The following is a timeline of British history which may be of use to family historians in order to set their family events in their historical context. As far as possible it includes regnal dates for English, Welsh and Scottish monarchs; major battles; the births and deaths of major religious and artistic figures; the founding of major universities, schools etc; the founding of orders of chivalry; the founding of major organisations; sporting, ceremonial and religious events; inventions; and general British history.
PART 1 Up to 1500AD
122 = Building of Hadrian's Wall commenced
383 = Magnus Maximus declared Roman Emperor in Britain
388 = Magnus Maximus defeated at Battle of Poetovio (Italy)
410 = Emperor Constantine III 's officials deposed from office in Britain
ABT 428 = Vortigern, British Leader invited Hengist and Horsa, Saxon leaders, to Britain as mercenaries
ABT 460 = Ambrosius Aurelianus and his British troops attack the Saxons
ABT 495 = "King" Arthur and his troops defeat the Saxons at Mons Badonicus
515 = "King" Arthur killed at Battle of Camlann
552 = Cynric (a saxon leader but probably part British) took Salisbury and founded the Kingdom of Wessex
ABT 555 = Athelbert became King of Kent
568 = Athelbert saxon King of Kent attacked London
577 = Battle of Dyrham (Glos) between Saxons and Britons
597 = St.Augustine landed in Kent brought to Britain as a result of marriage of Athelbert of Kent to a Frankish Princess
664 = Synod of Whitby
17 Mar 803 = 1000 die in storms on west coast of Ireland
806 = Vikings ravage Iona for the third time
827 = Egbert King of Wessex became King of All England
ABT 837 = Norse settle in northern Scotland
839 = Egbert King of England died
839 = Ethelwulf King of England
844 = Kenneth I MacAlpin, King of Scotland
844 = Rhodri Mawr becomes Prince of Wales
858 = end of reign of Kenneth I MacAlpin of Scotland
858 = Ethelwulf King of England died
858 = Ethelbald & Ethelbert Joint Kings of England
859 = Donald I King of Scotland
860 = Ethelbald King of England died
860 = Ethelbert became sole King of England
13 Apr 862 = end of reign of Donald I of Scotland
863 = Constantine I King of Scotland
865 = Norse invade East Anglia
866 = Ethelbert King of England died
866 = Ethelred I King of England
1 Nov 866 = Norse sack York
871 = Ethelred I died
871 = Alfred King of England
877 = Aed Whitefoot King of Scotland
877 = end of reign of Constantine I of Scotland
878 = Eochaid and Giric Kings of Scotland
878 = Battle of Ethandun
878 = Rhodri Mawr succeeded by his son Anarwd as Prince of Wales
878 = end of reign of Aed, Whitefoot, of Scotland
889 = Donald II King of Scotland
889 = reign of Eochaid and Giric of Scotland
900 = end of reign of Donald II of Scotland
900 = Constantine II King of Scotland
901 = King Alfred the Great of England died
901 = Edward the Elder King of England
916 = Hywel Dda becomes Prince of Wales
925 = King Edward the Elder of England died
925 = Athelstan King of England
940 = King Athelstan of England died
940 = Edmund King of England
943 = end of reign of Constantine II of Scotland
943 = Malcolm I King of Scotland
946 = King Edmund of England died
946 = Edred King of England
950 = Iago ap Idwal becomes Prince of Wales
954 = end of reign of Malcolm I King of Scotland
954 = Indulf King of Scotland
955 = Edred King of England died
955 = Edwy King of England
958 = Edwy King of England died
958 = Edgar King of England
ABT 960 = Indulf takes Edinburgh
962 = end of reign of Indulf of Scotland
962 = Dubh the Black King of Scotland
967 = end of reign of Dubh, the Black, of Scotland
967 = Culen the Whelp King of Scotland
971 = end of reign of Culen, the Whelp, of Scotland
971 = Kenneth II King of Scotland
973 = Edgar orders striking of silver penny
973 = Edgar crowned 'Emperor of Britain' at Bath
