Vikings raid Kent and East Anglia, and establish a settlement at Dublin
842 - Many die in London and Rochester during Viking raids
844 - Kenneth MacAlpine, King of the Scots, conquers the Picts; founds a
unified Scotland
845 - Vikings are defeated by a Saxon force at the River Parrett
851 - Vikings forces enter Thames estuary and march on Canterbury
855 - Aethelwulf goes on a pilgrimage to Rome accompanied by his son Alfred
858 - Aethelwulf returns but finds his son Aethelbald has taken control of
Wessex
858 - Aethelwulf dies at Steyning in Sussex. His son Aelthelbald becomes king.
858 - Aethelbald marries his father's widow Judith
860 - Vikings land on Iceland
860 - Aehelbald dies and his brother Aethelbert become king.
865 - The Viking 'Great Heathen Army' commanded by Halfdan and Ivar the
Boneless lands in East Anglia and sweeps across England
866 - Vikings take York (Jorvik) and establish a North British Kingdom.
870 - Aethelred defeated by the Danes (Vikings) at Reading
871 - Aethelred and his brother Alfred defeat the Danes at Ashdown
871 - Battle of Meretun, Hampshire. Aethelred is mortally wounded and dies.
875 - After persistent attacks by Vikings the monks of Lindesfarne travel
through Northumbria and Galloway with the Lindesfarne Gospels.
878 - Guthrum's Danish army invades Wessex, and Alfred takes refuge on the isle
of Athelney. Alfred defeats Guthrum at the battle of Ethandune (Edington) in
Wiltshire.
878 - Treaty of Wedmore divides England into two. Guthrum accepts baptism as a
Christian and agrees to leave Wessex and settle in East Anglia.
884 - Alfred defeats the Danes at Rochester
885 - Alfred imposes rules on South Wales
886 - Alfred takes London from the Danes. Danelaw - the territory occupied by
the Danes in East Anglia is recognised by Alfred
890 - Guthrum dies. Alfred establishes a permanent army and navy
891 - Anglo Saxon Chronicle, source of much early British History, begun
893 - Asser, Bishop of Sherborne, completes his book The Life of Alfred the Great
894 - Northumbrian and East Angles swear allegiance to Alfred, but promptly
break the truce attacking South West England.
896 - Naval victory over the Danes in the Solent
899 - Alfred dies and is buried at Winchester. His son Edward becomes king.
902 - Eric, ruler of the Danes in East Anglia, dies in the Battle of Holme
910 - Reconquest of Danelaw lands begins. The last great Viking army sent to
ravage England is defeated by an army of Wessex and Mercia.
913 - Edward the Elder recaptures Essex from the Danes
915 - Edward is accepted as overlord by Ragnald ruler of the Viking Kingdom of
York
916 - Edward's sister Aethlfleda of Mercia attacks and conquers most of Wales
916 - Vikings establish settlements at Dublin and Waterford in Ireland
918 - Edward becomes ruler of Mercia following the death of his sister
Aethlfleda
920 - Edward takes East Anglia from the Danes
923 - The Scottish King Constantine II submits to Edward
924 - Edward dies at Farndon-on-Dee near Chester leading an army against the
Welsh. He is buried in Winchester.
926 - Athelstan marries his sister to Sihtric the Viking King of York to cement
his ties with the North
934 - Athelstan invades Scotland
937 - Battle of Brunanburh: Athelstan defeats alliance of Scots, Celts, Danes,
and Vikings, and takes the title of King of all Britain
940 - Athelstan dies at Gloucester and is buried at Malmesbury.
942 - Edmund re-establishes control over Northumbria and rules a united
England.
