Dates Pertaining to King Arthur, Geoffrey of Monmouth, & his contemporaries
b = born
d = dies
m = marries
R = begins reign
illegit = child of Henry I unless otherwise specified
EMP = Matilda Empress
blue = royalty in Britain
red = Geoffrey bio, Geoffrey interpolations in history are indented
green = literature, history, theology, philosophy, arts, music, architecture, written laws
purple = major events
orange = notes to me for additions, corrections
Historical contexts: the Bible and the Aeneid
6,000 BC end of Doggerland and land bridge between Ireland-Britain
3,300 BC Bluestones quarried from Preseli Hills, Wales
stone circle built nearby
3,000 BC Stonehenge built, first circle of the same bluestones which had been quarried in
– 2,500 BC Wales and had stood in a stone circle already; possibly migrating people
Stonehenge reconfigured several times, large stones added
1,250 BC Trojan War
? Brutus, great-grandson of Aeneas, unintentionally fulfills prophecy that he will kill his father (Silvius) by shooting him while hunting; exiled; finds Trojan survivors who are slaves; frees them and sails off; prophecy by Diana promises him a deserted island in the West; travels across Mediterranean and across France and settles in Britain,
(Geoffrey builds on Gildas, Nennius, Bede for Britain desc)
Brutus builds city of “New Troy” Trinovantum (London)
(Trojan language is “crooked Greek” British, Cymraeg = crooked Greek)
(Nennius, possibly the writer of the Historia Britonnum, includes Brutus)
Corineus and Goemagog,
(In Vergil’s Aeneid Corynaeus is companion of Aeneas, known for fury)
Geoffrey says that at the same time:
Brutus was in Britain = Eli was in Judea = Ark of the Covenant was captured by Philistines = Hector’s sons were in Troy
= Italy was ruled by Silvius Aeneas (Brutus’ uncle)
Britain divided by Brutus’s 3 sons
King Locrinus = Loegria,
Kamber = Wales,
Albanactus = Albania (Scotland)
Humber, king of Huns, kills Albanactus
King Locrinus picks up mistress Estrildis and marries Corineus’ daughter Guendoloena
Corineus dies
Locrinus repudiates Guendoloena
Guendoloena gets army, defeats Locrinus, drowns Guendoloena and daughter Habren
Queen Guendoloena rules wells until son Maddan old enough
King Maddan – 2 sons
Mempricius kills Malim during negotiations; despot, sodomist; leaves his hunting companions as he enters a valley where he is devoured by a pack of ravening wolves.
Geoffrey says that at the same time:
1046c King Mempricius rule = Saul in Judea (1046c) = Euristeus in Sparta
King Ebraucus, takes fleet to Gaul and is victorious, builds cities of Kaerebrauc, Dumbarton, Mount Agned (Edinburgh), Mons Dolorosus, fathers 50 kids
daughters m to Trojan nobles in Italy; inc Innogin, Guenlian, Nest
sons with Roman Silvius Alba conquer Germany
Geoffrey says that at the same time:
David ruling Judea = Silvius Latinus ruling Rome = Gad, Nathan, Asaph prophets in Israel
King Brutus Greenshield
King Leil, loves peace and justice, but neglectful so at the end of long reign civil war, builds Carlisle
Geoffrey says that at the same time = Solomon & Queen of Sheba
King Rud Hudibras, pacified subjects, builds Kaekein (Canterbury), Kaerguint (Winchester), Mons Paladur (Shaftesbury)
“While the city-wall was being constructed there, an eagle spoke; and if I thought that its prophecies were true, I would not hesitate to set them down here with the rest.”
Geoffrey says that at the same time:
Capys, son of Epitus, reigned = prophets Haggai, Amos, Jehu, Joel, Azariah
King Bladud, builds Kaerbadum (Bath) made baths which he puts under the protection of Minerva. “Baldud . . . taught magic throughout the kingdom. . . . He did not cease to work wonders until he tried to fly through the air on wings he had made; he fell over the temple of Apollo in Trinovantum and was completely dashed to pieces.”
King Leir, builds Kaerleir (Leicester), when old decides to divide his kingdom between his 3 daughters and give them husbands. Instead he divides it in half between Gonorilla (Maglaunus of Scotland) and Regau (Henuinus of Cornwall) because they flatter him with lies about their love for him. Cordeilla, testing him, says “you are worth what you have, and that much I love you.” The king of the French marries Cordeilla with no dowry. Leir’s two daughters deprive him of his kingdom and his knights. Leir travels to France, sends note to Cordeilla, she sends money for him to outfit himself appropriately, then he is welcomed to the court of the French king. French king provides army which Leir and Cordeilla take to Britain, beat the others, and let Leir rule until he dies 3 years later. French king dies. Cordeilla rules Britain. Her nephews “resented a woman having power over Britain,” attack and imprison her, and she commits suicide over the loss of her kingdom.
Marganus and Cunedagius divide kingdom, fight each other
King Cunedagius*, rules in splendor
Geoffrey says that at the same time:
753 BC April 21 prophets Isaiah and Hosea = Rome founded by Romulus and Remus
750c BC Homer writes the Odyssey and the Iliad
8th cen BC Hallstatt kingdoms in eastern Alps and middle Danube;
Tartessian culture and language in south-western Iberia
680 c Oldest dated features of Emain Macha (Navan Fort, Northern Ireland)
600 c Massalia founded by Greeks from Phocaea;
Keltoi living on northern shores of Mediterranean
6th cen Hill forts in Bohemia, Massalian trading posts on the Mediterranean; Lepontic, a Celtic language, spoken in northern Italy and the Alps
late 6th cen princely residences in Burgundy, Marne, Rhineland; Massalian and Greek wine imported to central Gaul
500 c Carthaginian navigators reach equatorial West Africa and North Atlantic coasts
5th cen La Tène culture from Balkans to eastern Gaul; hill forts in southern Gaul, open settlements in the north
early 4th cen Gaulish migrations to northern Italy and to lands in and beyond the Hercynian Forest
? King Rivallo*, rules kingdom well; rains blood for 3 days and people die
some from a plague of flies
kings King Gorgustius*
may King Sisillius* * = name from Welsh genealogy
have King Iago*
ruled King Kinmarcus*
simultaneously King Gorbodugo*; son Porrex* kills Ferreux* over succession; mom Iudon rips Porrex apart while he sleeps; civil strife; 5 kings
Dunuallo Molmutius (Dunvallo), son of King Cloten of Cornwall,
kills other kings to rule Britain
estab Molmutine laws “which are still renowned even today among the English. Amongst other enactments recorded much later by St Gildas, he ordained that the temples of the gods and the cities should be treated with such respect that any fugitive or criminal who fled to them should be allowed to depart with a full pardon from his enemies. He further ordained that the roads leading to the temples and cities and also farmers’ ploughlands should enjoy the same privilege.”
buried in Trinvantum near temple of Harmony, Temple of Concord
(Welsh Law Tracts: Cumngual Moilmut, lawyer, “1st to measure the island of Britain accurately in order to provide an accurate measure of travel time from point to point and to set accurate taxation.” Curley Perhaps Geoffrey’s knowledge of him was oral. Roberts)
Beli (Belinus) gets Loegria, Wales, and Cornwall
King Brennius gets Northumbria from the Humber to Caithness, subject to his brother. Brennius’s flatterers twist his mind, so he sails to Norway and marries the king’s daughter. Belinus angry and attacks Northumbria. Brennius sails from Norway, met by Guichtlacus king of the Danes who wants Brennius’s wife. Guichtlacus captures ship with wife on it. Storm. Guichtlacus ends up in Northumbria. Brennius lands in Scotland. Battle, Belinus wins. Brennius ends up in France. Belinus takes over all of Britain. Brennius ends up at court of Seginus, king of the Allobroges. Brennius was “handsome, of tall and slender build and well versed in hunting and hawking.” Brennius marries Seginus’s daughter. Seginus dies; Brennius now king. Takes army to Britain. Mom Tonwenna bares her breasts to him, sobbing that she endured pain for him. Her plea now is that he caused his problems with his brother and that he is now a king on his own. (Issue of primogeniture)
Brothers become friends. Decide to conquer France. Then Rome. They take over Rome. Brennius stays to oppress the Romans.
396 Destruction of settlement on site of future Mediolanum (Milan)
390 BC July 18 Brennus of Senones (tribe in Gaul) defeats Romans at Battle of the Allia
Geoffrey would know of him through reading Orosius
387 BC Brennus leads Cisalpine Gauls to attack and capture most of Rome for 18 mos
350 Aristotle, Meteorology: klimata and zodiacal circle
335 Celtic envoys meet Alexander the Great in Macedonia
331 lunar eclipse observed at Arbela, Syracuse, and Carthage
325 c voyage of Pytheas of Massalia
310-260s Belgic tribes arrive in northern Gaul from Germany and Central Europe
300 c Euclid’s Elements; invention of the dioptra; definition of meridians and parallels by Dicaearchus
280 c Battle of Ribemon-sur-Ancre; Celts invade Illyricum, Pannonia, Macedonia; first coins minted in Gaul (principally Arvernian)
279 Celtic army plunders Delphi
278 Gauls cross the Hellespont; Tolistobogii, Trocmii, and Volcae Tectosages settle in Galatia
240 c Eratosthenes calculates circumference of earth; invention of solstitial armillary sphere
225 Battle of Telamon (Tuscany); defeat of Celtic coalition by Rome
218 Hannibal marches from Spain to Italy;
September = crossing of the Rhone
November = crossing of the Alps
? King Belinus (continued) repairs British cities, builds Demetia/Kaerusk (Caerleon), gate in Trinovantum called Billingsgate with a huge tower above and port, justice, riches, his ashes are placed in golden vessel on top of the huge tower (tower, ashes, vessel predate both the obelisk that contains Julius Caesar’s ashed in the Circus of Nero and Trajan’s Column which contained bones of Trajan in golden urn, both known to 12th c pilgrims)
King Gurguint Barbtruc, lover of peace & justice; when Danes refuse to pay tribute, King Gurguint subjects them to terrible defeats and returns the country to servitude sailing home through the Orkneys, comes across ships of Basques who’ve been expelled from Spain. Gurguint sends them, with guides, to Ireland “an island at that time devoid of inhabitants.”
King Guithelinus, kindness and moderation
wife is Marcia, “skilled in all the arts. Among the many novelties devised by this intelligent woman was the law which the British called Marcian. This and much else was translated by King Alfred, who named it Merchenelage in English.” Guithelinus died when son Sisillius was 10 years old.
(name from Nennius)
Queen Marcia “his able and intelligent mother therefore came to rule the whole island”
King Sisillius
King Kimarus
King Danius
King Morvidus by Danius’ concubine Tangustela. “his excessive cruelty: once roused, he would ruthlessly kill anybody if he could lay his hands on a weapon. He was handsome, a generous giver of gifts and so strong that no one in the kingdom could overcome him.” Flemings attack; Morvidus beats them, then kills them separately. “In the midst of these and similar acts of cruelty he suffered a misfortune which put an end to his wickedness. A beast of incredible ferocity came from the region of the Irish sea and began to devour without respite those living near the coast. When reports of this reached Morvidus’ ears, he came in person and fought against it single-handed. But when he had used up all his missiles on it without effect, the monster rushed up and swallowed him in its open jaws like a little fish.”
King Gorbonianus (brothers: Arthgallo, Elidurus, Iugenius, Peredurus)
(names Arthgallo, Iugenius from Welsh genealogies)
shows honor to gods; justice and equity to his people; rich reign
encouraged farmers; protected them from unjust masters
King Arthgallo — opposite of Gorbonianus; deprived of throne
King Elidurus — gave crown back to Arthgallo
King Arthgallo (continued) — fair and just the second time
King Elidurus (continued) overthrown by Iugenius and Peredurus; divide country
King Peredurus (Iugenius died) — kindness and moderation
King Elidurus (continued) — goodness and justice the third time
King Regin (same family) — good sense and wisdom
King Marganus (same family) — ruled in peace
King Enniaunus (same family) — tyrant, deposed
King Iduallo (same family) — lawful and right
(name from Welsh genealogies)
King Runo (same family)
King Gerontius (same family)
King Catellus (same family)
King Coillus (same family)
King Porrex (same family)
King Cherin (same family)
King Fulgenius (same family)
King Eldadus (same family)
King Andragius (same family)
King Eliud
King Cledaucus
King Clotenus
King Gurgintius
King Merianus
King Bledudo
King Cap
King Oenus
King Sisillius
King Bledgabred, “He surpassed all previous singers in melody and in playing all musical instruments to such an extent that he was called the performers’ god.”
King Arthmail
King Eldol (name from Nennius)
King Redion
King Rederchius
King Samuil Penissel
King Pir
King Capoir
197 Eastern and southern Iberia divided into two Roman provinces, Hispania Citerior (nearer) and Hispania Ulterior (further)
196-189 Rome conquers Celtic northern Italy (later, the province of Gallia Cisalpina)
187 completion of Via Aemilia
182-133 Celtiberian wars
181 Massalia appeals to Rome for help against Ligurian pirates
180 c Oppida in central Germany, Bohemia, Moravia, Hungary
175-150 c Gundestrup Cauldron
150 c Hipparches calculates klimata and meridians; Antihythera Mechanism; Polybius travels through southern Gaul
150 BC Winchester hill fort and trading center of Celtic Belgae tribe
? King Cligueillus, moderate and fair, possibly Hywel Dda (950, known for law)
King Heli
146 Fall of Carthage
133 Siege and destruction of Numantia
130 c German oppida in Basel, Berne, Breisach, Bad Neuheim, Manching, more
125-121 Roman conquest of southern Gaul
124 BC Continental trade increases in Britain after Roman conquest of Transalpine Gaul
settlements oppida moving from high ground to along waterways
123 Roman garrison at Aquae Sextiae (Aix-en-Provence)
? King Lud, repaired walls of Trinovantum and added towers, warrior, feast- giver; city later renamed Kaerlud (Kaerlundein to Lundene to Lundres to London). He was buried beside gate called Porhlud (Ludgate).