8 Jul 975 = end of reign of Edgar of England
976 = Edward King of England
18 Mar 978 = end of reign of Edward of England
14 Apr 978 = Athelred II King of England
979 = Hywel (II) ap Ieuaf, the bad becomes Prince of Wales
985 = Cadwallon ap Ieuaf becomes Prince of Wales
986 = Maredudd ab Owain ap Hywel Dda becomes Prince of Wales
992 = Norse settlers in Dublin open mint
995 = end of reign of Kenneth II of Scotland
995 = Constantine III King of Scotland
997 = end of reign of Constantine III of Scotland
997 = Kenneth III the Brown King of Scotland
999 = Norse invade Kent again
999 = Cynan ap Hywel ap Ieuaf becomes Prince of Wales
13 Nov 1002 = Danes massacred in England
25 Mar 1005 = end of reign of Kenneth III, the Brown, of Scotland
26 Mar 1005 = Malcolm II King of Scotland
1008 = end of reign of Cynan ap Hywel as Prince of Wales
Dec 1013 = London surrenders to Danes
Apr 1016 = end of reign of Athelred II of England
May 1016 = Edmund Ironside King of England
30 Nov 1016 = end of reign of Edmund 'Ironside' of England
1 Dec 1016 = Cnut King of England
1018 = Llewelyn ap Sitsylt becomes Prince of Wales
1023 = Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig becomes Prince of Wales
25 Nov 1034 = end of reign of Malcolm II of Scotland
26 Nov 1034 = Duncan I King of Scotland
12 Nov 1035 = end of reign of Cnut of England
Dec 1037 = Harald Harefoot King of England
1039 = Gruffydd ap Llewelyn ap Sitsylt becomes Prince of Wales
1040 = end of reign of Duncan I, the Gracious, of Scotland
1040 = Macbeth King of Scotland
17 Mar 1040 = end of reign of Harald 'Harefoot' of England
18 Mar 1040 = Harthacnut King of England
8 Jun 1042 = end of reign of Harthacnut of England
2 Apr 1043 = Edward the Confessor King of England
1 May 1048 = Derby and Worcester hit by earthquake
1057 = Lady Godiva's ride through Coventry
15 Aug 1057 = end of reign of Macbeth of Scotland
16 Aug 1057 = Lulach King of Scotland
1058 = end of reign of Lulach, the Simple, of Scotland
1058 = Malcolm III Canmore King of Scotland
1063 = Bleddyn ap Cynfin becomes Primce of Wales
5 Jan 1066 = end of reign of Edward the Confessor of England
6 Jan 1066 = Harold II Godwinson King of England
25 Sep 1066 = Battle of Stamford Bridge
14 Oct 1066 = Battle of Hastings
14 Oct 1066 = end of reign of Harold II of England
Dec 1066 = England surrenders to the Normans
25 Dec 1066 = William I the Conqueror King of England
1068 = Rebellion of Edgar Atheling in the North of England crushed by normans
Dec 1069 = Normans lay waste to north of England
1070 = Rebellion of Hereward the Wake in the Fen country
1072 = Malcolm III of Scotland submits to William the Conqueror
1075 = Trahaern ap Caradog becomes Prince of Wales
1081 = Gruffydd (II) ap Cynan ap Iago becomes Prince of Wales
1087 = Domesday Book compiled
1087 = Fire sweeps through London after two years of plague
9 Sep 1087 = end of reign of William the Conqueror of England
26 Sep 1087 = William II Rufus King of England
13 Nov 1093 = end of reign of Malcolm III Canmore of Scotland
1094 = brief reign of Duncan II of Scotland
14 Nov 1094 = Donald III Ban King of Scotland
27 Nov 1095 = Pope Urban II calls for crusade to free the Holy Land
1097 = Tower of London "White Tower" completed
1097 = end of reign of Donald III, Ban, of Scotland
1097 = Edgar King of Scotland
2 Aug 1100 = William II killed in hunting accident
5 Aug 1100 = Henry I King of England
8 Jan 1107 = end of reign of Edgar of Scotland
9 Jan 1107 = Alexander I the Fierce King of Scotland
1113 = Fire destroys Worcester
23 Apr 1124 = end of reign of Alexander I, the Fierce, of Scotland
24 Apr 1124 = David I King of Scotland
1132 = City of London granted the right to elect two sheriffs
1133 = Earl of Oxford appointed first Lord Great Chamberlain by King Henry I
