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Sep 28, 1066
William the Conqueror invades England
The Norman Invasion started when William, Duke of Normandy's 7,000 soldiers landed at Pevensey on the morning of the 28th September 1066. -
Jan 1, 1150
Paper is Mass-produced in Spain
Muslim conquest of Spain brought paper making to Europe. Both Spain and Italy claim to be the first to manufacture paper in Europe. One of the first paper mills in Europe was in Xativa, Spain. The first wire mold for making paper is identified in Spain dating to 1150. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is a document that King John of England (1166 - 1216) was forced into signing. King John was forced into signing the charter because it greatly reduced the power he held as the King of England and allowed for the formation of a powerful parliament. The Magna Carta became the basis for English citizen's rights. -
Jan 1, 1270
End of the Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious expeditionary wars blessed by Pope Urban II and the Catholic Church, with the stated goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem. -
Jan 1, 1348
The Plague
The Middle Ages encompass one of the most exciting periods in English History. One of the most important historical events of the Medieval era is the Black Death. -
Jan 1, 1378
First appearance of Robin Hood in literature
Robin Hood originated in the form of folk tales, but was later recorded onto paper. -
Jan 1, 1387
Chaucer writes The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th Century. -
Jan 1, 1455
War of the Roses
WARS OF THE ROSES, a name given to a series of civil wars in England during the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III. They were marked by a ferocity and brutality which are practically unknown in the history of English wars before and since. -
Jan 1, 1485
First printing of Le Morte d'Arthur
First published in 1485 by William Caxton, Le Morte d'Arthur is perhaps the best-known work of English-language Arthurian literature today. -
Oct 30, 1485
First Tudor King, Henry VII, is crowned
1485 - Henry gained the throne when he defeated and killed Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. The battle ended the War of the Roses, a dispute between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.