58-49 BC Commentarii de Bello Gallico Caesar’s Gallic Wars Geoffrey used
? King Cassibellaunus internationally known for generosity and goodness
56 BC Brits aid Veneti of Armorica against Julius Caesar
? Julius Caesar writes Cassibellaunus demanding taxes and submission
Cassibellaunus responds that Britons are free and same pedigree as Romans
Britons fight Romans; Julius Caesar’s sword gotten; Romans flee
55 BC Julius Caesar = Roman raids
bet Britain & Gaul, Parisi in York gave name to Paris, Belgae in Britain
political & military intermingling across Channel bothers Rome
Caesar wants Britain’s natural resources; it produced surplus crop yields
mining: tin, iron, lead (except tin from Spain became cheaper)
also: cattle, hides, slaves, dogs
Catuvellani mint coins decorated with ears of corn
Britons import glassware, pottery, jewelry with amber and ivory
British horse-drawn chariots put Roman legions at disadvantage
Romans have experience, strategy
Romans retreat: establish first client tribe in Britain
confirm that the end of the world is further west
storms in Channel make Julius Caesar turn back
? Julius Caesar sails up Thames to attack; ships sunk by iron and lead stakes under the water line; Cassibellaunus attacks from shore; Romans retreat to Flanders
Fight during celebration between Cassibellaunus’ kinsmen ends in murder; Cassibellaunus and kinsman Androgeus have bitter argument; Cassibellaunus attacks Androgeus’ land; Androgeus contacts Julius Caesar about helping him tame Cassibellaunus
Julius Caesar meets Cassibellaunus’ army near Canterbury; Androgeus helps Julius Caesar corner Cassibellaunus on hilltop in siege; Cassibellaunus begs for Androgeus’ help; Androgeus asks Julius Caesar to stop; tribute will be paid to Rome. Androgeus goes to Rome with Julius Caesar.
52 BC Battle of Alesia, Vercingetorix and Gauls decisively defeated by Julius Caesar
? King Tenuantius, warrior, promotes justice
29-19 BC Vergil writes Aeneid; memorization required in Roman schools Geoffrey used
? King Kimbelinus, brought up and knighted by Augustus Caesar
Jesus Christ born in Kimbelinus’ reign
4 BC – 5 AD Dumno, British king, Dunvallo (Dynfwal), name on coins
1st c. AD Tain bo Cuailnge culture in Ireland
“The Wooing of Emer” includes CuChulainn freeing a Hebridean princess from 3 Fomoire (mythical sea monsters). He didn’t want the reward of marrying the princess. First example of Dragon Slayer story. Trystan does the same with Morholt. Drust mac Seirb is one of CuChulainn’s followers on the expedition. (Bromwich)
Britain — standard of living rising for people living near Roman outposts
Roman religion: worship of the emperor enhanced by adding other gods
Neptune and Minerva are state deities
local leaders could be deities
places (Genius)
abstracts (Fortuna, Disciplinaria, Victoria)
matched Roman-Celtic gods: Minerva-Sulis, Mars-Camulos, Mars- Toutates, Mars-Cocidius, Mars-Leucetius
Religion: Mithras worshipped in a mithraeum; mostly near Hadrian’s Wall
cost of Roman presence – proscription & taxes – keeps tribes on the attack
Arturia gens – Roman names coming to Britain
4 AD colored rain lasts 5 hours (usually indicates recent volcano)
7 first recorded Thames flood
14 major Severn River flood, great damage
15 gale & sea flood along North Sea coast; many Roman soldiers drown
18 gale/hurricane; damage much of what is now called Westminster
40 storms, rain, hail, and strange lightning ruin corn in England
? King Guider refuses to pay tribute
43 Claudius arrives and begins conquest
? King Guider killed in battle against Claudius; bro Arviragus puts on Guider’s armor and routs Romans. Claudius and Arviragus face each other at Winchester, Claudius, intimidated, offers Arviragus a truce and his daughter to marry if Arviragus just recognizes Rome’s authority over the Britons. Arviragus accepts.
King Arviragus begins with good judgement, but becomes contemptuous of Romans; Vespasian is sent; Queen Gewissa reconciles them; Vespasian returns to Rome; Arviragus bring peace and law; his reputation spread to Rome. “Juvenal in his satires tells how a blind man said to Nero, while discussing a newly caught turbot: ‘you will capture a king or Arviragus shall fall from his British chariot.'”
4 divisions (25,000 men) and auxiliaries (manned forts, not fighters)
Britons have hillforts and keep fighting
43-later Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus/Togidubnus, king of Regni, made Roman citizen
48 Thames flood; several thousand people drown; rainfall; tidal/storm surge?
49 Colchester founded, first Roman colonia
great temple built for state religion: worship of the emperor
50 severe, extended winter: all rivers & lakes freeze from November to April
60 Romans cross the Menai Straits destroy religious sanctuaries on Anglesey
Anglesey is particularly wealthy because of copper
Boudicca revolts against Roman plundering of the Iceni; Trinovantes too
destroys garrison at Colchester and the garrison’s relievers
revolt leaves layer of ash from London to St Albans
Romans outmaneuver rebels and cut them up
great sea floods in both Britain and France
67 great gale/hurricane in Britain; many die; 15,000 houses fall
68-9 rain and drought: two-year famine; thousands die
69 lightning destroys part of London
89 blood rain for 3 days
? King Marius, great wisdom and knowledge; pays tribute to Rome; justice, peace, law and all honor.
Pictish King Rodric arrives from Scythia, started attacking Albania; Marius defeats and kills Rodric; province eventually named Westmoreland after him; “Marius set up a stone; upon it is an inscription which preserves his memory to the present day.” Marius lets surviving Picts live in deserted Caithness; refuses to let Picts marry Britons; sends them to Ireland for wives. “But enough of the Picts, since it is not my intention to write either their history or that of the Scots, who are descended from them and the Irish.”
90s Lincoln founded as colonia; Gloucester a year later: both former fortresses
tribal capitols were also made into towns; aid given for Romanizing
98 Agricola by Tacitus: unknown until Renaissance
107 heavy rain for 9 months; then famine
? King Coillus, brought up in Rome, just, showed great respect for nobles
123 initial conquest complete
begin Hadrian’s wall
merchants and traders bring news of Christianity
127 Juvenal’s Satires, Geoffrey used
133 Hadrian’s wall finished
134 Thames freezes over for 2 months
139 drought; Thames dries up for 2 days
150s Antonine wall begun in response to unrest
153 severe frost; Thames freezes
? King Lucius, good deeds, asks Pope Eleutherius for instruction in Christian religion; pope sends Faganus and Duvianus who baptize Lucius and all Britons; temples are turned into churches; high priests are replaced with archbishops at York, London, and Caerleon; pagan priests are replaced by 28 bishops. Faganus and Duvianus return to Rome for confirmation of their work.
Story of baptism of Brits in Bede and Nennius
156 d King Lucius without heirs, causing civil strife
165-189 Antonine plague through Empire: 20th Legion mass grave Gloucester
173 frost for 3 months
174-189 Pope Eleutherius
190+ wall built around London
196 Clodius Albinus takes all Roman troops to Gaul in hopes of becoming emperor
Septimus Severus defeats him
Northern tribes destroy walls and forts of Roman Britain
by 199 Expansion of the Roman world has stopped
200 Lucius Artorius Castus, centurion, Legion VI (York), inscriptions in Croatia
200s Quiet frontiers, internal security, strong government in Britain, generally
? Roman senate sends Severus; he pushes the Britons up to Alba; Fulgenius fights back with Britons; goes to Scythia to get Pictish troops; ends in battle where Severus is killed and Fulgenius mortally wounded
208 – 211+ Septimus Severus then Caracalla subdue tribes and rebuild
Every Roman town in Britain has wall
Romans having problems on Rhine and Danube frontiers; some soldiers
in Britain come from those areas
210-220 Reculver built, first of the Saxon Shore forts
? Severus’s sons fight over rule; Bassianus wins
212 Constitutio Antoniniana: everyone except slaves given Roman citizenship
214 flood; River Trent overflows 20 miles wide each side
220 severe frost for 5 months
233 rain in Scotland for 5 months; then famine
234 gale in Canterbury blows down 200 houses
245 sea flood in Lincolnshire loses 1,000 acres to the sea
249 England blood rains; bloody sword after sunset
249-251 Alban, Aaron, and Julius first British Christians martyred (under Decius)
250c Thames freezes for 5 to 9 weeks
250s on Saxon pirates along shores of the Channel
Spanish tin mines closed, so Cornish tin mines are reopened
Tertullian (Carthage) and Origen (Caesarea) allude to Christianity in Britain
253 gale? 900 houses blow down in London
270-300 several “sea incursions” in the southern North Sea; implies storm surges of some sort — probably the first signs of the climate change at the end of the Roman- Celtic ‘benign’ era
277 storm kills several people in London
? King Bassanius
Carausius gets Roman Senate’s permission to protect coastline; instead, plunders coast; in with Picts; kills Bassianus; gives Picts Scotland
King Carausius
287-293 Roman fleet commander in Britain Carausius (from Belgium) proclaims himself emperor and rules Britain, the Low Countries, and northern Gaul
Northern tribes take opportunity to pillage as far south as Chester
? Alectus, sent by Senate, assassinates Carausius and punishes Britons for deserting the Roman state to join Carausius. Britons support Asclepiodotus, duke of Cornwall; big fight; Allectus is killed; Livius Gallus gathers Romans in London; Briton tribes Demeti, Venedoti, Deiri, and Albani arrive to help siege; Romans beg for mercy; Asclepiodotus is going to show mercy, but Venedoti kill all the Romans.
King Asclepiodotus, rules 10 years in full justice and peace
291c severe winter in Britain; most rivers freeze for 6 to 9 weeks
293-296 Allectus assassinates Carausius, Emperor Britain/Gaul;
295-6 severe winter in Easton
296 Constantius Chlorus (a caesar) kills Allectus; cleans up the north
builds shore forts on the Channel and rivers, including Irish Sea
? Rome sends Maximianus Herculius to Britain; he demolishes the churches, burns sacred writings; executes priests and believers; martyrs: Alban of Verolamium, Julius and Aaron of Caerleon
? Coel, duke of Kaercolum (Colchester), kills Asclepiodotus in battle; takes crown
King Coel; Rome sends Constantius who agrees to keep Coel king, pay tribute
Coel crowns Constantius before dying; Constantius m Coel’s dau Helena “She was more beautiful than any girl in the country and was considered to have no equal in playing musical instruments and in the liberal arts. Lacking any other offspring to inherit the throne, her father had taken pains to educate her in such a way that she could rule the country more easily when he died.”
King Constantius rules for 11 years, wise and brave
King Constantine, maintains justice and reestablishes peace
(Geoffrey’s desc similar to Wm of M’s desc of immigrants under H1)
refugees from Maxentius’ despotism in Rome flee to Britain, beg Constantine to act; Constantine marches on Rome; conquers it; gains control of the whole world; makes Helena’s 3 uncles senators;
Octavius, duke of Gewissei, rebels and occupies throne of Britain
Trahern (Helena’s uncle) fights Octavius, loses, nearly wins; murdered
300s generally prosperous
301 Edict of Diocletian sets maximum prices: British hooded cloaks & rugs valuable
303 Diocletianic Persecution of Christians by emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius.
313 Edict of Milan by Constantine and Licinius ends persecution of Christians
314 Council of Arles condemns Donatist heresy; bishops present from York, London, and probably Colchester
316-97 St Martin of Tours
324 rain of blood for 6 hours in Somerset
329 most rivers freeze for 6 weeks; deep snow in Wales (may have been 359)
341 Britain: snow up to 15 feet lies for 6 weeks
347 British church reps at the Council of Sardica
349 gale; 420 houses fall, many die, in Carlisle
350 +/- Pelagius born in Britain
359 continuous frost for 14 weeks in Scotland (may have been 329)
British church reps at the Council of Ariminum
362 drought in London
? King Octavius, rich and long lived, no son only dau
succession planning: Conanus Meriadocus wants crown; Caradocus duke of Cornwall sends his son Mauricus to Rome to invite Maximianus to be king; Octavius agrees to hand crown and dau to Maximianus; fighting with Conanus until make friends.
King Maximianus, 5 years on, wants to conquer France; starts with Armorica for Conanus Meriadocus; ships in 100,000 Brits to make Armorica a second Britain; kills Emperor Gratian and drives Emperor Valentinian from Rome
Conanus Meriadocus finally quells French and orders 11,000 wives from England. “Many amid such a throng were pleased by the plan, but more objected, having greater affection for their parents and country; probably there were also some who preferred virginity to marriage, being willing to die anywhere on earth rather than to seek wealth in such a way.” Ships sank; women drowned, were killed, or were made slaves. Wanius king of Huns and Melga king of Franks find girls, kill them, then attack Britain.
Maximianus sends Gratianus Municeps to Britain; he drives Huns and Franks into Ireland
Maximianus is murdered in Rome
King Gratianus Municeps, tyrant so bad a bunch of commoners killed him
Back come Wanius and Melga with Irish, Norwegians, and Danes
entreaties sent to Rome
Legion cleans Wanius, Melga, Irish, Norwegians, and Danes out of Britain
tells Brits to build a wall from coast to coast bet Scotland and Deira
Romans tell Brits they won’t help them anymore
Brits are attacked again and slaughtered; Romans refuse to help
367 combined Pict, Scot, Saxon, and Frankish attacks
Pict on far north
Scot on the west
Saxons and Franks on south and east Britain and northern Gaul
Count Theodosius sent by Vespasion?, takes 3 years to set things straight
Hadrian’s Wall rebuilt but not manned
fortified towns that had grown in area kept the peace pretty much
374 drought
before 381 Cassibellaunus — Bede mentions
383 Magnus Maximus — high military officer in Britain (Spanish) takes troops to fight emperor Gratian near Paris; Gratian flees and is murdered in Lyons
Magnus Maximus bleeding Britain of Roman troops
Roman Empire divided:
Magnus Maximus holds Gaul, Spain, and Britain
Theodosius the Great in Constantinople
Valentinian II (Gratian bro) in Italy
387 Magnus Maximus invades Italy
388 Magnus Maximus killed fighting Theodosius
Empire reunited under Theodosius
? Guithelinus, Archbishop of London, crosses to Armorica to ask King Aldroenus for help. Androenus doesn’t want to help Britons because they were willing to submit to Rome. “… the evil sway of Rome has done it so much harm that no one can enjoy lasting power there without losing their freedom, oppressed beneath the yoke of slavery.” He entrusts Guithelinus with his brother Constantinus, an excellent soldier, and troops.