1 Dec 1135 = end of reign of Henry I of England
22 Dec 1135 = Stephen King of England
1137 = Owain Gwynedd becomes Prince of Wales
22 Aug 1138 = Battle of The Standard
19 May 1147 = Start of second crusade
24 May 1153 = end of reign of David I of Scotland
25 May 1153 = Malcolm IV the Maiden King of Scotland
25 Oct 1154 = end of reign of Stephen of England
19 Dec 1154 = Henry II King of England
9 Dec 1165 = end of reign of Malcolm IV, the Maiden, of Scotland
10 Dec 1165 = William I the Lion King of Scotland
1170 = Dafydd ap Owain Gwynedd becomes Prince of Wales
1176 = Lord Rhys' Eisteddfod held at Cardigan
6 Jul 1189 = end of reign of Henry II of England
3 Sep 1189 = Richard I the Lionheart King of England
1190 = Richard I departs on crusade
1191 = First Lord Mayor of London appointed
1194 = Llywelyn (II) Fawr becomes Prince of Wales
6 Apr 1199 = end of reign of Richard, the Lionheart, of England
27 May 1199 = John King of England
Nov 1209 = King John excommunicated by Pope Innocent III
4 Dec 1214 = end of reign of William I, the Lion, of Scotland
5 Dec 1214 = Alexander II the Peaceful King of Scotland
15 Jun 1215 = King John signs Magna Carta
18 Oct 1216 = end of reign of King John of England
28 Oct 1216 = Henry III King of England
1240 = Dafydd (II) ap Llywelyn becomes Prince of Wales
1246 = Llywelyn (III) ap Gruffydd ap Llywelyn becomes Prince of Wales
1249 = University College,Oxford founded
8 Jul 1249 = end of reign of Alexander II, the Peaceful, of Scotland
9 Jul 1249 = Alexander III King of Scotland
1257 = First register of Knights Bachelor started
1263 = Balliol College,Oxford founded
1264 = Merton College,Oxford founded
1264 = First Corpus Christi procession takes place
14 May 1264 = Henry III captured by Simon de Montfort at Lewes
4 Aug 1265 = Battle of Evesham
1267 = Llywelyn ap Gruffydd granted the title Prince of Wales by King Henry III
1267 = Duchy of Lancaster formed
16 Nov 1272 = end of reign of Henry III of England
17 Nov 1272 = Edward I King of England
1275 = Levy on export of wool and leather (origin of customs duties)
1277 = Institution of Norroy King of Arms covering Northern England
1282 = Llywelyn (III) died. Independant Principality of Wales ceased.
1284 = Statute of Wales "transfers wholly and entirely to the king's dominion the land of Wales"
1286 = John de Langton first recorded Master of the Rolls
19 Mar 1286 = Alexander III of Scotland thrown from his horse and dies
19 Mar 1286 = end of reign of Alexander III of Scotland
20 Mar 1286 = Margaret, Maid of Norway Queen of Scotland
1290 = Expulsion of the Jews from England
1290 = end of reign of Margaret, Maid of Norway, of Scotland
1292 = John Balliol King of Scotland
1296 = end of reign of John Balliol of Scotland
7 Feb 1301 = Prince Edward of England (later King Edward II) created Prince of Wales
23 Aug 1305 = William Wallace executed
ABT Feb 1306 = Robert I the Bruce King of Scotland
7 Jul 1307 = end of reign of Edward I of England
8 Jul 1307 = Edward II King of England
1314 = Exeter College,Oxford founded
24 Jun 1314 = Battle of Bannockburn
1318 = Recognition of Cambridge as a University by the Pope
1326 = Oriel College,Oxford founded
24 Jan 1327 = Edward II forced to abdicate
1 Feb 1327 = Edward III King of England
1329 = John Wycliffe born
7 Jun 1329 = end of reign of Robert I, the Bruce, of Scotland
8 Jun 1329 = David II King of Scotland
1333 = Suzerainty of the Isle of Man assumed by King Edward III
19 Jul 1333 = Battle of Halidon Hill
1337 = Duchy of Cornwall formed for the eldest son of the Monarch
1340 = Queen's College,Oxford founded
1343 = Edward, the Black Prince, created Prince of Wales
23 Apr 1344 = Order of the Garter founded by King Edward III at Windsor
17 Oct 1346 = Battle of Neville's Cross
