The Middle Ages

c. 1066 William the Conqueror invades England

Oct 14, 1066

William built a large fleet and invaded England in September 1066, decisively defeating and killing Harold at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. After further military efforts William was crowned king on Christmas Day 1066, in London.

c. 1150 Paper is first mass-produced in Spain

Aug 28, 1150

Paper making and manufacturing in Europe was started by Muslims living on the Iberian Peninsula, (today's Portugal and Spain) and Sicily in the 10th century, and slowly spread to Italy and Southern France reaching Germany by 1400. Earlier, other paper-like materials were in use including papyrus, parchment, palm leaves and vellum, but all of these were derived from raw materials which were expensive or in limited supply, or required extensive hand-processing to produce a satisfactory finish.

c. 1215- Magna Carta

Jun 15, 1215

The water-meadow at Runnymede is the most likely location where, on 15 June 1215, King John sealed the Magna Carta, and is the site of the Magna Carta Memorial.

c. 1270- End of the Crusades

Oct 30, 1270

The Eighth Crusade was a crusade launched by Louis IX, King of France, in 1270. This would be the Crusade to end all Crusades. The Eighth Crusade is sometimes counted as the Seventh, if the Fifth and Sixth Crusades of Frederick II are counted as a single crusade. The Ninth Crusade is sometimes also counted as part of the Eighth.

c. 1348- The Plague

Aug 28, 1348

Coming out of the East, the Black Death reached the shores of Italy in the spring of 1348 unleashing a rampage of death across Europe unprecedented in recorded history. By the time the epidemic played itself out three years later, anywhere between 25% and 50% of Europe's population had fallen victim to the pestilence.

c. 1378 First appearance of Robin Hood in literature

Aug 28, 1378

Robin Hood originated in the form of folk tales, but was later recorded onto paper. The oldest written reference to Robin Hood is an indirect one, The Vision of Piers Plowman (1378).

c. 1387 Chaucer writes The Canterbury Tales

Aug 28, 1387

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories in a frame story, between 1387 and 1400. It is the story of a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury (England). The pilgrims, who come from all layers of society, tell stories to each other to kill time while they travel to Canterbury.

c. 1455-1485- War of the Roses

Aug 28, 1455

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. They were fought in several sporadic episodes between 1455 and 1485, although there was related fighting before and after this period.

c. 1485 First printing of Le Morte d'Arthur

Aug 28, 1485

Le Morte D'Arthur is the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, beginning with Arthur's conception and birth, and concluding with his death at the hands of his bastard son, Mordred (perhaps due to his choice of name?). Along the way, we meet handsome knights, beautiful ladies, and become immersed in the soap opera that is Camelot. Get ready for juicy drama, frightening battles, and joust after joust.

c. 1485 First Tudor king, Henry VII, is crowned

Aug 28, 1485

Henry won the throne and the title of the First Tudor King when his forces defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of England to win his throne on the field of battle.