943 - Edmund extends his rule into southern Scotland,
945 - Dunstan becomes abbot of Glastonbury Abbey
945 - Edmund conquers Strathclyde, but Cumbria is annexed by the Scots.946 - Edmund murdered at a
party in Pucklechurch956 - Dunstan sent into exile by Edwy
957 - Mercians and Northumbrians rebel against Edwy
959 - Edwy dies in Gloucester
965 - Westminster Abbey is founded
973 - Northern Kings submit to Edgar at Chester
975 - Edgar dies at Winchester
980 - Danes renew their raids on England attacking Chester and Southampton
985 - Sweyn I, Forkbeard, rebels against his father Harold Blue-tooth and deposes him
991 - Battle of Maldon: Byrhtnoth of Essex is defeated by Danish invaders; Aethelred buys off the Danes with 10,000 pounds of silver (Danegeld)
992 - Aethelred makes a truce with Duke Richard I of Normandy
994 - Danes under Sweyn and Norwegians under Olaf Trygvesson sail up river Thames and besiege London; bought off by Aethelred
1002 - Aethelred orders a massacre of Danish settlers. After the death of his first wife Elfleda he marries Emma of Normandy
1012 - The Danes raid Kent, burning Canterbury Cathedral and murdering Archbishop Alphege
1013 - King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark lands in England and is proclaimed king; Aethelred II the Unready flees to Normandy
1014 - The English recall Aethelred II the Unready as King on the death of Sweyn at Gainsborough
1015 - King Canute II of Denmark & Norway again invades England
1016 - Edmund is assassinated a few months later and Canute takes the throne as King Canute of England. 1027 - Canute makes a pilgrimage to Rome to demonstrate his alliance with the Church, and attends the coronation of the Pope
1028 - In addition to his existing kingdoms Canute becomes King of Norway
1035 - Canute dies at the age of 40, and his huge Northern European empire disintegrates. 1043 - Earl Leofric founds Coventry Abbey. His wife Lady Godiva according to legend rides naked through the streets of Coventry
1045 - Edward marries Edith daughter of Earl Godwin of Wessex
1051 - Edward quarrels with Godwin and banishes the rebellious Godwin family from England. Edward promises the throne to William, Duke of Normandy.
1052 - Godwin, Earl of Wessex, returns to England.
1053 - Godwin’s son, Harold, becomes principal adviser to the King.
1056 - Welsh led by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn attack England and burn Hereford Cathedral
1057 - Edward, son of Edmund Ironside and potential heir to the throne, returns to England but dies mysteriously
1063 - Harold Godwinson (later Harold II) and his brother Tostig of Northumberland attack Wales. Gruffydd ap Llywelyn is killed by his own troops. 1064 - Harold visits William of Normandy and swears on oath to support his claim to the throne
1065 - Northumbria rebels against Tostig who is exiled. Harold fails to support his brother and they become bitter enemies. 1066 - Edward dies and Harold Godwinson is chosen as successor, but William of Normandy declares the throne was promised to him.
1066 - Harold II fights his brother Tostig and a Viking force under Harold Hadrada and defeats them at Stamford Bridge. He hastily marches South at the news that William Duke of Normandy with 100 ships has landed at Pevensey Bay and marched into Sussex.
1066 - Harold II is killed at the Battle of Hastings according to legend with an arrow through his eye.
1066 - Edgar the Aethling, grandson of Edmund II is elected King, but rules for only a few weeks before submitting to William of Normandy.
1067 - William suppresses a Saxon revolt in the southwest of England. William's Earls are given lands driving out the Anglo Saxon lords. Norman French becomes the language of government.
1068 - William puts down a revolt in the northern counties led by Edwin and Morcar and establishes fortifications. The region is laid waste in an action known as 'Harrying the North'.
1069 - Swen Estrithson of Denmark lands in the Humber and is welcomed by northern English earls who join him in expelling the Norman garrison at York. William marches north and reoccupies York
1070 - Hereward the Wake leads a revolt against the Normans.
1071 - William defeats the revolt led by Hereward the Wake in East Anglia, thus putting an end to Saxon resistance to his rule.
1072 - William invades Scotland and compels Malcolm III to pay homage to him.
1073 - Suppresses rebellion in Maine in France
1078 - Work begins on the Tower of London
1079 - William begins the construction of a Norman Cathedral at Winchester.
1079 - Robert, William’s eldest son, leads a rebellion in Normandy, but is defeated by his father at the Battle of Gerberoi and his life is spared.
1085 - William orders a survey of the shires of England; the information is recorded in the Domesday Book, which is completed the following year.
1086 - William writes to the Pope that England owes no allegiance to the Church of Rome
1086 - Domesday survey of England completed
1087 - William dies of his injuries after falling from his horse while besieging the French city of Nantes.