King Constantinus, has sons Constans, Aurelius Ambrosius, Uther Pendragon;
Constans is made a monk; Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon are given to Archbishop Guithelinus to bring up
10 years later, a Pict stabs and kills King Constantinus
Vortigern, earl of the Gewissei, convinces Constans to become king
(V blamed in Nennius/Bede/Gildas/HoH; Geoffrey greatly expands)
King Constans, gives all power to Vortigern who then wants to be king
Vortigern uses Picts to kill Constans; AA and UP run to Brittany
King Vortigern, worried about attacks from Picts, and AA and UP
Hengest and Horsa land in Kent (“mare” and “stallion”)
Saxons rout a Pictish attack for Vortigern
Vortigern gives Hengest the area of Lindsey
more Saxons arrive, inc Hengest’s dau Ronwein,
“Lauerd king, wassail.” “Drincheil.” Terms still used.
Vortigern gets Ronwein in exchange for Kent
Octa and more Saxons arrive
Brits worried because “no one knew who was pagan and who Christian, since the pagans had married their daughters and relatives.” They abandon Vortigern and crown his son Vortimer.
King Vortimer, successful against Saxon fighters who leave for Germany; Ronwein poisons him
King Vortigern (continued), sends for Hengest and Saxons; Hengest offers to have a meeting with all the Saxon nobles to decide how many Saxons should return to Germany; May Day; Brits come unarmed; Saxons hide knives and sit in between the Brits; “nimet oure saxas” (Draw our knives); 460 killed; Eldol, earl of Gloucester one of the few survivors; Saxons threaten Vortigern so he gives them all the cities; he runs to Wales
Summons magicians; they say, build a very strong tower
Tower keeps sinking; magicians say to use blood of boy with no dad
soldiers find Merlin; mom says she was a nun and a guy kept appearing in the night; magician Maugantius says the guy was an incubi, part human and part angel. Merlin tells Vortigern that his magicians don’t know what they’re doing. He tells them that there is a pool underneath the tower; further, that there are dragons in the pool.
The dragons are uncovered.
Merlin is moved by his spirit (& Vortigern’s wishes) to relate Prophecies.
Prophecies of Merlin
Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon land the next day
King Aurelius Ambrosius, giver, pious, hated lies, moderate, top soldier/commander, famous
burns Vortigern in his tower (first, handle betrayer of his father)
has Breton soldiers as well as Brits inc Demetae, Venedoti, Eldol of Gloucester, Gorlois of Cornwall; defeats Saxons; Hengest prisoner
Bishop decides Hengest’s and Octa’s fates based on OT prophets
restores churches, cities, families, laws
wants to build monument in memory of the nobles betrayed by Hengest
no carpenters/stonemasons can help;
Tremorinus archbishop of Caerleon suggests Merlin; he’s found at the spring of Galahes in Gewissei; he refuses to prophesy without purpose; King Aurelius Ambrosius asks about monument; Merlin says to move the Giants’ Ring from Ireland; the stones are magic & healing, brought by African giants; Merlin and Uther Pendragon take troops to Ireland; no one can take stones down until Merlin prepares contrivances; set up as Stonehenge burial memorial
Samson archbishop of York; Dubricius archbishop of Caerleon; Saxons attack, are put down, retreat to King Gillomanius of Ireland;
Eopa offers to poison the already ill Aurelius Ambrosius, shaves off his beard, tonsures his hair, poses as doctor, poisons Aurelius Ambrosius
Uther Pendragon, about to fight Irish/Saxons, sees comet of “great size and brightness, with a single tail. Attached to the tail was a fiery mass stretching out like a dragon, from whose mouth issued two rays, one of which seemed to extend beyond the skies of France, the other towards the Irish sea and to end in seven smaller rays.”
Merlin says AA is dead; Uther needs to attack immediately and will win and become king (Uther is comet and dragon); ray over France is Uther’s powerful son will possess all kingdoms beneath the ray; other ray is Uther’s daughter whose sons and grandsons will rule Britain.
King Uther Pendragon, has 2 dragons cast in gold: 1 for Winchester, 1 for battle
Saxons invade and corner Britons, Britons win; Uther puts down Scotland
Easter celebration: Uther infatuated by Gorlois’ wife Igerna; Gorlois leaves in anger “since he feared to lose the thing he loved the most,” Uther angry at Gorlois, attacks Cornwall; Gorlois at Dimilioc, Igerna at Tintagel; advisor Ulfin of Ridcaradoc says Tintagel is impregnable, only Merlin could help; “When he saw how troubled the king was on her account, Merlin was moved by Uther’s great passion.” Strange arts and herbs. Uther “cured himself through the love-making he had longed for.” Meanwhile, Gorlois is killed and belongings ransacked; message sent to Igerna; Uther doesn’t get caught. Marries Igerna, kids Arthur and Anna.
(wife abductions: Gruffydd ap Llywelyn 1039; Nest 1109; Welsh law. Classical: Hercules, Alcmena, Amphitryon; Welsh: Pryderi; Irish: CuChulainn, 4 more)
*enough years pass for dau Anna to marry Loth of Lothian*
Loth is defending against Saxons while Uther is ill; Saxon upper hand; Uther leads from a litter; destroys almost all Saxons
Saxons poison the well Uther uses; king and 100 men die
King Arthur, 15, generous, war on Saxons to give gifts with their wealth; “Right was on his side as he should have been ruler of the entire island by lawful inheritance.”
Battle at River Duglas (area of York), Saxons, Scots, Picts; Arthur wins; Saxons retreat
Cador duke of Cornwall slaughters Saxons
Baldulfus, Saxon seeking besieged bro Colgrimus, shaves off hair and beard, assumes dress of a player with a harp. When Saxons inside wall recognize him, they pull him up inside using ropes. Nothing further develops with this bit of story.
King Hoelus of Brittany is son of Arthur’s sister and king Budicius of the Armorican Britons (Double sister); helps Arthur
Battle at Kaerluidcoit (Lincoln) Arthur wins, pursues Saxons into forest of Colidon; Saxons aided by trees; Arthur has trees cut down, trunks used to barricade Saxons in. Starving Saxons give in, give their wealth to Arthur, set sail for Germany, change their minds, land at Totnes.
Arthur rushes to Bath leaving sick Hoelus up north
Battle of Bath
Dubricius archibishop of Caerleon invokes Crusade-talk in urging soldiers: “If any of you falls in this battle, let his death, provided he does not shrink from it, be the repentance and cleansing of all his sins.”
Arthur: hauberk worthy of a mighty king
golden helmet engraved with image of dragon
shoulders his shield Pridwen, depicting Virgin Mary
Caliburnus forged on the isle of Avallon
spear called Ron, long, broad-bladed
Arthur’s forces overcome Saxons; Arthur leaves Cador to mop up
Cador first makes sure the Saxons can’t get to their ships
Cador chases Saxons to Isle of Thanet; wipes them out; joins Arthur
Britain is free of Saxons
Loch Lomond: 60 islands, 60 rivers, 1 flows to sea; eagles, nest on each isle, cry out marvels; Scots and Picts starve; Gillamurius, king of Ireland, attacks Arthur then retreats; Arthur wiping out every Scot, and Pict
bishops come to Arthur barefoot, carrying relics, beg for mercy
Scots, Picts, and Irish are completely conquered
Hoelus visits loch and islands; Arthur tells of square area nearby
Wales/Severn/Linligwan: extreme tidal bore
York for Christmas; Samson and others had fled; Piramus archbishop
Arthur restores church and nobility; Loth, Urianus, Auguselus
Loth, during AA’s reign m king’s sister, sons Gawain and Modred
(Culwch & Olwen = Arthur leads band of international warriors. Curley)
Arthur desires to conquer Ireland, does; defeats Iceland
Gotland and Orkney come to him and submit
12 years of peace
Arthur invites best men from foreign kingdoms; he’s envied
Arthur exults at being universally feared & decides to conquer
Beats Norway to put Loth on throne he should have inherited
Gawain is 12 years old
Arthur attacks Roman province of Gaul under tribune Frollo
Leo is emperor of Rome (doesn’t exist)
One-on-one combat bet Arthur and Frollo on island; dramatic
Arthur receives dangerous hit; angered, gives Frollo mortal wound
“When Arthur saw his hauberk and shield red with his own flowing blood, his anger knew no bounds and, raising Caliburnus with all his strength, he brought it down through Frollo’s helmet and cut his head in two. Frollo fell mortally wounded, drumming the earth with his heels, and breathed his last.”
(HofH describes Edmund Ironsides 1-on-1 combat with Cnut. Cnut, losing, suggests they should divide kingdom. They do.
WmofM says Wm Conq offered to fight Harald 1-on-1)
9 years: Arthur has Hoelus subue Poitou and Arthur subdues the rest
Beduerus, butler gets Normandy; Kaius, steward gets Anjou
Whitsun Feast at Caerleon, chosen for wealth, position, spaces, archbishopric
college of 200 scholars in astronomy and other sciences
many kings, nobles with trappings, mules, horses, anyone “worth his salt”
coronation then feasts; golden swords, doves; old Trojan custom to celebrate feast days separately; music, singing; ermine, vair; “So noble was Britain then that it surpassed other kingdoms in its inhabitants. All its doughty knights wore clothes and armour of a single colour. Its elegant ladies, similarly dressed, spurned the love of any man who had not proved himself three times in battle. So the ladies were chaste and better women, whilst the knights conducted themselves more virtuously for the sake of their love.” Sports feigning battle, boxing gloves, spears, throwing heavy stones, chess, dice. Arthur rewards winners and hands out gifts. Dubricius archbishop of Caerleon retires and Arthur’s uncle David takes his place. Archbishop Samson of Dol is replaced by Teliaus, priest of Llandaff. Maugannius made bishop of Silchester, Duvianus made bishop of Winchester, Eledenius made bishop of Dumbarton.
Geoffrey takes names from native source in the British language
12 mature men carrying olive branches bring message from Lucius Hiberius (Geoffrey invents) Roman procurator; charges Arthur with (1) conquering Roman Gaul and (2) not paying tribute. Orders Arthur to appear at Rome; otherwise, Rome will “recover with the sword” what Arthur has taken.
Arthur and advisors interpret this as aggression from Rome deserving war from Arthur (1) “what is obtained by force of arms is never the rightful possession of the aggressor,” (2) Rome should pay tribute to Britain because Beli & Brennius, then Constantine and Maximianus were both kings of Britain then Rome, (3) we are soaked in freedom, (4) the Sibyl and God are with us.
Arthur hears that Lucius Hiberius is heading out of Rome
Mordred and Queen Ganhumara in charge of Britain
Crossing the Channel, Arthur dreams of a bear flying, growling, and dragon swooping from west; wondrous duel which dragon wins Interpreters say it’s Arthur fighting giant; Arthur thinks otherwise; giant from Spain has abducted Hoelus’s niece Helena; Arthur, Kaius, and Beduerus find Helena’s nurse; Arthur fights dragon and laughs, recalling earlier giant fight (Ritho had a cloak of beards from his kills)
Helena’s tomb on nearby island Tombelaine
Autun, Boso of Oxford, Gerinus of Chartres, and Gawain meet Romans
Lucius’s forces have Muslim sounding names and places
Gawain responds to verbal insult with kill; takes prisoners from Romans chasing them
Arthur v. Rome: Kaius brings body of Bederus to Arthur’s golden dragon standard then dies; death avenged; lose earls of Flanders, Boulogne, Chester, Salisbury, Bath; saved by Armorican Britons led by Hoelus and Gawain; then saved by Arthur; then saved by Morvid earl of Gloucester; Lucius killed; Arthur wins
Arthur begins to march on Rome and Emperor Leo in summer, but news comes of Modred’s and Ganhumara’s betrayals.
