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Period: 40 to 400
Roman Settlement
Romano-British culture flourished in England until around 400 AD, when unrest in Europe prompted Roman withdrawal. Despite this, Roman influence endured through infrastructure, Latin, the Roman alphabet, and literary references, shaping England's identity. -
400
Rescript of Honorius
It signales a shift in Roman priorities to protect Rome itself -
Period: 450 to 600
Anglo-Saxon invasions
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Period: 450 to 1150
Old English
Language of Germanic settlers in the British Isles -
Period: 455 to 1485
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages encompass three distinct phases: the Anglo-Saxon period, the Anglo-Norman period, and the late medieval period. -
Period: 600 to 700
(Re)Christianization
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650
Cædmon’s Hymn
Short Old English poem attributed to Cædmon, a supposedly illiterate and unmusical cow-herder who was, according to the Northumbrian monk Bede (d. 735), miraculously empowered to sing in honour of God the Creator. The poem is Cædmon's only known composition. -
Period: 750 to 1000
Beowulf
Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature -
Period: 800 to 1066
Viking Invasions
Culminated in the Battle of Maldon in 1000 with an Anglo-Saxon defeat. Then Battle of Stamford Bridge marking the end of the viking age in 1066. -
Period: 870 to 900
Alfred the Great
King of the Anglo-Saxon. During his era, the West Saxon dialect became the standard form of Old English. Reflected the Germanic Worldview of the Anglo-Saxon society. -
Period: 1001 to 1299
Crusades
Series of brutal campaigns aimed at restoring Christian control over the Holy Land. -
Period: 1066 to 1071
The Norman conquest
Battle of Hastings in 1066: Anglo-Saxon defeat. Establishment of the House of Normandy with William the Conqueror -
1138
Legend of Arthur
According to legends, was a king of Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. -
1150
Bisclavret
Written by Marie de France. It combines elements of the lai, courtly romance, and animal fable genres. -
Period: 1150 to 1500
Middle English
English language goes from Old English to Middle English. -
Period: 1346 to 1353
Black Death
It was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Europe. -
1350
Order of the Garter
It is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. -
Period: 1350 to 1450
Hundred Years' War
It was a series of armed conflicts fought between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. -
Period: 1375 to 1400
Sir Gawain and The Green Knight
Attributed to the "Gawain Poet" or the "Pearl" Poet. -
1380
The Vision of Piers Plowman
Written by William Langland. Langland's work is considered a precursor to the English Reformation, particularly notable amidst events like the Peasant's Revolt. -
1390
Canterbury Tales
Collection of twenty-four stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer. 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 from London to Canterbury 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. -
1415
Battle of Agincourt
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1430
Margery Kempe
Spiritual autobiography reflects a deeply emotional style of religious expression known as "affective piety." -
1485
Print culture
The advent of print culture, pioneered by William Caxton. Making literature more accessible to a broader audience and contributing to the spread of Renaissance ideals. -
1485
Battle of Bosworth
Henry Tudor defeats Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 to claim the throne as Henry VII. -
Period: 1485 to
Tudor Dynasty
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Period: 1485 to
Renaissance
Renaissance marked a cultural rebirth spurred by a renewed interest in classical texts and the principles of humanism -
Period: 1500 to
Early Modern English
The Great Vowel shift, The chancery English (used in official documents), -
1528
Sprezzatura
Sprezzatura emphasized the art of effortless elegance and grace while fulfilling one's role at court. -
1530
Translation of the Bible
by William Tyndale represents a landmark event. -
1534
Acts of Supremacy
which declare the English monarch, rather than the Pope, as the head of the English Church. -
1550
Tottel's Miscellany
A collection of poems that marked a significant shift from manuscripts to print. -
Period: 1560 to
Elizabeth I's reign
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Period: 1560 to
Elizabethan Period
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Spanish Armada
-
The Fearie Queen
Written by Edmund Spenser -
Richard III
Play written by Shakespeare -
Othello
-
Gunpowder Plot
Orchestrated by Catholic extremists, aimed to blow up Parliament, highlighting the religious and political tensions of the time -
King James Bible
-
Eve's Apology in Defence of Women
-
The Flea
Poem written by John Donne -
Period: to
English Civil War
-
Period: to
Revolutionary Period
-
Period: to
Interregnum
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Royal Society
Aimed to promote scientific inquiry and knowledge -
Royal Society
-
Period: to
Restoration Era
-
Period: to
Neoclassicism
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Glorious Revolution
-
Oroonoko: or The Royal Slave
Novel written by Aphra Behn -
Period: to
Satirical attacks on social ills
-
Act of Union with Scotland
-
The Rape of the Lock
Poem written by Alexander Pope -
Jacobite Uprising (1)
-
Gulliver's Travels
-
Period: to
Pre-romantic period
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Jacobite Uprising (2)