England Timeline

England Timeline

Period: 500 to 1450

Edward the Confessor

1042

Brought up in Normandy, the reign of the Confessor saw the beginning of a close alliance with Normandy. Many Norman barons were brought into England to control the Welsh Marches and castles were first built in the kingdom. It would seem likely that Edward promised the Crown to Duke William of Normandy in 1051.

King Harold II

1066

Harold had been the power behind Edward's throne since 1055 and was elected King of the English by most of the English noble classes.

KIng William I, the conquer

1066

King William "inherited" the English throne as heir to Edward the Confessor, with, after the battle of Hastings, substantial support from the remaining English nobility. Until 1071 the reign was spent suppressing English rebellions.

King William II

1087

Second son of William the Conqueror, William had the sternness and military ability of his father, but not his sense of justice. His court was renowned for its brutality and licentiousness and the king was often at variance with the church. He faced major rebellions in 1088 and 1095 though he succeeded in crushing them, largely due to the loyal support of the English.

First Crusade-The People's Crusade

1096

Freeing the Holy Lands. 1st Crusaders led by Count Raymond IV of Toulouse and proclaimed by many wandering preachers, notably Peter the Hermit

King Henry I

1100

As able as his brother, Rufus, but with a keen sense of justice. The royal administrative corps really came into its own in his reign. The first seven years of Henry's rule was spent in protecting England and then conquering Normandy from his eldest brother, Duke Robert. He ruled with an iron fist like his father and looked secure both in England and on the Continent until 1120 when his only legitimate son and heir was killed in a naval tragedy.

King Stephen

1135

The favorite nephew of Henry I, broke his oath and assumed the kingship of England with the assent of the barons of England and Normandy. His character soon showed severe flaws for a king and as the English put it, he was found "to be soft". From 1136 onwards crisis followed crisis and England and Normandy slipped into Civil War.

Empress Matilda

1141

Only legitimate daughter of Henry I to whom the Crown was promised in her father's lifetime. On her father's death Stephen was elected. In 1139 her half brother, Earl Robert of Gloucester, and Miles

Second Crusade

1144

Crusaders prepared to attack Damascus. 2nd crusade led by Holy Roman Emperor Conrad III and by King Louis VII of France

King Henry II

1154

Henry succeeded King Stephen in October 1154, apparently after surviving a poisoning attempt by Stephen's supporters. He ruled his Empire of Britain, Normandy, Anjou, Maine, Poitou and Aquitaine with an iron rod and was the first king of England to add Ireland to his domains.

Third Crusade

1187

3rd Crusaders led by Richard the Lionheart of England, Philip II of France, and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I. Richard I made a truce with Saladin

King Richard I, Richard the Lionhearted

1189

Second and eldest surviving son of Henry II. Richard had little interest in Britain, except for using it as a bank to finance his Middle Eastern and Continental ambitions. As soon as he had succeeded his father, Richard began selling the offices of state to raise money for his cherished crusade.

King John,Lackland

1199

King John, also known as Lackland or Softsword, was the youngest son of Henry II. Between 1200 and 1204 he fought increasingly losing campaigns to hold onto his Continental possessions.

Fourth Crusade

1202

4th Crusaders led by Fulk of Neuil French/Flemish advanced on Constantinople

Declaration of Magna Carta

1215

King Henry III

1216

Henry III came to the throne aged only 7 years old and immediately was placed under the tutelage of what should be recognized as a regency led by the old warrior, William Marshall. The first years of his reign saw the country brought back to his fealty until by 1220 most of the land and even Wales was peaceful. The death of the old Earl Marshall did not materially change the set up of Henry's government, and always a weak man he tended to appoint 'strong men' to run the country.

Fifth Crusade

1217

The 5th Crusade led by King Andrew II of Hungary, Duke Leopold VI of Austria, John of Brienne

Sixth Crusade

1228

The 6th Crusaders led by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II

Seventh Crusade

1248

The 7th Crusade led by Louis IX of France

Eighth Crusade

1270

The 8th Crusade led by Louis IX

Ninth Crusade

1271

The 9th Crusade led by Prince Edward (later Edward I of England)

Edward I, The Hammer of Scots

1272

Edward was a far different character from his father and soon put the country on a footing he preferred. In 1276-77 he brought Llywelyn ap Gruffydd to heel as well as putting the finances of the country back in order after the disasters of the previous reign.

Edward II

1307

After such a forthright and powerful monarch it was not surprising that his successor should be so weak. Edward II had few of the redeeming features of his father and much more resembled his grandfather. His idea of a good time was living as a rustic on his own play farm while the government of the kingdom was left to less than honest favourites.

Edward III

1327

Initially under the tutelage of his mother and her lover, Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, Edward III bided his time. In 1330 he struck, seizing Mortimer and having him executed. With this Edward re-opened the war with Scotland and then against France having realised that the defeat of Scotland was not possible whilst they received French aid.

Black Death Plague

1349

Richard II

1377

The 10 year old Richard succeeded his grandfather in 1377 and immediately his regency council faced all sorts of problems, economic, social, political and constitutional which helped lead in 1381 to the Peasant's Revolt.

Henry IV

1399

Henry's reign was punctuated by repeated rebellions in the North and the Glyndwr rebellion in the West. Despite this he successfully held the Crown and passed it on to his son, Henry V, though their relationship was always uneasy.
Henry's reign is also a convenient point to stop our short review of the monarchs of England, for his reign effectively ended all military use of castles in Brecknock.