King Arthur returns to Britain with only troops from the islands and Britain
Modred has imported lots of Saxons, as well as Picts, Scots, Irish, fugitives, Arthur’s enemies
Battle trying to land at Richborough, Gawain killed, Arthur lands
Modred heads to Winchester
Queen Ganhumara flees from York to Caerleon, takes veil with nuns at Church of St Julius
Battle at Winchester: Modred retreats to Cornwall
Battle at River Camblan: Modred dies, Arthur mortally wounded, taken away to island of Avallon
542 Arthur gives crown to Constantinus, son of Cador, duke of Cornwall
390 c b St Patrick in Roman Britain: father a deacon, grandfather a priest
probably educated in reading, writing, public speaking
at 16, captured with thousands by Irish and enslaved
395 d Theodosius
child Honorius is emperor
391-410 Pelagius in Rome
end of c Romano-Saxon pottery appears in eastern Britain
400 cold winter
400-480 frequent storminess in North Sea; English Channel coastal changes
400-600 Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians, Swabians
Blair, Roman Britain and Early England: 55BC – AD 871
gradual settling in Britain
move from Roman farms to Anglo-Saxon villages
400-500 Cantiorix Stone near Ffestiniog, Wales. “Cantiori lies here; he was a citizen of Gwynedd, a cousin of Maglus the magistrate.” 1st mention of kingdom of Gwynedd. Suggests continuing Roman language and political system.
before 410 Gerentius, British general, rebels against Constantine
410 after 2 usurpers, Constantine III takes troops to Gaul; captured in Arles;
Britain now defenseless, abandoned by civil admin staff and field army
only civitates, the cantonal capitals of local government, are left
Honorius writes to the civitates to look out for their own defenses
Roman Britain org & mindset without armies and top leaders
Visigoths sack Rome
severe winter
411 Pelagius at the synod of Carthage
417 Orosius writes Historiae Adversus Paganos; Geoffrey uses
Orosius was traveler who visited Augustine and Jerome
418-421 Dunvallo “Molmutius,” king of Cornwall, formerly Count of the Saxon Shore, in Roman service, was the power in southern England
423 Britain no longer part of the Roman Empire
429 Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, comes to Britain to refute Pelagian teachings
over time Christianity spreads to Wales, Ireland, and Scotland
425-455 R Vortigern (Gildas doesn’t name, Bede does) Geoffrey uses
431-32 cold winter
436 a huge snow in Ireland
439 famine; drought
445 Patrick has stone church built at Armagh, monastic community develops
446-450 Britons appeal to Roman Counsel Aetius for aid — Bede
446 c Epistola of St Patrick
Confessio of St Patrick
Passage of Dominion from Brits to Saxons — attack by Hengist & Horsa
Hengist and Horsa among the Jutes invading
449 Vortigern (Wertigern), Hengist and Horsa, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
450 c migration from Hampshire & southern Britain to north-western Gaul begins
De rei militari by Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus Geoffrey knew
453 tradition is that Hengist founds Kent
“At that time the Saxons increased in numbers and grew in Britain. After the death of Hengist, Octa, his son, came down from the north part of Britain to the kingdom of the Kentishmen, and from there are sprung the kings of the Kentishmen. Then Arthur fought at that time against them in those days along with the kings of the Britons, but he was their leader in battles.” (Historia Brittonum)
454 Britain: drought, then famine
455 battle in Kent against Saxons
457 battle in Kent against Saxons; Brits flee to London
d St. Patrick (Annales Cambriae)
461-462 severe winter
465 – 473 battles in Kent against Saxons; Brits fleeing
470 Scotland: 10 months of rain
470 c Riothamus, Romano-British military leader
474 4 months of great snow
477-491 R AElle, king of the South Saxons (broad dates)
479 Thames-based flood
480-500 b Saint Teilo
480-547 Saint Benedict of Nursia, “Rule of Saint Benedict”
Saint Florent, follower of Benedict?
490?? siege of Mons Badonicus — Gildas says about 50 yrs of peace followed
Ambrosius Aurelianus won the battle for the Brits
497 c b Saint Cadoc, Abbot of Lancarfan, Wales — vita written before 1086 by Lifris
“Cadoc came into conflict with Arthur: the vita depicts Arthur as great and bold but willful. Lifris writes that Cadoc gave protection to a man who had killed three of Arthur’s soldiers and Arthur was awarded a herd of cattle from Cadoc as compensation. Cadoc delivered them but when Arthur took possession of them they were transformed into bundles of ferns. In the later Arthurian Welsh Triads, Cadoc, with Illtud and Peredur, is one of three knights said to have become keepers of the Holy Grail. The kings Maelgwn of Gwynedd and Rhain Dremrudd of Brycheiniog also feature in Cadoc’s vita. Saint Cadoc’s Church at Caerleon, which, though of Norman origin and much rebuilt, stands on the foundations of the Roman legion headquarters, and may memorialize an early cell of Cadoc’s, an old traditionsuggests that in this case Cadoc is a corruption of Cadfrod. Caerleon was also associated with Arthur.” (Wikipedia)
500 d King Gwynllyw (Woolos), Saint, father of Cadoc, wife was Gwladys (Gladys)
Stow Hill, now Newport Cathedral, both he & wife hermits, fountain
figure in Arthur tales
“By this time, the storminess of the latter part of the 5th century had ‘re-arranged’ some coastal alignment in East Anglia. . . Also note that evidence of significant rise in peat bog deposits by or around this time: there implies greater ‘wetness’ (and presumably cyclonicity).”
500s Saint Carantoc, abbot, confessor, and saint in Wales and the West Country, listed among the Cornish Saints. “The saint, having returned to Wales, crossed the Bristol Channel, looking for his portable altar. He arrived on the banks of the River Willett and came into conflict with both King Cado of Dumnonia and King Arthur at Dunster in Somerset. Carantoc was eventually obliged to defeat a ferocious dragon in order to retrieve his altar and, in return, was given land at nearby Carhampton to found a monastery.” (Wikipedia)
Saint Goeznovius/Goueznou, Cornish-born bishop of Leon in Brittany, Legenda Sancti Goeznovii, 1100s/1200s “The preface describes the traditional story of Vortigern, who usurps the British throne and invites Saxon warriors into the country as protection. The Saxons caused great suffering among the Britons, until they were largely driven out by the new king, Arthur. Arthur proceeded to win battles in Britain and in Gaul but was eventually “summoned… from human activity,” paving the way for the Saxons to return. The Saxon persecution caused many of the Britons to flee to Gaul, where they established Brittany.” (Wikipedia)
St. Illtud “Illtud the Knight”, “is venerated as the founder-abbot and teacher of a divinity school in the Welsh county of Glamorgan. He founded the monastery and college in the 6th century, and the school is believed to be Britain’s earliest centre of learning. At its height, it had over 1000 pupils and schooled many of the great saints of the age, including Saint David of Wales, Gildas the Historian, and Samson of Dol. St. Illtud was popular among the very ancient Celts, but there are few dependable sources about his life story. The earliest mention of St. Illtud is in the Vita Sancti Sampsonis, written in Dol, Brittany, about 600 AD. According to this account, Illtud was the disciple of Bishop Germanus of Auxerre in north- central France. According to the St. Sampson biography, Illtud was the most accomplished of all the Britons, and was well versed in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as well as every type of philosophy, including geometry, rhetoric, grammar, and arithmetic. He was also “gifted with the power of foretelling future events.” It appears that he was an educated Briton living shortly after Rome’s departure from the West.
“According to a rather untrustworthy later Norman Life of St. Illtud, c. 1140, Illtud was the son of a Breton prince and a cousin of King Arthur. According to this Life, Illtud’s parents intended him for service in the church and had him educated in literature for this purpose. However, he forsook his religious upbringing, choosing instead to pursue a military career. He took a wife named Trynihid, and became a soldier in western Britain (now Wales), in service first to King Arthur, and then to the King Poulentus. As a result of this, he is sometimes called St. Illtud the Knight. One afternoon, he took a hunting party onto the lands of Cadoc. The party sent a message to the abbot, demanding that the abbot feed them. The abbot deemed their demand to be very rude and improper, but graciously offered them a meal anyway. Before they could enjoy the meal, the ground opened up and swallowed the whole party as just punishment for their impiety. Only Illtud was spared, and he went to St. Cadog on his knees, begging forgiveness for his sinful act. The abbot told him to give up his selfish ways and go back to his religious upbringing. Inspired, Illtud gave up his wife, and became a hermit in the Vale of Glamorgan (a matrimonial detail which, like many of his alleged miracles, may be regarded as fairly dubious).
“What is certain is that Illtud helped pioneer the monastic life of Wales by founding a monastery in what is now Llantwit Major. This became the first major Welsh monastic school, and was a hub of Celtic Christianity in Sub-Roman Britain.
“Illtud’s own pupils are reckoned to have included seven sons of British princes and scholars such as Saint Patrick, Paul Aurelian, Taliesin, Gildas and Samson of Dol. Saint David is also believed to have spent some time there.” (Wikipedia)
The earliest mention of St. Illtud is in the Vita Sancti Sampsonis, written in Dol, Brittany, about 600 AD. “According to this account, Illtud was the disciple of Bishop Germanus of Auxerre in north-central France. According to the St Sampson biography, Illtud was the most accomplished of all the Britons, and was well versed in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as well as every type of philosophy, including geometry, rhetoric, grammar, and arithmetic. He was also ‘gifted with the power of foretelling future events.’ It appears that he was an educated Briton living shortly after Rome’s departure from the West.”
Memorial Stone at Castle Dore in Cornwall: DRVSTANUS HIC IACUT CVNOMORI FILIUS. Tristian is Pictish name.
King March rules either Glamorgan or Cornwall. Vita of St Paul Aurelain
Tyrannical King Meirchiawn rules in Glamorgan in same period
March ap Meirchiawn mentioned in the Triads, the Breuddwydd Rhonabwy, and the Stanzas of the Grave. March (Marcus) is a personal name in Welsh. March = horse
508 Rivers freeze for 2 months
516 “The Battle of Badon, in which Arthur carried the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ for three days and three nights on his shoulders and the Britons were the victors.” (Annales Cambriae)
unknown date from Historia Brittonum: “The first battle was at the mouth of the river called Glein. The second, the third, the fourth, and the fifth were on another river, called the Douglas, which is in the country of Linnius. The sixth battle was on the river called Bassas. The seventh battle was in Celyddon forest, that is, the Battle of Celyddon Coed. The eighth battle was at Guinnion fort, and in it Arthur carried the image of the holy Mary, the everlasting virgin, on his shoulder, and the heathen were put to flight that day, and there was great slaughter upon them, through the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Virgin Mary, his mother. The ninth battle was fought in the city of the Legion. The tenth battle was fought on the bank of the river called Tryfrwyd. The eleventh battle was on the hill called Agned. The twelfth battle was on Badon hill and in it nine hundred and sixty men fell in one day, from a single charge of Arthur’s, and no one laid them low save he alone, and he was victorious in all his campaigns.”
516c Hygelac’s death, recorded by Gregory of Tours (Beowulf)
518 c St Teilo, St David, and St Padam make pilgrimage to Jerusalem where all 3 are consecrated bishops by John III, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
518-603 St Kentigern (Mungo), mother was daughter of King of Lothia, (Jocelyn source)
legend that Owain mab Urien (d. 595) was father
created see of Glasgow in 540
553 to Wales, stayed with St David, founded St Asaph’s
back in Glasgow, met St Columba
figures in Merlin stories
519 R Cerdic, King of the Gewissae, earliest known king of Wessex, according to
king list written in Glastonbury in the 930s, during Aethelstan’s reign
520 major storm surge in Cardigan Bay
521 Samson ordained bishop by St Dubricius (Life of St Samson, 7th c.)
525 Thames frozen for 6 weeks
522c young King Arthur breaks Saxons near Bath at Mount Badon
victory there enables him to unify kingdom and become global power, nearly winning Rome
530 +/- Samson builds monastery in Cornwall at Fowey on way to Dol (Charles Thomas)
? Samson moved to Dol, established a monastery
“Tours, which was the metropolis of the province of Armorica under the Romans, enjoyed, from the time of St. Martin, the metropolitical jurisdiction over Mans, Angers, and the nine bishoprics of Brittany. Sampson the Elder, bishop of York, being expelled by the Saxons, came into Armorica, and founded the see of Dol, in which he exercised a metropolitical jurisdiction, which King Howel or Rioval obliged him to assert, because these Britons were an independent people, separate from the Gauls. Sampson’s two successors, St. Turiave and St. Sampson, enjoyed the same. The contest between Tours and Dol was not finished till Innocent III in 1199 declared Dol and all the other bishoprics of Brittany subject to the Archbishop of Tours.” (bartleby.com)
534 d Cerdic
stable, unified government, threatened by Mordred from within
535 or 536 volcanic eruption in East Indies “is estimated to have put around 300Mt of aerosols into the stratosphere. This would have brought about an abrupt drop in world-wide temperature, and concomitant changes in atmospheric (& perhaps oceanic) circulation. It is thought that the effects (famine etc) were experienced over the (then) known world, with a ‘severe plague’ in the years 541-544 possibly connected; up to 25% of the populations of Africa, Europe and Asia affected. A ‘famine’/shortage of bread noted over Ireland in 538, and, if accepted as part of this phase, a severe winter in 554. [some publications have the effects lasting until at least 555, and certainly tree-ring data suggest a period of reduced growth for western Europe up to at least 545… These events may be the origin of the ‘Rimbul winter’ of Norse legend.” (booty.org)
537 “The battle of Camlan, in which Arthur and Medraut fell: and there was a plague in Britain and Ireland.” (Annales Cambriae)
Annales Cambriae doesn’t say Arthur and Mordred were antagonists
538 b Gregory of Tours
542 d King Arthur (mortally wounded, goes off to Isle of Avalon)
King Constantinus, son of Cador, Duke of Cornwall
defeats Modred’s sons who flee
David bishop of Bangor dies
Theonus bishop of Gloucester is raised to archbishop of London
David archbishop of Caerleon dies at Menevia, replaced by Kinocus
Constantinus murders Modred’s sons, one in monastery, one in church
Britain hit by devastating plagues and famines
surviving Britons flee to Wales
544-545 intensely cold winter
547-547 d King Constantinus, of God’s wrath
King Aurelius Conanus, fond of civil strife
547 d Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of Gwynedd, in Gildas and Geoffrey, Red Book
in Welsh legend from before 1100, Taliesin and Myrddin speak of Maelgwn invasion of Dyfed. Myrddin speaks for the men of Dyfed. Taliesin speaks for Maelgwn and his followers. The dialogue then switches (see 573)
547-550 Justinian Plague in Roman Empire
547-550 Yellow Plague in Wales, Ireland
548 or 549 possible severe gale/storm in London; many houses damaged and several people killed.
549 St. Teilo moves congregation to Cornwall, then to Dol because of Yellow Plague
550 King Vortiporius, puts down huge Saxon attack, monarch of entire kingdom, ruled people well and in peace
550 c d Saint Padarn “an early 6th century abbot-bishop who founded St Padarn’s Church in Ceredigion, Wales. The first bishop of Braga and Saint Paternus of Avranches in Normandy appear to be the same person. Padarn built a monastery in Vannes and is considered one of the seven founding saints of Brittany.”
“Padern became a student at Saint Illtud’s school.”
“Maelgwn Gwynedd tried to cheat him out of property belonging to the monastery.”