1088 - William crushes a baronial rebellion in Normandy led by his uncle, Odo of Bayeux. William’s brother, Robert, supports the claims of Normandy to the English throne.
1089 - Ranulf Flambard, leading adviser to William, is appointed Justiciar (the King’s judicial officer). He begins to levy heavy taxes on the church.
1090 - William leads an invasion of Normandy in an attempt to subdue his brother, Robert.
1091 - William defeats an invasion of England led by Malcolm III of Scotland.
1092 - Carlisle is captured from Scotland and Cumberland is annexed.
1093 - Malcolm III and the Scots invade England again, but they are defeated and Malcolm is killed at the Battle of Alnwick.
1095 - William suppresses revolt in Northumbria.
1095 - First Crusade begins following a call by Pope Urban II to help free the Holy Land which has been captured by Muslims. 1098 - William suppresses a Welsh rebellion against the Norman border lords.
1099 - The Crusaders take Jerusalem. The first Crusade ends.
1100 - William is killed by an arrow while out hunting in the New Forest. Supposedly an accident, it has been suggested that he was shot deliberately on the instructions of his brother Henry 1100 - Henry issues a Charter of Liberties, pledging good governance.
1100 - Henry marries Edith known as Matilda, daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland. 1101 - Robert of Normandy invades England in an attempt to wrest the English throne from his brother, Henry. After failing, he signs the Treaty of Alton, which confirms Henry as King of England and Robert as Duke of Normandy.
1106 - War breaks out between Henry and Robert. Henry defeats Robert at the Battle of Tinchebrai, imprisons him in Cardiff Castle, and takes control of Normandy.
1118 - Death of Henry's wife Matilda.
1121 - Henry marries Adelicia of Louvain
1126 - Henry persuades the barons to accept Matilda as his lawful successor to the throne.
1128 - Matilda, Henry's only surviving legitimate child, marries Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou.
1135 - Henry I dies in Rouen, France, as a result of food poisoning
1121 - Henry marries Adelicia of Louvain
1126 - Henry persuades the barons to accept Matilda as his lawful successor to the throne.
1128 - Matilda, Henry's only surviving legitimate child, marries Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou.
1135 - Henry I dies in Rouen, France, as a result of food poisoning
1121 - Henry marries Adelicia of Louvain
1126 - Henry persuades the barons to accept Matilda as his lawful successor to the throne.
1128 - Matilda, Henry's only surviving legitimate child, marries Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou.
1135 - Henry I dies in Rouen, France, as a result of food poisoning
1121 - Henry marries Adelicia of Louvain
1126 - Henry persuades the barons to accept Matilda as his lawful successor to the throne.
1128 - Matilda, Henry's only surviving legitimate child, marries Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou.
1135 - Henry I dies in Rouen, France, as a result of food poisoning
860 - Aethelbert becomes King of Wessex following the death of his
brother Aethelbald
860 - Winchester sacked by the Danes
866 - Aethelred becomes king on the death of his brother Aethelbert
869 - Edmund King of East Anglia resists the Vikings and is killed
871 - Alfred becomes King of Wessex following the death of his brother
Aethelred
872 - London falls to Viking raiders
900 - Edward the Elder, son of Alfred, crowned at Kingston-upon-Thames
901 - Edward the Elder takes the title "King of the Angles and
Saxons"
924 - Athelstan becomes King of Wessex and Mercia on the death of his
father Edward the Elder.
926 - Athelstan annexes Northumbria, and forces the kings of Wales,
Strathclyde, the Picts, and the Scots to submit to him
940 - Edmund becomes King. Scandinavian forces from Northumbria overrun
the East Midlands.
946 - Edred succeeds his brother Edmund
954 - Expulsion of Eric Bloodaxe, last Danish king of York955 - Edred dies and is buried at Winchester.
1120 - Henry's son and heir, William, is drowned at sea when returning from
Normandy in The White Shipwhich strikes a rock and
sinks. Henry’s daughter, Matilda, becomes heir.
955 - Edwy crowned at Kingston-upon-Thames
959 - Edgar King of Mercia and Northumbria becomes King of all England.
