|
Time
|
Events
Took Place/ Literary Works
|
|
3000
B.C.
|
Probably
Proto-Indo-European started living across the Baltic Ocean
|
|
1000
B.C.
|
Among
their various branches Celtic proved themselves as a distinct race and
started dwelling in different parts of Europe of what is now called Spain, France, Germany,
Austria, eastern Europe, and the British Isles.
|
|
600
B.C.
|
Coming
of the first Celtic invasion. They are known as Goidels and Gaels.
|
|
300
B.C.
|
Coming
of the Brythons
|
|
55
B.C.
|
The
first expedition of Julius Caesar, the great Roman Emperor on British Isles.
|
|
54
B.C.
|
His
second expedition.
|
|
43
A.D.
|
Conquest
of Britain by Claudius (the fourth Roman Emperor). Roman colony of
"Britannia" established.
|
|
410
A.D.
|
First
Germanic tribes arrive in England from the lowlands on the other side of the
North Sea./ Departure of the Romans from Britain.
|
|
410-600
A.D.
|
Settlement
of three great Germanic tribes- Angles, Saxons and Jutes along with some
Frisians in Britain.
|
|
450
A.D.
|
Traditional
date of the coming of the Saxons to Britain.
|
|
547
A.D.
|
Glidas’s
History
|
|
597
A.D.
|
Introduction
to Christianity with St. Augustine’s arriving in Kent.
|
|
600-800
A.D.
|
Rise of
three great kingdoms politically unifying large areas: Northumbria, Mercia,
Wessex. Supremacy passes from one kingdom to another in that order.
|
|
731
A.D.
|
Bede’s
Ecclesiastical
History of the English People.
|
|
793
A.D.
|
First
Viking raid; sacking of Lindisfarne
|
|
840-870
A.D
|
Viking
incursions grow worse and worse. Large organized groups set up permanent
encampments on English soil. They slay King of Northumbria and start ruling
creating a Viking Kingdom called ‘Jorvik’. Wessex remains as a final
Anglo-Saxon Kingdom in Britain.
|
|
867
A.D.
|
Danes’
conquer Northumbria.
|
|
860
A.D.
|
Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle begun.
|
|
871
A.D.
|
Vikings
move against Wessex after losing battles. Alfred becomes king of Wessex.
|
|
871-876
A.D.
|
During
his reign of 15 years, peace and prosperity established in England. He won
many battles. For this reason he is called “Alfred the Great”.
|
|
899
A.D.
|
Death
of Alfred
|
|
925
A.D.
|
Athelstan
became king. Anglo-Saxon reached the summit of power. Athelstan re-conquered York
from the Vikings, and even conquers Scotland and Wales.
|
|
10th
Century
|
Danes
and English started living together peacefully. Plenty of Scandinavian loan
words entered into the English language, like the personal pronoun ‘they’,
‘them’, ‘their’ etc.
|
|
937
A.D.
|
Battle
of Brunanburh: Victory of Athelestan.
|
|
978
A.D
|
Athelred
became king at the very premature stage (11 years). Aethelred has proved to be a
weak king, who does not repel minor Viking attacks. After losing in the hand
of Viking, Aethelred flees to Normandy, across the channel.
|
|
991
A.D.
|
The
Battle of Maldon: Byrthnoth defeated by the Danes. King Sveinn of Denmark
became the king. Sveinn
sets up a Norse court at the new capital of Viking England, Jorvik.
|
|
1016
A.D.
|
Sveinn's
young son Cnut crowned king of England. Cnut decides to follow in Alfred's
footsteps, aiming for a peaceful and prosperous kingdom. Encourages
Anglo-Saxon culture and literature. Even marries Aethelred's widow Emma,
brought over from Normandy.
|
|
1042
A.D.
|
Accession
of Edward the Confessor, son of Aethelred and Emma. Edward is a pious, monkish man. Saxon period
restored.
|
|
1049
A.D.
|
Westminster
Abbey begun.
|
|
1050
A.D.
|
Edward
grows a strong partiality for his birthplace Normandy, a duchy populated by the
descendents of Romanized Vikings. Especially fond of young Duke William of
Normandy. Edward is dominated by his Anglo-Saxon earls, especially powerful
earl Godwin. Godwin's son, Harold Godwinson, becomes de facto ruler as Edward
takes less and less interest in governing.
|
|
1066
A.D.
|
The
landmark period for beginning a new era, The Middle English Period. Norman
Conquest. Battle of Hastings between Harold, the final Saxon King and
William, the Duke of Normandy. William becomes the victor. Anglo-Norman
period started.
|