“When Padarn was in his church resting after so much labour at sea, a certain tyrant, Arthur by name, was traversing the regions on either side, who one day came to the cell of saint Padarn the bishop. And while he was addressing Padarn, he looked at the tunic, which he, being pierced with the zeal of avarice, sought for his own. The saint answering said, ‘This tunic is not fitting for the habit of any malign person, but for the habit of the clerical office.’ He went out of the monastery in a rage. And again he returns in wrath, that he might take away the tunic against the counsels of his own companions. One of the disciples of Padarn seeing him returning in fury, ran to saint Padarn and said, ‘The tyrant, who went out from here before, is returning. Reviling, stamping, he levels the ground with his feet’. Padarn answers ‘Nay rather, may the earth swallow him.’ With the word straightway the earth opens the hollow of its depth, and swallows Arthur up to his chin. He, immediately acknowledging his guilt, begins to praise both God and Padarn, until, while he begs forgiveness, the earth delivered him up. From that place on bent knees he begged the saint for indulgence, whom the saint forgave. And he took Padarn as his continual patron, and so departed.” (Wikipedia)
550c Gildas’s De excidio Britanniae et conquestu Geoffrey uses
states that he is aware of but not including valiant acts of Brits
writing in a time of peace
mentions siege of Mount Badon as major victory over Saxons
mentions Ambrosius Aurelianus as winning against Saxons
552 Saxons defeat Brits at Old Sarum
553-554 “Winter ‘so severe’ with frost & snow that ‘the birds and wild animals became so tame as to allow themselves to be taken by hand.'”
554 c Gerennius, King of Cornwall, meets St Teilo (Life of St Teilo, Book of Llandaff)
556 Saxons defeat Brits at Barbury near Swindon
556-573 Samson attends a council in Paris
560-593 R Ceawlin, king of the West Saxons (broad dates)
560-616 R AEthelbert, king of Kent (broad dates)
563 St Columba founds Iona
566 ‘Great Storm’ affecting eastern & mid-coasts of southern England.
? d King Vortiporius
King Malgo, most handsome of Britain’s rulers, drove out tyrants, mighty warrior, more generous than the rest, made himself hateful to God as a sodomite. Ruled whole island of Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Gotland, the Orkneys, Norway, Denmark
571 Saxons defeat Brits — win Limbury (Bedfordshire), Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire), Benson and Eynsham (Oxfordshire)
573 Myrddin Wyllt, bard to Gwenddoleu (see 547) continuing the legend of “The Dialogue of Myrddin and Taliesin,” the conversation switches to northern Britain and the Battle of Arfderydd. This is confusing both because the events hadn’t happened yet and because this version doesn’t mention the major players. Myrddin asserts that at the end of the battle 140 men of rank lapsed into madness and perished in the forest of Celydon. (Jarman) “This battle, the subsequent assassination of Urien Rheged and the defeat of the Gododdin at Catraeth are cited as reasons for the collapse of the alliance of early British kingdoms in the north before the Angles, Scots, and Picts.” (Wikipedia)
575 c migration from mainly Devon & Cornwall to Gaul, Armorica/Brittany
? King Kareticus, lover of civil war, hateful to God and the Britons; Saxons fetch Gormundus, king of Africans, from Ireland which he had subdued. Gormundus attacks western Britain while Saxons attack eastern side and Brits are in civil disarray; “‘every kingdom divided against itself shal be laid waste, and house fall on house.'” Gormundus burns entirety of Britain; gives Loegria to Saxons; Britons retreated to Cornwall and Wales; archbishops of London and York fled to the Welsh forests with relics; priests and congregations from Loegria and Northumbria sailed to Brittany
“But I shall relate their story elsewhere, when I translate the book about their exile.”
577 Saxons defeat Brits at Dyrham, win Gloucester, Cirencester, and Bath
580-600 several, or a succession of wet years. Also, tree-lines by this time were falling & glaciers advancing.
580-614 c Rhydderch Hael, ruler of Alt Clut, a Brittonic kingdom in the Old North of Britain
Strathclyde
early Welsh Myrddin story “The Apple Trees”
After death of Gwenddolau in the Battle of Arfderydd against Rhydderch, Myrddin, who had been one of Gwenddolau’s warriors, wearing a torque of gold, becomes a wandering madman for 50 years in the the Caldonian wilds (forest of Celyddon). Welsh gwyllon = wild man. Myrddin was guilty of the death of the son of Gwenddolau. Gwenddolau and his forces were destroyed. Myrddin’s sister Gwenddydd no longer loves nor greets him. The apple tree has the peculiar power of hiding Myrddin.
early Welsh Myrddin story “The Greeting” Wild man Myrddin has pigling companion.
Welsh Myrddin story from 9th century, “Conversation of Myrddin and his Sister Gwennddyd” Myrddin prophesies in response to sister’s questions on British/Welsh history from the 6th century onwards. Sister is concerned and respectful. Kings Rhydderch Hael, Morgant Fawr, and Urien are mentioned.
Scottish versions of the wild man
Jocelyn’s Life of St Kentigern has Laloicen/Lailoken the court fool or jester to King Rederech (Rhydderch). Laloicen successfully prophesies his deaths.
from the earlier Life of St Kentigern (not Jocelyn’s)
Lailoken is naked, hairy madman whom Kentigern meets while praying in a wood. Lailoken has been punished by a voice from the heavens for causing the deaths of many in battle. He runs away then, but much later returns to Kentigern. He asks for the sacrament because he is about to die three ways.
“Lailoken and Meldred” includes a story of Lailoken identiftying that the queen is an adultress because of the leaf on the queen’s shawl.
Lailoken and Myrddin — wild men in the woods, same historical and geographical milieu, lose their reason in battle, both have burden of moral guilt, madness makes both prophets, both have associations with Rhydderch — historical king mentioned in Adomnan’s Life of Saint Columba (Jarman)
586 North Sea floods & great storm
589 Durham: storm flood. Sea swept away villages, many drowned.
590 c Saxons defeat Brits near Catterick
590-620 R Raedwald, king of East Anglia (dates uncertain) Burial at Sutton Hoo?
592 England: drought
592/593 cold winter
594 d Gregory of Tours
594 c Y Gododdin (in Book of Aneirin, 13th century)
“He thrust beyond three hundred, most bold, he cut down the centre and far wing. He proved worthy, leading noble men; he gave from his herd steeds for winter. He brought black crows to a fort’s wall, though he was not Arthur. He made his strength a refuge, the front line’s bulwark, Gwawrddur.”
Geraint character in Gododdin, composite
595 d Owain mab Urien, King of Rheged from 590 (Taliesin), fought Bernician Angles
Owain becomes hero of Welsh tale and Chretien de Troyes romance
596 +/- Bertha, AEthelbert’s Queen, founds St Martin’s Canterbury, Roman stones
597 St Augustine in Britain — Bede
start of large scale Anglo-Saxon conversion to Christianity (Bertha is Christian)
d St Columba in Iona
? disunited Britain, British and Saxon sections divided into multiple kingdoms Anglo-Saxons own enclaves around Britain, as do the Brits, so less unity
parallel kingdoms
Augustine is sent from Pope Gregory in Rome to the English, who had destroyed Christianity in their sections of Britain; Augustine found a flourishing church in Wales which had no intention of subjugating itself to the new Christianity of the English.
British monks gather in Leicester to pray for salvation for their people; English slaughter 1,200 monks in 1 day. British chiefs with Caduan as their leader combine to fight English led by Edelfridus and end with an agreement with the Humber as the boundary.
Elfridus dumps pregnant wife who flees to Caduan’s court. Baby boy born named Edwinus. Caduan’s son born called Caduallo. Boys grow up in court of Salomon, king of the Armorican Bretons. Later, they rule their fathers’ kingdoms. Caduallo wears crown. Edwinus wants to wear crown, too. Caduallo’s nephew Brianus objects. Edwinus and Caduallo argue and fight. Edwinus stronger because his augur, Pellitus, reads birds’ flights and stars’ movements, so knows impending set-backs. Caduallo flees, despairs, unknowingly eats Brianus’ flesh. Caduallo ends up in Brittany. Salomon speaks of Britons’ weakness. Caduallo points out that conquering rulers took the soldiers and leaders of Britain away. Brianus sneaks into England, kills Pellitus, connects British leaders, sends messages to Caduallo who arrives just when King Peanda of Mercia is attacking Brianus. Caduallo defeats and captures Peanda. At Hedfield battle Edwinus and almost are his men are killed. Caduallo intends to wipe out the Saxons. Oswald is the next Saxon King of Northumbria. Attacked by Peanda (now on Caduallo’s side) at Hevenfeld “field of heaven,” Oswald raises Lord’s cross and entreats God for help. God helps. But Caduallo rages, Peanda attacks the holy king Oswald again, and Peanda kills Oswald. Oswald’s bro Oswi, next of king of Northumbria, gives gifts to Caduallo and becomes his subject. Peanda gets Oswald’s permission to attack Oswi, Oswi calls on God, Peanda dies in the next battle. Peanda’s son, next king of Mercia, wants to fight Oswi of Northumbria, but Oswald forbids it.
d King Caduallo, after ruling 48 years, body places in bronze effigy on horseback on London’s western gate Church of St Martin built beneath it.
during 500s “The medieval Welsh tradition of prophecy sprang from memories of the struggle of the Britons and the English for supremacy in the 5th and 6th centuries.” (Jarmon)
Obscure Welsh figure with prophetic powers will become Merlin
King Cadualadrus (Bede calls Chedualla the Younger), rules well for 12 years
grows ill, civil strife
“A most terrible and notorious famine” “in no region could be found the sustenance of any food”
“after the famine came a deadly plague, which killed more people than the living could bury.”
“The wretched survivors, leaving the country in crowds, headed overseas”
The king also heads to King Alan of Armorica, sees retribution from God for foolishness
Britain, empty of people except for a few in Wales, was hateful to Britons and unwelcoming to Saxons who were also dying
When Saxons feel better, they call home for hordes to move to England
“This marked the end of British power in the island and the beginning of English rule.”
Geoffrey makes Anglo-Saxons flat characters in contrast to other histories which make the Brits flat characters
King Cadualadrus remembers Britain and plans to go back, but angelic voice says God does not want the Britons to rule over Britain any more, “until the time came which Merlin had foretold to Arthur.. . Cadualadrus was to go to Pope Sergius in Rome,” do penance, become a saint. “Through his blessing the British people would one day recover the island. .. but that this would not happen before the British removed Cadualadrus’ body from Rome and brought it to Britain; only then would they recover their lost kingdom, after the discovery of the bodies of the other saints which had been hidden from the invading pagans.”
King Alan pulls out books of prophesies which corroborate the voice.
Cadwaladr’s son Yvor and nephew Yni rule remnants of Brits for 69 years; God no longer wants Brits to rule; “As their culture ebbed, they were no longer called Britons, but Welsh”
“The Saxons acted more wisely, living in peace and harmony, tilling the fields and rebuilding the cities and towns; thus, with British lordship overthrown, they came to rule all Loegria, led by Athelstan, who was the first of them to wear its crown. The Welsh, unworthy successors of the noble Britons, never again recovered mastery over the whole island, but, squabbling pettily among themselves and sometimes with the Saxons, kept constantly massacring the foreigners or themselves.”
689 King Cadualadrus dies in Rome
600 c Geraint, son of Erbin. “Geraint’s father was said to be Erbin, a herder of sheep, and according to Culhwch and Olwen, he had brothers named Ermind and Dywel. A ‘Geraint of the South’ appears at the Battle of Catraeth (circa 600) in the 14th-century poem Y Goddodin, attributed to Aneirin. Geraint was one of the “Three Seafarers of the Isle of Britain” according to the Welsh Triads.
“The Elegy for Geraint is a sixth century poem found in the Black Book of Carmarthen, in praise of Geraint, a Dumnonian king, who fell during the conflict with the Saxons. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says: ‘Port and his two sons, Bieda and Maegla, came to Britain at the place called Portsmouth, and slew a young Welshman, a very noble man.’ Scholars believe that the Llongborth mentioned in the poem is, in fact, the Portsmouth of the Chronicle entry and that Geraint is the ‘young Welshman’ who was killed there. However, other locations have also been suggested. Hypotheses about the location of the battle range from Somerset, bordering Dumnonia, to as far north as Kingdom of Strathclyde.
“His deeds at the Battle of Llongborth are celebrated in the poem ‘Geraint son of Erbin’, written probably in the 10th or 11th century, and traditionally attributed to Llywarch Hen. The later, historical Geraint of Dumnonia (d. 710) may be identified as the real warrior eulogized in connection with the Battle of Llongborth in the poem, despite its title. Bryce identifies Llongborth with the 710 battle between that Geraint and Saxon leader Ine of Wessex. Strathclyde had rulers named Geraint and Erbin/Elfin in the same era, and was also known as Damnonia, after the Dumnonii tribe of the area in Romano-British times, and thus easily confused with Dumnonia/Devon.
“He is possibly most famous as the protagonist in the Welsh tale Geraint and Enid, where he becomes the lover of Enid. Geraint and Enid is one of the three Welsh Romances associated with the Mabinogion. Its story closely parallels the French writer Chretien de Troyes’ Eric and Enide. Some scholars feel both works derived from a common lost source, but most believe the Welsh version derives directly or indirectly from Chrétien. In this case, the renowned figure of Geraint would have been added to the story to suit Welsh audiences unfamiliar with Chrétien’s protagonist, Eric.” (Wikipedia)
600s Teliesin, a contemporary of Aneirin, was said to have been bard to King Arthur himself. His poem “The Chair Of The Sovereign” makes reference to “Arthur the Blessed”. Another of Teliesin’s works, Preiddeu Annwn, mentions the warrior’s valour. (Wikipedia?)