978 - Aethelred, son of Edgar, becomes King of England following the murder
of his half brother Edward
1016 - Edmund Ironside, son of Aethelred II the Unready of England,
becomes King. At the battle of Abingdon, in Essex, King Canute II of Denmark
defeats Edmund. They meet on the Isle of Alney in the Severn and agree to
divide the kingdom into two. Canute takes the land North of the Thames and
Edmund the South.
1017 - Canute marries Emma of Normandy, the widow of Aethelred II.
Canute divides England into four earldoms - Northumbria Wessex, Mercia and East
Anglia.
1035 - Canute's illegitimate son Harold Harefoot usurps the throne from
his half-brother, Harthacanute, the rightful heir who is away fighting in
Denmark.
1040 - Harold Harefoot dies and Harthacanute accedes to the throne.
1042 - Harthacanute dies and is succeeded by Edward the Confessor, son
of Aethelred II.
1066 - Harold Godwinson becomes King Harold II
1066 - William and his Norman army defeat Harold II and the Anglo Saxons
at the Battle of Hastings. Harold is killed and, after subduing the south of
the country William is crowned King of England.
1087 - William Il accedes to the throne on the death of his father,
William I.
1100 - Henry I succeeds his brother, William II.
1155 - Henry appoints Thomas a Becket as Chancellor of England, a post that he holds for seven years.
1155 - Pope Adrian IV issues the papal bull Laudabiliter, which gives Henry dispensation to invade Ireland and bring the Irish Church under the control of the Church of Rome.
1162 - On the death of Archbishop Theobald, Henry appoints Thomas a Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury in the hope that he will help introduce Church reforms.
1164 - Henry introduces the Constitutions of Clarendon, which place limitations on the Church’s jurisdiction over crimes committed by the clergy. The Pope refuses to approve the Constitutions, so Thomas a Becket refuses to sign them.
1166 - The Assize of Clarendon establishes trial by jury for the first time.
1166 - Dermot McMurrough, King of Leinster in Ireland, appeals to Henry to help him oppose a confederation of other Irish kings. In response to the appeal, Henry sends a force led by Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke, thereby beginning the English settlement of Ireland.
1168 - English scholars expelled from Paris settle in Oxford, where they found a university.
1170 - Pope Alexander III threatens England with an interdict and forces Henry to a formal reconciliation with Becket. However, the two of them quarrel again when Becket publishes papal letters voiding Henry’s Constitutions of Clarendon.
1170 - Becket is killed in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December by four of Henry’s knights.
1171 - Henry invades Ireland and receives homage from the King of Leinster and the other kings. Henry is accepted as Lord of Ireland.
1171 - At Cashel Henry makes Irish clergy submit to the authority of Rome
1173 - Eleanor of Aquitaine and her sons revolt unsuccessfully against her husband Henry II.
1174 - Henry’s sons Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey lead an unsuccessful rebellion against their father
1176 - Henry creates a framework of justice creating judges and dividing England into six counties
1185 - Lincoln cathedral is destroyed by an earthquake.
1189 - Henry dies at Chinon castle, Anjou, France.
1189 - William Longchamp is appointed Chancellor of England and governs the country during Richard’s absence abroad
1189 - Richard sets out with Philip of France on the Third Crusade to the Holy Land
1191 - William Longchamp falls from power and Richard’s brother, John, takes over the government
1191 - Richard captures the city of Acre, Palestine, and defeats Saladin at Arsuuf, near Jaffa
1192 - Richard reaches an agreement with Saladin to guarantee Christians safe pilgrimage to Jerusalem
1192 - On his way back to England from Palestine, Richard is captured and handed over to Henry VI, Emperor of Germany. Henry demands a ransom of 100,000 marks from England for Richard’s release from prison
1194 - The ransom is raised in England. Richard is released from captivity.
1195 - Richard returns to England for a brief period, before leaving to fight in France, never to return to his homeland.
1196 - The Assize of Measures standardizes weights including the lb (pound) and distance including the yard.
1199 - Richard is mortally wounded by an arrow from a crossbow in battle at Chalus, in France.
1204 - England loses most of its possessions in France.
