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Sep 28, 1066
William the Conqueror invades England
His subsequent defeat of King Harold II at the Battle of Hastings marked the beginning of a new era in British history -
Sep 25, 1150
Paper is First Mass Produced in Spain
The first wire mold for making paper is identified in Spain. -
Sep 28, 1215
Magna Carta
Magna Carta (Latin for "the Great Charter"), also called Magna Carta Libertatum (Latin for "the Great Charter of the Liberties"), is a charter agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. -
Sep 28, 1270
End of the Crusades
After two hundred years of conflict, after a vast expenditure of wealth and human lives, the Holy Land remained in Moslem hands. -
Sep 28, 1348
The Plague
The bubonic plague mainly affects rodents, but fleas can transmit the disease to people. Once people are infected, they infect others very rapidly. Plague causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands called buboes, which is how it gets its name. -
Sep 25, 1378
The First Appearance of Ribin Hood in Literature
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. -
Sep 25, 1387
Chaucer Writes the Canterbury Tales
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 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. -
Sep 28, 1455
War of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic wars for the throne of England. They were fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet, the houses of Lancaster and York. -
Sep 25, 1485
First printing of Le Morte d’ArthurPolitical and Social Events
Le Morte d'Arthur (originally spelled Le Morte Darthur, Middle French for “the death of Arthur” is a compilation by Sir Thomas Malory of traditional tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table. Malory interprets existing French and English stories about these figures and adds original material (the Gareth story). -
Sep 28, 1485
First Tudor king, Henry VII, is crowned
Henry won the throne when his forces defeated the forces of 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.