“And before the door of hell lamps burned. / And when we went with Arthur, brilliant difficulty, / except seven none rose up from the Fortress of Mead-Drunkenness.” “Beyond the Glass Fortress they did not see the valor of Arthur. / Six thousand men stood upon the wall. / It was difficult to speak with their sentinel. / Three fullnesses of Prydwen went with Arthur. / Except seven none rose up from the Fortress of Guts (Hindrance?).” “And when we went with Arthur, sorrowful strife, / except seven none rose up from the Fortress of Enclosedness.” Sarah Higley, translator
“Journey To Deganwy” remembers a time “at the battle of Badon with Arthur, chief giver of feasts, with his tall blades red from the battle which all men remember.” (Book of Taliesin 14th c)
Chronicle of Fredegar, Frankish written in Burgundy
Francion constructs a New Troy on banks of Rhine
Staffordshire Hoard buried
600s echtra, Old Irish pagan tales of a hero’s adventures sailing to the Otherworld
church of St Cadoc in Monmouth, southernmost part of Ergyng
602 cathedral at Canterbury, under Augustine’s aegis, monastery too
603 AEthelfrith, king of Northumbria, defeats Aedan, king of the Scots/Dalriada
603-612 d St. Kentigern (Mungo)
604 b Oswald, son of AEthelfrith
England: severe frost. Scotland: 4 months frost
605 great heat
616 d AEthelberht, first Christian king of Kent, writes laws in Old English
d AEthelfrith, king of Northumbria
King Eochaid mac Aedan of Dalriada accepts exiles Oswald and siblings (AEbbe)
they stay 17 years, convert on Iona, fight for Irish kings
(Dalriada started in Ireland, became sandwiched Ireland/Scotland)
616-632 R Edwin, King of Northumbria (formerly Edwin of Deira)
620 b St Cedd, bro is St Chad, mixed Celtic.Anglo.Saxon heritage
625 Paulinus in York
R Cadwallon ap Cadfan, king of Gwynedd who, as the King of the Britons, “conquered the Kingdom of Northumbria, killing King Edwin. He was the last Briton to hold substantial territory in eastern Britain until the rise of the Tudors. He was therafter remembered as a national hero by the Britons and as a tyrant by the Anglo-Saxons of Northumbria.” (Wikipedia) In Welsh poetry and triands.
630c Thames floods in London
632 first cathedral at York = mix Irish, A-S, Gaulish, and some Roman
634 b St Cuthbert
b St Wilfrid of York
Ulster: snow killed many
635 Lindisfarne cathedral “hewn oak thatched w/reeds after the Irish manner”
Oswald elected King of Bernicia
R Oswald defeats/kill Cadwallon, becomes king of Britons, Mercia, and Deira
therefore, Oswald is King of Picts, Scots, and all northern Britain
Aidan to Lindisfarne; he was requested by Oswald to convert Angles
635 St. Birinus builds church at Saxon settlement in to Cufa’s Wood (Cowley), Oxfordshire. Became part of estates of Bishop Odo of Bayeux, then Roger d’Ivry, then Robert D’Oilly. The Norman church dates to around 1130. When D’Oilly’s St George in Oxford Castle was given to Osney Abbey, St James the Apostle Church of Cowley was also transferred.
636c b St. Etheldreda (AEthelthryth): East Anglian princess; Fenland & Northumbrian Queen, abbess of Ely, Anglo-Saxon saint
637 Oswald dominates Dalraida in order to keep out the Irish
Battle of Moira, Mag Rath (historical)
Irish version of wild man, wild man = gelt condition of being wild = geltacht
Before the battle, Suibhe kills one of St. Ronan’s clerics and threw St. Ronan’s psalter into a lake. Becomes wild man with power of levitation which he uses to perch in yew trees. Sweeney Astray Seamus Heaney
The battle is Congal, King of Ulster’s rebellion against the High King. The High King defeats Congal. Suibhe, Congal’s vassal, becomes mad, fleeing the battle into the woods.
“The Frenzy of Suibhe” continues the tale, much like Myrddin at the Battle of Arfderydd.
References date Suibhe to the 9th century. (Jarman)
640s cold years noted
640-709 Aldhelm dates. In a letter to Geraint, British king of Domnonia, he “lamented … that the bishops of Dyfed (South Wales) went so far as to refuse even to eat with the Saxon clergy; they ordered that the plates and cups shared in the refectory be ‘purified with grains of sandy gravel, or with the dusky cinders of ash.'” Curley, 36, context: Saxons descended from pagans
640-642 Eormanred, King of Kent disappears from political scene
642 d Domnall mac Aed, King of the Northern Ui Neill & High King of Ireland (Jan)
d Oswald, King of Bernicia & pretty much High King of England (Aug)
in tales he is Conaire King of Tara (martial prowess)
becomes first Anglo-Saxon saint with more than family cult
d King Cynegils of Wessex
d King Bridei son of Wid of Pictland
d Domnall Brecc, King of Dalriada (Dec)
Penda of Mercia is the dominant king who rises from the power vacuum
641-670 R Oswiu, King of Northumbria
650 +/- b St. Frithuswith: saint, princess, abbess
651 d Aidan of Lindisfarne
650-700 Book of Durrow (Durrow Abbey, Ireland, or Lindisfarne)
654 St Peters Chapel, Bradwell-on-Wall, St Chad built on Roman Ruin
655-682 R Cadwaladr — Cadwaladr’s name is invoked in a number of literary works such as in the Armes Prydein, an early 10th-century prophetic poem from the Book of Taleisin. While the poem’s “Cadwaladr” is an emblematic figure, scholars have taken the view that the Cadwaladr of Armes Prydein refers to the historical son of Cadwallon, and that already at this stage he “played a messianic role” of some sort, but “its precise nature remains uncertain”. He is typically paired with Conan Meriodoc, the founder of British settlements in Brittany. Conan and Cadwaladr are identified as warriors who will return to restore British power. Armes Prydein states that “the British shall be without their kingdom for many years and remain weak, until Conan in his chariot arrive from Brittany, and that revered leader of the Welsh, Cadwaladr.” Another poem states “Spendour of Cadwaladr, shining and bright, defence of armies in desolate places. Truly he will come across the waves, the promise of prophecy in the beginning.” According to Elissa R. Henken, Cadwaladr was well established as a “prophesied deliverer” of the Britons before Geoffrey’s version of his life altered its ending. This may be because he was seen as the man who would carry forward the achievement of his father Cadwallon, the last great war leader of the Britons: “it is quite likely that the father and son became confused in folk memory, a fusion enhanced by Cadwaladr, whose name is a compound meaning ‘battle-leader’, also having assumed his father’s epithet Bendigaid (Blessed).” (Wikipedia)
660-670s Wilfrid’s churches at Chichester, Ripon, Hexham, craftsmen from Italy & Gaul
664 Synod of Whitby — calendar of utmost importance
d St Chad of plague
May 1 solar eclipse
Yellow Plague hits England/Ireland for 20 years (Bede, Tigernach, Adomnen)
666 c Barking Abbey founded by Saint Erkenwald for his sister Saint Ethelburga
he founded Chertsey Abbey for men
669 St Wilfred of Ripon brings singing master from Kent, Stephen, to teach chant. (see 709)
672 Council of Hertford, 1st general council of the Anglo-Saxon church
673 St. Etheldreda establishes double monastery at Ely
671 b Bede
674 St Peters Church, Wearmouth and Jarrow
675 Escomb Saxon Church
b St Boniface in Devon; active in Germania as missionary (Leoba)
679 d St. Etheldreda
679-681 St Wilfrid’s Drought; southern England, lasted 3 years until broken on the day Bishop Wilfrid converts the South Saxons to Christianity (i.e., converted the King).
680 St Peters Brixworth
684 Ireland: so cold that lakes, rivers, and sea freeze
685 Picts, Scots, and Northern Britons gain independence from Northumbria
685-689 ‘Bloody Rain’ maybe carrying volcanic dust; Vesuvius and Etna are thought to be have been very active in 685
688-726 King Ine of Wessex, wrote laws
689 d Cadwaladr recorded in Bede
HRB: Going forward, Brits are called Welsh, both Welsh & Anglo-Saxons are fragmented
Eventually, Anglo-Saxons become civilized
693 Ireland: flooding due to heavy/prolonged rainfall. Leinster rivers flood for 3 days and nights.
694/5 or 695/6 Thames freezes for 6 weeks. Booths built on the thick ice.
697 St Abdomnen Vita Columbae Life of Columba
700s immram, Irish tale of hero’s sea journey to the Otherworld; include Christian thinking with elements of pagan Irish mythology; hero’s faith is challenged — Voyage of St Brendan tale grew from this genre
709 d St Wilfrid — soon after, his follower Stephen writes Vita Sancti Wilfrithi which is written as a chronology of Wilfred’s life, so includes items like a description of the foundation of Hexham Abbey and of the Synod of Whitby (Bede) (see 669)
d Abbot Aldhelm of Malmesbury, 1st teacher was Irish scholar; Malmesbury was then a British town; 2nd teacher was North African Hadrian, abbot of St Augustine’s at Canterbury. Wrote in a hermeneutic Latin (influenced by the Irish). Wrote much, including Aenigmata, hexametrical riddles. He popularized riddles in Britain.
710 Geruntius, King of Domnonia, corresponded with Aldhelm, fought against West Saxons, Geraint composite
715-720 Lindisfarne Gospels
716 R AEthelbald in Mercia
Abbot Ceolfrith of Wearmouth-Jarrow took his scriptorium’s finest copy of a single-volume Bible to Rome. Codex Amiatinus
721 or 722 Wales: very hot summer
725-775 Vespasian Psalter, southern England (Canterbury?), gloss in Old English
727 d Frithuswith (Frideswide), buried in her abbey in Oxford
William of Malmesbury among others recounts her miracle story
Liber historiae Francorum, history of Franks back to Priam and Antenor
731 Bede’s History of the English Church and People Geoffrey uses
734 Bede writes Epistola ad Ecgberhtum episcopum to Ecgbert of York; warns Ecgbert about York diocese being too large; tells him to study Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Care and to study Aidan and Cuthbert as model bishops.
735 d Bede
b Alcuin in York, scholar and teacher in York then in Charlemagne’s court
uses term scriptorium
Ecgbert establishes archdiocese of York, son of Eata, Ecgbert meets Bede, founds school for training both the religious and for the sons of nobles
writes Dialogus ecclesiasticae institutionis, legal code for clergy
737 London/South: great drought
737-758 Eadberht, king of Northumbria, son of Eata, bro of Archbishop Ecgbert
738 Scotland flood: 400 families drowned in Glasgow
742-48 b Charlemagne, April 2nd
744-748 One winter a great snow destroys herds in Ireland
754 d St Boniface
757 R Offa in Mercia
759 or 760 cold winter
763-764 severe winter followed by long and terrible drought; some sources note great snow with intense frost
766 d Archbishop Ecgbert of York
768-840 Vicariate of Dol part of Diocese of Aleth
770-800 period of higher frequency of cold winters; fits the idea that Scandinavian exploration/raids are assisted by lack of ‘westerly-storminess’
771-775 b Ecgberht, son of Ealhmund of Kent
778 Battle of Roncevaux Pass (basis for Song of Roland)
b Louis the Pious
780s Alcuin to Charlemagne’s court; fond of riddles, beloved teacher, ends up at Tours, removes (his) library from York, which is for the better because York is attacked by Vikings; invents Carolingian minuscule; writes many treatises and many letters; Carolingian renaissance; In Praise of the Psalms
793 Lindisfarne attacked by Vikings
796 d Offa of Mercia
798 Ireland: snow; men and animals die
800 +/- The Ruthwell Cross
Book of Kells, Columban monastery
800s Century of Celtic heroes, Alfred the Great’s predecessors and contemporaries:
Salomon in Brittany (and Nominee previously) R 857-874
Kenneth (Cinead) mac Ailpin in Scotland R 843-858
Rhodri Mawr in Wales R 844 to 873/877
Mael Sechnaill mac Mael Ruanaid in Ireland R 845-862
all shared a Viking problem
all knew of Charlemagne R 768-814
all were remembered as significant ancestors
hero rulers
Brittany = establishment of government
Scotland = “origin” of eventual, larger kingdom of Scotland
Ireland = an ideal or model of what later kings could emulate
Wales = not so much
Wessex, Brittany = about same size, Scotland = a little smaller
Ireland = much bigger, Wales = much smaller
King Alfred R 871-899
“… in a sense Breton and Irish rulers belonged to the same courtly world as that of the West Saxons. Just as Alfred travelled to Rome and went to the court of Charles the Bald, subsequently sending for continental scholars for his court, Breton and Irish rulers has comparable diplomatic and scholarly exchanges.” (Davies)
“Both Louis the Pious and Charles [the Bald] patronized leading Breton monasteries such as Landévennoc and Redon, with a notable consequent impact on their scholarly culture: most notable of all, Carolingian minuscule quickly replaced characteristically Insular forms of writing in Brittany, but favorite Carolingian authors were also copied and Carolingian-preferred texts of the Bible and the liturgy were adopted.” (Davies)
800c Eve of Christmas gale destroys cities. The first recorded one of a series of storm floods. (booty.org quotes Lamb)
800c b Nominoë, perhaps a count of Vannes, definitely a raider by nature
benefactor of and buried at abbey in Redon Abbey
800-825 Book of Nunnaminster: owned by Ealhswith, wife of King Alfred, founder of St Mary’s nunnery at Winchester, known as Nunnaminster
feminine word endings included, as the readers were women
802 R Ecgberht, King of Wessex, son of Ealhmund of Kent
Wilton Abbey, founded by Ecgberht, St Alburga (Ecgberht’s sister) 1st Abbess
804 St Mary’s Deerhurst already in existence
d Alcuin, May 19
March 17 Ireland: tornado (?), thunder, wind, lightning: 1010 men killed
813-71 versions of the name “Merthin” appear in Cartulary of Redon, Brittany, inc Merthinhael (Merthin + ‘hael’ ‘noble’), Mertinhiarn, Mertinoharnus (Merthin + ‘hoiarn’ ‘iron’ or ‘weapon’)
814 d Charlemagne, January 28
R Louis the Pious, emperor
817-818 Christmas Day: Ireland: snow; many rivers and lakes frozen until February 22nd. “There was abnormal ice and much snow from the Epiphany to Shrovetide. The Boyne and other rivers were crossed dry-footed; lakes likewise. Herds and hunting-parties were on Loch Neagh, and wild deer were hunted. The materials for an oratory were afterwards brought by a large company from the lands of Connacht over Upper and Lower Loch Erne into Leinster; and other unusual things were done in the frost and hail.” (iopscience.iop.org)
821-822 severe winter
827 Thames is frozen for 9 weeks
829 Ecgberht conquers both Mercia and Northumbria
829-830 Historia Brittonum (once thought to be by Nennius)
Arthur as war leader (dux bellorum), 12 battles ending at Badon
mentions Merlin and Ambrosius Aurelianus
Mirabilia — catalogues to help remember — numbers 12 and 13
“There is another wonder in the country called Builth. There is a heap of stones there, and one of the stones placed on top of the pile has the footprint of a dog on it. When he hunted Twrch Trwyth Cafal, the warrior Arthur’s hound, impressed his footprint on the stone, and Arthur later brought together the pile of stones, under the stone in which was his dog’s footprint, and it is called Carn Cafal. Men come and take the stone in their hands for the space of a day and a night, and on the morrow it is found upon the stone pile.”