1205 - John refuses to accept Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury
1208 - Pope Innocent III issues an Interdict against England, banning all church services except baptisms and funerals
1209 - Pope Innocent III excommunicates John for his confiscation of ecclesiastical property
1209 - Cambridge University founded
1212 - Innocent III declares that John is no longer the rightful King
1213 - John submits to the Pope’s demands and accepts the authority of the Pope
1214 - Philip Augustus of France defeats the English at the Battle of Bouvines
1215 - Beginning of the Barons' war. The English Barons march to London to demand rights which they lay down in the Magna Carta.
1215 - John meets the English barons at Runnymede, agrees to their demands, and seals the Magna Carta which set limits on the powers of the monarch, lays out the feudal obligations of the barons, confirms the liberties of the Church, and grants rights to all freemen of the realm and their heirs for ever. It is the first written constitution.
1215 - The Pope decrees that John need not adhere to the Magna Carta, and civil war breaks out
1216 - The barons seek French aid in their fight against John. Prince Louis of France lands in England and captures the Tower of London
1216 - John flees North and loses his war chest of cash and jewels in the Wash estuary
1216 - John dies of a fever at Newark and is buried Worcester Cathedral
1135 - Stephen usurps the throne from Matilda, Henry’s daughter.
1136 - The Earl of Norfolk leads the first rebellion against Stephen starting
civil war known as 'The Anarchy'.
1136 - Owain Gwynedd of Wales defeats the English at Crug Mawr
1138 - Robert, Earl of Gloucester, an illegitimate son of Henry I, deserts
Stephen and pledges allegiance to Matilda.
1138 - David I of Scotland invades England in support of his niece, Matilda,
but is defeated at Northallerton.
1139 - Matilda leaves France and lands in England.
1141 - Matilda’s forces take Stephen prisoner at the Battle of Lincoln, and
Matilda is proclaimed queen.
1141 - Earl Robert is captured and exchanged for Stephen’s freedom.
1145 - Stephen defeats Matilda’s forces at the Battle of Faringdon.
1148 - Matilda abandons her cause and leaves England.
1147 - Matilda's son Henry Plantagenet (later Henry II) invades England but
runs out of money. Stephen pays for Henry's return to Normandy
1151 - Matilda dies and her son, Henry Plantagenet, succeeds his father as
Count of Anjou.
1153 - Henry lands in England again, and gathers support for further war
against Stephen.
1153 - Henry and Stephen agree terms for ending the civil war. Under the terms
of the Treaty of Westminster, Stephen is to remain King for life, but
thereafter the throne passes to Henry.1154 - Stephen dies.1155 - Henry appoints Thomas a Becket as Chancellor of England, a post that he holds for seven years.
1155 - Pope Adrian IV issues the papal bull Laudabiliter, which gives Henry dispensation to invade Ireland and bring the Irish Church under the control of the Church of Rome.
1162 - On the death of Archbishop Theobald, Henry appoints Thomas a Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury in the hope that he will help introduce Church reforms.
1164 - Henry introduces the Constitutions of Clarendon, which place limitations on the Church’s jurisdiction over crimes committed by the clergy. The Pope refuses to approve the Constitutions, so Thomas a Becket refuses to sign them.
1166 - The Assize of Clarendon establishes trial by jury for the first time.
1166 - Dermot McMurrough, King of Leinster in Ireland, appeals to Henry to help him oppose a confederation of other Irish kings. In response to the appeal, Henry sends a force led by Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke, thereby beginning the English settlement of Ireland.
1168 - English scholars expelled from Paris settle in Oxford, where they found a university.
1170 - Pope Alexander III threatens England with an interdict and forces Henry to a formal reconciliation with Becket. However, the two of them quarrel again when Becket publishes papal letters voiding Henry’s Constitutions of Clarendon.
1170 - Becket is killed in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December by four of Henry’s knights.
1171 - Henry invades Ireland and receives homage from the King of Leinster and the other kings. Henry is accepted as Lord of Ireland.
1171 - At Cashel Henry makes Irish clergy submit to the authority of Rome
1173 - Eleanor of Aquitaine and her sons revolt unsuccessfully against her husband Henry II.
1174 - Henry’s sons Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey lead an unsuccessful rebellion against their father
1176 - Henry creates a framework of justice creating judges and dividing England into six counties
1185 - Lincoln cathedral is destroyed by an earthquake.
