istoryworld
Events relating to england
If there is any historical basis for the legendary King Arthur, it is as a Celtic chieftain resisting the Anglo-Saxons in the sixth century
St Columba establishes a monastery on the island of Iona, from which Celtic Christianity is carried to Scotland and northern England
Augustine, arriving with a party of monks from Rome, reaches Canterbury and is well received by the pagan king of Kent
The treasure of an Anglo-Saxon king (possibly Raedwald, who dies at this time) is buried in a 90-foot-long ship at Sutton Hoo
The Vikings develop the fast and narrow longships with which they raid across the North Sea
The king of Northumbria summons a synod at Whitby to hear the arguments of Roman and Celtic Christians, then opts for Rome
Willibrord, recently arrived from England to convert the Frisians, is consecrated archbishop of a new see in Utrecht
Many Anglo-Saxon kingdoms have by now amalgated, until there are just the seven of the Heptarchy
The Venerable Bede, in his monastery at Jarrow, completes his history of the English church and people
The Anglo-Saxons have a name for the Celts west of Offa's dyke - wealas or Welsh, meaning foreigners
The monks of Lindisfarne become the first known overseas victims of a Viking raid
Beowulf, the first great work of Germanic literature, mingles the legends of Scandinavia with the experience in England of Angles and Saxons
A great army of Danes captures York - the first step in the establishment of Danelaw in eastern England
The young Alfred leads the English in their first significant victory over the Danes, at Ashdown
Alfred captures London from the Danes, pressing them back into the region of Danelaw where their rule is, for the moment, tolerated
The material of the Eddas, taking shape in Iceland, derives from earlier sources in Norway, Britain and Burgundy
New waves of Danes, raiding into the English territory of Danelaw, are bought off by Ethelred with Danegeld
Canute, joint king of Denmark, is accepted also as king of England after subduing the country and marrying Ethelred's widow
Edward the Confessor, the rightful heir in the Anglo-Saxon royal line, becomes king of England
On his death bed in Westminster, Edward the Confessor designates Harold - foremost among England's barons - as his successor
Edward the Confessor is buried in his new abbey church at Westminster, consecrated only the previous week
On the day of Edward's burial, Harold is crowned king - almost certainly in the same abbey church at Westminster
Halley's comet, appearing in the Normans' annus mirabilis, is later depicted in the Bayeux tapestry
Harold defeats at Stamford Bridge the joint army of his brother Tostig and of the Norwegian king, Harald Hardraade
The Normans, as seen in the Bayeux tapestry, invade England in Viking longships with fortified platforms for archers