“There is another wonder in the country called Ergyng. There is a tomb there by a spring, called Llygad Amr; the name of the man who is buried in the tomb was Amr. He was a son of the warrior Arthur, and he killed him there and buried him. Men come to measure the tomb, and it is sometimes six feet long, sometimes nine, sometimes twelve, sometimes fifteen. At whatever measure you measure it on one occasion, you never find it again of the same measure, and I have tried it myself.”
already a vernacular poetic tradition and a slew of Arthur stories existed
831 d Morman, king of the Bretons
Louis the Pious appoints Nominoë Duke of Brittany; doesn’t invest him as duke
831-1144 versions of the name “Arthur” appear in Cartulary of Redon, Brittany, inc Arthbiu, Arthuiu, Arthuueo, Arthmael, Armael, Armel, Arthnou, Arthuuiu, Arthuuio, Arthuuuio, Arthuuolou
836c b Aethelberht, son of Aethelwulf, King of Wessex, & Osburh
839 d Ecgberht
R Aethelwulf, son of Ecgberht, King of Wessex
840 d Louis the Pious
840-857c Festianus (Festgen) 1st Bishop of Dol, appointed by Nominoë
843-877 R Charles the Bald, King of West Francia (from 875 emperor and king of Italy)
843 Battle of Blain, Erispoe, Nominoë’s son, makes up for defeat at Messac with destruction of Renaud and his troops; possibly helped by Vikings
Vikings may only have arrived afterwards for scavenging
844-845 great ice and frost until January 7th; rivers and lakes freeze. Ireland: “much ice and frost so that the principal lakes and rivers of Ireland could be crossed by people on foot and on horse-back from the ninth of the kalends of December to the seventh of the ides of January” (Annals of Ulster)
844, 847 Nominoë fights Vikings
845 Battle of Ballon, Nominoë defeats Charles the Bald’s forces by using light cavalry against 3,000 soldiers in treacherous Breton wetlands
846 treaty bet Nominoë and Charles the Bald; perhaps given title of Duke
846c b Rollo, chieftain of the Norse in Normandy
847c b Aethelred, son of Aethelwulf, King of Wessex, & Osburga
849 b Alfred of Wessex, son of Aethelwulf king of Wessex & Osburh
before 850 Nominoë wants to become king: Breton prelates won’t back him
he petitions Pope Leo IV to dump them because of simony
Leo IV decides that tribunal of bishops necessary, along with witnesses
to prove that Nominoë had a right to expel prelates
instead, Nominoë brutally deposes bishops of Vannes, Aleth, Quimper, and St. Pol de Léon
then makes 7 dioceses out of the 4
one new diocese was Dol with the seat of an archbishop
also monasteries of St Brieuc and Pabu-Tutiel (Tréguier) = 2 dioceses
850-51 Archbishops of Tours, Sens, Reims, and Rouen threaten Nomenoë with excommunication
851 d Nominoë, 1st Duke of Brittany, “while ravaging the Nantais and Anjou”
R Erispoe, (Nominoë’s son, mom was Argentaela), Duke of Brittany
Battle of Jengland, Erispoe defeats Charles the Bald’s army which includes Saxon troops from bro Louis the German
“In August 851, Charles left Maine to enter Brittany by the Roman road from Nantes to Corseul. The king arranged his troops in two lines: at the rear were the Franks; in front were Saxon mercenaries whose role was to break the assault of the Breton cavalry, which was known for its mobility and tenacity.
“In the initial engagement, a javelin assault forced Saxons to retreat behind the more heavily armoured Frankish line. The Franks were taken by surprise. Rather than engage in a melée, the Bretons harassed the heavily armed Franks from a distance, in a manner comparable to Parthian tactics, but with javelins rather than archers. They alternated furious charges, feints, and sudden withdrawals, drawing out the Franks and encircling over- extended groups.
“After two days of this sort of fighting, Frankish losses in men and horses were mounting to catastrophic levels, while the Bretons suffered few casualties. With his force disintegrating, Charles withdrew from the field during the night. When his disappearance was noticed the following morning, panic seized the Frankish soldiers. The Bretons quickly raided the camp, taking booty and weapons and killing as many fugitives as they could.” (wikipedia)
Treaty of Angers, Erispoe submits to Charles the Bald; Charles makes Erispoe king; creates borders that stuck through duchy to province of Brittany
851 or 856 Charles the Bald stands as godfather at baptism of Erispoe’s son Conan
? m Erispoe and Marmohec’s daughter and Gurvand of Rennes
851 Vikings winter in Thanet, attack London and Canterbury
852 b Ealhswith, wife of Alfred the Great. Father was Mercian noble, mother AElthryth countess of Flanders
852 Salomon, son of Riwallon III of Poher and cousin of Erispoe, becomes fidelis of Charles the Bald, receives lands (by fee from Charles) that Erispoe had won in 851; Salomon the most powerful aristocrat under Erispoe
854 versions of “Lailoken” appear in Cartulary of Redon, Brittany, inc Lalocan, Lolocan, Lalocon
856 Ireland: gale; great wind; woods felled
857 d Erispoe assassinated at church altar by cousin and successor Salomon Erispoe was benefactor of and buried at Redon Abbey
R Salomon, in same raider mode, back and forth with Carolingians
858 d Aethelwulf
R Aethelbald, King of Wessex, son of Aethelwulf & Osburh
859-860 severe winter in England
860 d Aethelbald
R Aethelberht, King of Wessex
861-78 name “Arthur” appears 6 times in Cartulary of Redon, Brittany
862 Salomon hires Viking mercenaries when he fights Robert the Strong who also has Viking mercenaries; Salomon lends Breton soldiers to Louis the Stammerer against whom Salomon has recently rebelled
mid 860s Salomon tries to convince Pope Nicholas I to send palium to Bishop of Dol
863 d St Swithun, bishop of Winchester
865 d Aethelberht
R Aethelred, King of Wessex
d Aethelred
Great Danish army lands in East Anglia
866-867 Danes attack Northumbria
867-868 Danes move into Mercia
867-874 Salomon signs treaties with Charles the Bald; stands godfather to Salomon’s son
869 d Edward the martyr, king of East Anglia
870 Viking invasion: St. Etheldreda’s monastery destroyed
870 b AEthelflaed, lady of the Mercians, daughter of King Alfred & Ealhswith,
married AEthelred, Lord of the Mercians
870s b AEthelgifu, daughter of King Alfred & Ealhswith
871 R King Alfred the Great
Danes defeated at Ashdown
Alfred promotes learning and the English language
Alfred Jewel
873-874 cold winter, especially in Scotland; great frost from November to April; thaw brought floods
874 d Salomon killed by son-in-law Pacsweten, Wrhwant, and Wigo; then, they fight
over time Salomon raised to saint, then martyr “in popular tradition”
874c b Edward the Elder, son of Alfred & Ealhswith
876 R Alan I, king of Brittany (by emperor), Pascweten’s nephew, Count of Vannes begins reign holding southeastern Brittany while Judicael of Poher holds western Brittany; eventually combine to fight Vikings
880 b AEthelweard, son of Alfred the Great & Ealhswith; sent to a schola, learned to read and write Latin and Old English and instructed in liberal arts.
Great landowner.
880-881 cold winter
880-948 Hywel Dda, king of Deheubarth and later most of Wales, called King of the Britons in Annales Cambriae and the Annals of Ulster. Codified the oral law code, Cyfraith Hywel. These laws sometimes resemble the Brehon laws of Ireland and/or the laws in Strathclyde. The laws emphasized the responsibility of kindreds over their members; gavelkind inheritance of land — between all male descendents; galanas status-based system of blood money; slavery and serfdom; foreigners couldn’t naturalize before 4th generation; divorce and legitimacy rules that seemed lax to western Christians. (wikipedia)
887-888 Judicael dies in Battle of Questembert
890 Alan defeats Vikings at St Lo
Alan I spends reign fighting Viking invasions; killed in one
890 c King Alfred founds Shaftesbury Abbey; daughter AEthelgifu first abbess
892 Nov 11 Ireland: gale; many trees and houses fall
893 m Edward the Elder & Acgwynn
b William Longsword, son of Rollo & Poppa of Bayeux
Life of King Alfred by Asser, a priest from Wales
893-898 m Aelfthryth, daughter of King Alfred & Ealhswith, & Baldwin II of Flanders
894c b Aethelstan, son of Edward the Elder & Ecgwynn
899 d King Alfred the Great
R Edward the Elder
educated with sister AElfthryth at court, male & female tutors, reads psalms and Old English poems in English,
taught courtly qualities of gentleness & humility defends claim to throne against cousin who allies with Danes works with his sister AEthelflaed who represents the Mercians constant fighting against Danes and Norse; pretty successful coinage increases dramatically
Ealhswith, Edward’s mom, founds Nunnaminster (abbey of St Mary, Winchester)
900s in Welsh literature, Myrddin speaks for Dyfed, legend of Battle of Arfderydd has developed, legend of Lailoken has migrated to Wales
900 m Edward the Elder & Aelfflaed
901 Edward founds New Minster at Westminster
relics of the Breton Saint Judoc
Grimbald’s body, one of Alfred’s closest advisors
900s Exeter Book written (see 1072)
902 d Ealhswith, wife of Alfred the Great; Edward buries her at New Minster and
moves his father’s body there
907 d Alan I, King of Brittany (the Great); dies fighting Vikings
R Gourmaëlon, count of Cornouaille, de facto ruler of Brittany
908 first visit of Archbishop of Canterbury to Pope in almost a century
most English rivers freeze for 2 months
909 relics of St Oswald taken from Northumbria and translated to Gloucester minster
910-930 extended droughts with regularity; summer half-years are warm or very warm more often than not — some notably hot summers
911 Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte bet Charles the Simple and Rollo after Rollo’s defeat. “The treaty granted Rollo and his soldiers all the land between the river Epte and the sea ‘in freehold and good money.’ In addition, it granted him Brittany ‘for his livelihood.'” “In exchange, Rollo guaranteed the king his loyalty, which involved military assistance for the protection of the kingdom against other Vikings. One of the conditions for the Vikings after their loss was to convert. As a token of his goodwill, Rollo also agreed to be baptized and to marry Gisela, a daughter of Charles.”
R Rollo chieftain of the Norse
d Aethelred of Mercia, Aelfthryth’s husband, she continues to rule Mercia after his death with bro, Edward the Elder, ruler of Wessex and East Anglia
912-913 severe winter
914-938 turmoil in Brittany due to Vikings; interregnum
Alan I’s son-in-law Methuedoi and his son Alan flee to Edward the Elder; Athelstan stands godfather at Alan’s baptism
Alan the son befriends King Louis IV of France also in exile at Edw Elder/Athelstan’s courts
914c d Gourmaëlon
917 Ireland: severe winter, great snow
918 m Eadgifu, dau of Edw Elder & Aelfflaed, & Charles the Simple, King of W. Franks
919 m Edward the Elder & Eadgifu
920+/- MacDurnan Gospels made at Armagh, given to Aethelstan while he is king
922 d AEthelweard, buried at Winchester
923 Thames freezes for 13 weeks. May be 928 or 929
924 R Aethelstan — first king of Britain
Aethelstan, Anglo-Saxon, unifies the country, earning pre-eminence over Welsh/country strong central governmentHRB — Geoffrey doesn’t count territorial control as dominion (none agree with him on this)
Giver: donated many books and fine objects
926 m Edith, dau of Edward the Elder & Ecgwynn, & Sihtric Viking King of York
m Eadhild, dau of Edw the Elder & Aelfflaed, & Hugh the Great, King of Franks
927 R William Longsword, Count of Rouen (born in Normandy)
cold winter
929-930 m Eadgyth, dau of Edw the Elder & Aelfflaed, & Otto I, King of East Franks
later, Holy Roman Emperor (after her death)
930 prophet Mirtin in Armes Prydein
930c d Rollo, Chieftain of the Norse
R William Longsword, Chieftain of the Norse
932 b Richard I, the Fearless, son of William Longsword & Sprota (captive)
932 d Rollo
939-940 cold winter
930-960 Junius MS of Anglo-Saxon religious poetry written
933 Raoul, King of Western Francia, gives much of Brittany to William Longsword; Alan II and Count Berengar of Rennes resist, but their castles are destroyed. Alan II flees to Britain and Count Berengar seeks reconciliation
935 m William Longsword and Luitgarde, dau of Count Herbert II of Vermandois
m Longsword’s sis Adela (Gerloc) and William, Count of Poitou
936 d King Raoul of Western Francia
R King Louis IV
Alan II lands at Dol
937 Battle of Brunanburh
AEthelweard’s two sons killed. Buried at Malmesbury.
AEthelstan faced by an alliance of his enemies. He won.
938 R Alan II Duke of Brittany, Wrybeard/Twistedbeard/Varvek
grandfather = Alan I, King of Brittany
parents = Alan I’s daughter and Mathuedoi I, Count of Poher
expelled Vikings from Brittany
? Alan II m Adelaide of Blois, sis of Theobald II of Blois
939 d Aethelstan, buried at Malmesbury
R Edmund I, son of Edw the Elder & Eadgifu
939 Battle of Trans-la-Forêt, Alan I, with help, defeats Vikings
940 William Longsword pledges loyalty to King Louis IV
940c b Eadwig, son of Edmund & Aelgifu
941 Ireland: lakes and rivers freeze
942 d William Longsword
R Richard I, Duke of Normandy
944 severe gale/storm affected whole of England; in London 1500 houses fell
944-970+ Archbishop Wicohen (Juthuouen) of Dol, dominant figure, great temporal lord
his fief of n. Rennes inherited by Main II and Hamo of Alet, sons, nephs?