1189 - Henry dies at Chinon castle, Anjou, France.
1189 - William Longchamp is appointed Chancellor of England and governs the country during Richard’s absence abroad
1189 - Richard sets out with Philip of France on the Third Crusade to the Holy Land
1191 - William Longchamp falls from power and Richard’s brother, John, takes over the government
1191 - Richard captures the city of Acre, Palestine, and defeats Saladin at Arsuuf, near Jaffa
1192 - Richard reaches an agreement with Saladin to guarantee Christians safe pilgrimage to Jerusalem
1192 - On his way back to England from Palestine, Richard is captured and handed over to Henry VI, Emperor of Germany. Henry demands a ransom of 100,000 marks from England for Richard’s release from prison
1194 - The ransom is raised in England. Richard is released from captivity.
1195 - Richard returns to England for a brief period, before leaving to fight in France, never to return to his homeland.
1196 - The Assize of Measures standardizes weights including the lb (pound) and distance including the yard.
1199 - Richard is mortally wounded by an arrow from a crossbow in battle at Chalus, in France.
1204 - England loses most of its possessions in France.
1205 - John refuses to accept Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury
1208 - Pope Innocent III issues an Interdict against England, banning all church services except baptisms and funerals
1209 - Pope Innocent III excommunicates John for his confiscation of ecclesiastical property
1209 - Cambridge University founded
1212 - Innocent III declares that John is no longer the rightful King
1213 - John submits to the Pope’s demands and accepts the authority of the Pope
1214 - Philip Augustus of France defeats the English at the Battle of Bouvines
1215 - Beginning of the Barons' war. The English Barons march to London to demand rights which they lay down in the Magna Carta.
1215 - John meets the English barons at Runnymede, agrees to their demands, and seals the Magna Carta which set limits on the powers of the monarch, lays out the feudal obligations of the barons, confirms the liberties of the Church, and grants rights to all freemen of the realm and their heirs for ever. It is the first written constitution.
1215 - The Pope decrees that John need not adhere to the Magna Carta, and civil war breaks out
1216 - The barons seek French aid in their fight against John. Prince Louis of France lands in England and captures the Tower of London
1216 - John flees North and loses his war chest of cash and jewels in the Wash estuary
1216 - John dies of a fever at Newark and is buried Worcester Cathedral
1154 - Henry II accedes to the throne at the age of 21 upon the death of
his second cousin, Stephen.
1173 - Canonization of Thomas a Becket.
1189 - Richard I becomes King of England upon the death of Henry II
1199 - John accedes to the throne on the death of his brother, Richard
I.
1216 - Henry III is crowned King at the age of nine. England is ruled
temporarily by two regents, Hubert de Burgh and William the Marshal
1217 - The French lose the battles of Lincoln and Dover and are driven back to
France
1220 - Building of Salisbury cathedral begun
1222 - De Burgh successfully puts down an insurrection supporting the French
king Louis Vlll’s claim to the throne
1227 - Henry takes full control of the government of England, but retains de
Burgh as his main adviser
1232 - Hubert de Burgh is dismissed as adviser
1236 - Henry marries Eleanor of Provence
1237 - The Treaty of York with Alexander II of Scotland agrees the border
between England and Scotland
1238 - Simon de Montfort marries Henry’s sister, Eleanor
1240 - Henry's Great Council is called 'Parliament' for the first time
1245 - Henry lays the foundation stone for the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey
1258 - The English barons, led by de Montfort, rebel against Henry’s
misgovernment. They present a list of grievances to Henry, who signs the
Provisions of Oxford, which limit royal power
1261 - Henry repudiates the Provisions of Oxford
1264 - The Baron’s War breaks out. De Montfort defeats Henry at Lewes. Henry is
captured.
1265 - Simon de Montfort summons the first directly elected English Parliament
1265 - Some of the barons break their alliance with de Montfort and, led by
Prince Edward, kill him at the Battle of Evesham
1266 - The Dictum of Kenilworth restores Henry's authority and annuls the
Provisions of Oxford
1267 - In the Treaty of Montgomery, Henry recognizes Llywelyn ap Gruffydd as
ruler of Wales