1348 = King Edward III founds Military Knights of Windsor
1349 = The Black Death claims almost 1 million lives in England
1362 = Institution of Clarenceux King of Arms covering Southern England
1368 = Justices of the Peace established by statute
22 Feb 1371 = end of reign of David II of Scotland
23 Feb 1371 = Robert II King of Scotland
1376 = First recorded Speaker of the House of Commons chosen
8 Jun 1376 = end of reign of Edward III of England
22 Feb 1377 = Parliament votes in Poll Tax
16 Jul 1377 = Richard II King of England
1379 = New College,Oxford founded
1381 = Wat Tyler died
Jun 1381 = The Peasants Revolt
12 Jun 1381 = Riots in London over Poll Tax
1384 = John Wycliffe died
1384 = First English Bible produced
1388 = Tyburn first used as a place of execution
19 Apr 1390 = end of reign of Robert II of Scotland
20 Apr 1390 = Robert III King of Scotland
30 Sep 1399 = end of reign of Richard II of England
13 Oct 1399 = Henry IV King of England
1399 = Duchy of Lancaster merged with the Crown when the Duke of Lancater became King Henry IV
14 Sep 1402 = Battle of Homildon Hill
1403 = John Stanley becomes 'King of Mann' and starts the Earls of Derby's association with the island
4 Apr 1406 = end of reign of Robert III, John Faranyeir, of Scotland
5 Apr 1406 = James I King of Scotland
1410 = St.Andrew's University founded
20 Mar 1413 = end of reign of Henry IV of England
21 Mar 1413 = Henry V King of England
1417 = Institution of Office of Garter King of Arms
31 Aug 1422 = end of reign of Henry V of England
1 Sep 1422 = Henry VI King of England
1427 = Lincoln College,Oxford founded
21 Feb 1437 = end of reign of James I of Scotland
22 Feb 1437 = James II Fiery Face King of Scotland
1438 = All Souls College,Oxford founded
1440 = Creation of the first Viscount (Viscount Beaumont)
1441 = Founding of Eton College by King Henry VI
1441 = Founding of King's College,Cambridge by King Henry VI
1445 = Foundation of Pancake races at Olney,Bucks.
ABT 1450 = Invention of moveable type press by J Gutenberg
Aug 1453 = Henry VI becomes mentally unstable
1455 = Start of Wars of the Roses
1458 = Magdalen College,Oxford founded
23 Sep 1459 = Battle of Blore Heath
ABT 1460 = Order of the Thistle instituted in Scotland by King James III of Scotland
10 Jul 1460 = Battle of Northampton
3 Aug 1460 = end of reign of James II, Fiery Face, of Scotland
4 Aug 1460 = James III King of Scotland
31 Dec 1460 = Battle of Wakefield
2 Feb 1461 = Battle of Mortimer's Cross
16 Feb 1461 = Battle of St Albans 2
29 Mar 1461 = Battle of Towton
27 Jun 1461 = end of reign of Henry VI of England
28 Jun 1461 = Edward IV King of England
1469 = Shetland becomes part of Scotland
11 Oct 1470 = Henry VI flees to The Hague
14 Apr 1471 = Battle of Barnet
14 May 1471 = Battle of Tewkesbury
ABT 1475 = Invention of the muzzle-loading rifle
1478 = Caxton publishes Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales"
1479 = The Black Death re-emerges
9 Apr 1483 = end of reign of Edward IV of England
10 Apr 1483 = Edward V King of England
26 Jun 1483 = end of reign of Edward V of England
27 Jun 1483 = Richard III Crookback King of England
Oct 1483 = Edward V and brother executed in the Tower of London
2 Mar 1484 = College of Heralds established by Richard III
1485 = Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard founded
7 Aug 1485 = Henry Tudor's landing at Milford Haven
22 Aug 1485 = Battle of Bosworth Field
22 Aug 1485 = End of Wars of the Roses
23 Aug 1485 = Henry VII Tudor King of England
16 Jun 1487 = Battle of Stoke
11 Jun 1488 = end of reign of James III of Scotland
12 Jun 1488 = James IV King of Scotland
1489 = First pound coin minted
1495 = Aberdeen University established
1497 = Office of Lord President of the Council established
1497 = Syphilis breaks out in Scotland