946 d Edmund I
R Eadred, son of Edward, King of Wessex, & Eadgifu
946-948 England: drought; “no rain for 3 years” probably marked shortage
950 Hywel Dda, in Annales Cambriae, Welsh ruler known for law code
950-1000 Vercelli Book, including Cynewulf’s poems and “The Dream of the Rood”
950-1000 The Exeter Book
952 d Eadburh, nun at Nunnaminster and saint
d Alan II of Brittany
R Drogo, regency (Theobald II of Blois entrusted management to) Wicohen, Archbishop of Dol and Juhel Berengar, Count of Rennes; also Fulk II, Count of Anjou, who married Alan II’s widow Adelaide
955 R Eadwig, son of Edmund & Aelfgifu
Wales: hot summer
958 d Drogo (murdered on orders of Fulk II, Count of Anjou?)
958on interregnum; Pope John XIII sends letters to four men because there’s no ruler: “Juhel Béranger and his Conan, as well as Hoël and his brother Guérech”
959 d Eadwig
R Edgar the Peaceful, son of Edmund I & Aelfgifu
960 R Hoël I, Duke of Brittany, illegit son of Alan II and Judith
b Sweyn Forkbeard, son of Harald Bluetooth & Tove of the Obotrites
962c b Edgar the Martyr, son of Edgar the Peaceful & Aethelflaed or Wulfthryth
966 b Aethelred the Unready, son of Edgar the Peaceful & Aelfthryth
King Edgar’s charter for New Minster, Winchester, Benedictine Reform
970s (early) Regularis Concordia
971 St Swithun canonized in Winchester
973 m Conan Le Tort and Ermengarde Gerberga, dau of Geoffrey I, Count of Anjou and Adele of Vermandois
Thames floods
975-975 severe winter over whole of Europe and England
975 d Edgar the Peaceful
R Edgar the Martyr
978 d Edgar the Martyr
R Aethelred the Unready
980c b Richard II, Duke of Normandy, son of Richard I & Gunnora
980 b Geoffrey, son of Conan and Ermengarde
981 d Hoël I, Duke of Brittany (murdered by order of Conan Le Tort)
R Guérech, Duke of Brittany, illegit son of Alan II and Judith
985 b Emma, daughter of Richard I, Duke of Normandy
987 Guérech’s wife Aremburga of Ancenis built fortress Château d’Ancenis
988 d Guérech, Duke of Brittany (poisoned by order of Conan Le Tort) buried Redon
R Alan II, Duke of Brittany
d St Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, Benedictine Reform
989 b Edmund Ironside, son of Aethelred the Unready & Aelfgifu
990 d Alan II, Duke of Brittany (killed by order of Conan Le Tort)
R Conan I, Le Tort (the Crooked), Duke of Brittany
Archbishop Main II of Dol (Jukenues’s uncle) establishes barony of Fougères
Archbishop Main II of Dol establishes barony of Vitré
1st baron Rivallon vicarius, m Junargande
eldest son Triscan m Inoguen, sis of Main de Fougères
Archb Jukeneus’s sis Inoguen m Teuharius/Tehel
son Brient is 1st lord of Châteaubriant
990c d Osbern of Canterbury, monk who wrote Life of Dunstan; Osbern wrote De Res Musica and De vocum consonantiis, as well as other lives and treatises
990s extended droughts with regularity; also thought that the summer half-years were warm or very warm more often than not. Some notably hot summers
991 founding of Normandy, unclear overlordship by France
Battle of Maldon takes place August 11
992 d Conan I, fighting bro-in-law Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou, Battle of Conquereuil
R Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany, son of Conan and Ermengarde
Ireland: storm surge/tempest submerged island fort in 1 hour.
995 b Cnut, son of Sweyn Forkbeard & ??
summer cold throughout Europe; sever frost and ice in July
996 d Richard I of Normandy, the Fearless
Wulfstan, Vita S. AEthelwoldi
double wedding: Geoffrey I and Hawise of Normandy (dau Richard I of Normandy, sis Richard II of Normandy
and Richard II of Normandy and Geoffrey’s sis Judith of Brittany
Viking raids continue seriously through 999
996-1015 De moribus et actis primorum Normannorum ducum by Dudo of Saint-Quentin, commissioned by Duke Richard I, also know as Historia Normannorum and as Gesta Normannorum
997 b Alan III of Brittany
998 Thames freezes for 5 weeks
999 Vikings take Dol; kill Solomon the vidame
1000 b Robert I, Duke of Normandy, son of Richard II & Judith of Brittany
1000+ b William of Jumieges
1001 b Earl Godwin
1002 m Aethelred the Unready & Emma of Normandy
St. Brice’s Day Massacre, Nov 13, ordered by King Aethelred the Unready
in trade cities with Danish/Viking trade settlements
St. Frideswide’s abbey in Oxford destroyed in massacre
1003 b Edward the Confessor, son of Aethelred the Unready & Emma
lived in Normandy 1013-1041, reign 1042-1066
b Herleva, mother of William the Conqueror
1005 famine so severe in Britain that cannibalism occurred
1008 d Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany, dies on pilgrimage to Rome
R Alan III of Brittany, regency: mother and her bro Richard II of Normandy
Jukeneus enthroned as Archbishop of Dol
father Hamo viscount of Alet which bro Hamo inherited
bro Josselin became 1st lord of Dinan
bro Rivallon of Dol-Combourg, vidame of the archbishopric
Rivallon of Dol-Combourg hires knight Hato (Frankish name)
1009 Danish army sacks Oxford
1009 c Beowulf written down
1010c Aelfric of Eynsham uses term scriptorium
Not clear how many monasteries and cathedrals had permanent space allocated for copying manuscripts. In Tournai in the 11th century, monks, nuns, and clerics wrote in the cloisters of their monasteries.
1011 b Ralph the Staller in Norfolk, Breton heritage, position under Edward the Confessor was “staller,” similar to continental constable; Wm Conq made him Earl of East Anglia
1013 R Sweyn Forkbeard
1013-24 Knight Hato signs 2 charters with Duke Richard II of Normandy
Hato representing Rivallon of Dol-Combourg’s Norman lands
1014 d Sweyn Forkbeard
R Aethelred the Unready
St Michael’s Day Flood; major flood due to storm surge; great damage to coastal communities along the English south coast; Dutch reports suggest that the English side of the southern North Sea is affected (soton.ac.uk)
1016 d Aethelred the Unready
b Harold Harefoot, son of Cnut & Aelgifu
R Edmund Ironside
d Edmund Ironside
R Cnut
1017 m Cnut & Emma of Normandy
1018 m Alan III of Brittany and Bertha dau of Count Odo of Chartres & Blois
b Harthacnut, son of Cnut & Emma
1022 b Harold Godwinson, son of Godwin Earl of Wessex & Gytha Thorkelsdottir
1026 d Richard II, Duke of Normandy, the Good
1027 R Robert I, Duke of Normandy, the Magnificent
tensions rising with Normandy; Alan III tries to break free of Normandy
m Rivallon of Dol-Combourg and Aremburga de Puiset, dau of Count Evrard of Bretueil also viscount of Chartres and vassal of Odo
1028 b William, the Conqueror, son of Robert I & Herleva
1029 Duke Robert of Normandy invades Brittany at Dol; treaty made between them by their great-uncle Robert, Archbishop of Rouen
1030c b Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, son of Herluin de Conteville & Herleva
1031 b Matilda of Flanders, direct descendant of King Alfred the Great
b Robert, Count of Mortain, son of Herluin de Conteville & Herleva
1032-1033 cold winter
1035 d Cnut
R Harold Harefoot
Robert I, Duke of Normandy, goes on pilgrimage
d Robert I, Duke of Normandy, dies in Nicaea
1037 d Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, care of William, son of Robert I, to Alan III and Gilbert (his cousin); they try to hold Normandy and bolster William
before 1039 Flaald, son of Hato knight of Dol, and husband of Tehel and Inoguen’s dau
“Flaald was the first man to be given the important position of hereditary steward of the Archbishop of Dol, the most important official in the household apart from that of vidame. It is widely assumed that the post, together with that of butler, was created by Junkeneus, a supposition made certain because all of Juhel’s land grants were later revoked, while the hereditary stewards and butlers managed to hold on to theirs.” (Fox)
1039c d Archbishop Junkeneus of Dol (valued by Duke Alan II of Brittany)
Juhel enthroned as Archbishop of Dol
someone claims later that he bought the see from Duke Alan III
Juhel must have come from wealthy, powerful family Rennes? Porhoët?
dau 1 married knight Wihenoc, son of Caradoc
dau 2 Adelaide married Main de Fougères — Main is related to (greatnephew of) Hamo I of Alet (father of Junkeneus); Main’s greatgranddaughter Godehilde marries John (grandson of Hamo of Alet/nephew of Junkeneus). John becomes Archbishop after Juhel is chased out of office
1040 d Harold Harefoot
R Harthacnut
b Rhys ap Twedwr, king of Deheubarth
1040-1115 Song of Roland written; only original survives in Bodleian
1040 d Alan III of Brittany, Orderic Vitalis says he was poisoned by Normans
d Gilbert, Count of Brionne in Normandy, guardian of young duke William, killed by Ralph de Wacy. Sons Richard and Gilbert flee to Flanders. Richard is rewarded with Bienfaite and Orbec in Normandy. Serves under William at Hastings. Given 176 lordships including castles at Clare and Tonbridge. Serves as Chief Justiciar under Wm Conq and plays part in ending Revolt of the Earls. Richard’s son, Gilbert fitz Richard, inherits his father’s lands. Richard’s children include an Abbot of Ely; Walter Lord of Nether Gwent who builds Tintern Abbey; Lord of Little Dunnow; and two of his daughters marry Walter Tirel and Hugo Dapifer.
1042 d Harthacnut
1042 R Edward the Confessor
b Ralph de Gael in Hereford, inherits great barony of Gael in Brittany (see 1075)
son of Ralph the Staller
1043-1044 cold winter
1045 b Stephen Henry, Count of Blois, son of Theobald III & Garsinde du Maine
b Margaret, daughter of Edward the Exile (son of King Edmund Ironside) born in Hungary
1047 ‘worst winter in living memory;’ severe frost and heavy snow
1049 Robert made Count of Mortain; he is WmConq’s 1/2 bro, Odo’s full bro
1050 Pope Gregory VII at Council of Reims excommunicates all Breton bishops for failing to respond to a papal summons; Breton refusal to Tours
Families respond by increasingly creating cells of abbeys outside Brittany; their family priests were then communicates through Tours
“Duke William the bastard of Normandy saw in this situation an opportunity to diminish the authority of Tours while at the same time winning for himself supporters in Brittany. He made common cause with Juhel, promising to use his influence over the Pope in return for an alliance which protected his own western borders. This strategy was highly successful, and Duke William’s popularity with the Breton nobility is evidenced by the large numbers who joined in his invasion of England. According to Wace the lords of Dinan, Vitré, and Fougères were all represented at Hastings. Juhel would have used Rivallon of Dol as his envoy to Duke William, and this probably explains Rivallon’s attendance at the court of the Norman duke at Dromfront in 1063-64.” (Fox)
Note: Many hold lands in both Normandy and Brittany, divided loyalty (Fox)
1050s “It was the geographical position of their homelands that had brought the third group of Bretons to England with William. The lands of the seigneuries of Dol-Combour and Fougères looked out towards the Avranchin and the county of Mortain in Normandy; some of them actually lay within these areas. During the 1050s William of Normandy had been careful to compel the recognition of his overlordship of this area from the Breton seigneurs who held or acquired land there. Unambiguous evidence of this process is provided by the charters of Ralph of Fougères’s father Main II of Fougères. ” (Keats-Rohan) “Its importance, as we shall see, is that it helped to create a community of interest between the Bretons of north-east Brittany and the men of western Normandy. Once we recognize the interdependence of the West Normans and the marcher Bretons the pattern of the English settlement after 1066 becomes much clearer. Its most extreme form occurs in the settlement of Devon and Cornwall, and when we compare this with the great blocks of land held in the north and east by Alan of Richmond-Penthiévre, William de Warenne and their affinities, we are at once aware of a broad geographical division between these two groups, in England as well as on the Continent.” (Keats-Rohan)
1050 d Herleva
Westminster Abbey begun by Edward the Confessor
1050+ William of Jumieges continues Dudo’s De moribus et actis primorum Normannorum ducum
1051 m William of Normandy & Matilda of Flanders
b Robert Curthose, oldest surviving son of William & Matilda
1052 d Emma of Normandy
Bristol base for Godwin’s sons’ resistance to king
1053 d Earl Godwin
1055 “Wihenoc, son of Caradoc of La Boussac witnesses the gift by his lord Robert de Vitré of the church of Maontreuil-sur-Pérouse to the abbey of St Serge at Angers. Wihenoc was probably married to Juhel’s daughter by this time, and was part of the bishop’s pro-Norman inner circle. As such he would have been with Rivallon of Dol in the events of 1064-65.” (Fox)
Welsh raids
Monmouth untouched, suggesting it was a fortified Saxon burh
1056 Gruffydd ap Llywelyn with Welsh, Saxons, and Danes defeats Ralph, Earl of Hereford and sacks the Saxon burh at Hereford, devastating area inc Monmouth
b William Rufus, son of William & Matilda
b Cecilia, daughter of William & Matilda
Odda’s Chapel
1057 Edward the Exile returns to England with family. Edward the Confessor wants to recognize Edward the Exile as heir. Edward the Exile dies before meeting Edward the Confessor. His family stays in England, flees to Scotland after Norman invasion. His children were Edgar Atheling, St. Margaret of Scotland, and Christina abbess of Romney Abbey.
1057-1061 b Constance of Normandy, daughter of William & Matilda
1060 Anselm joins Benedictine monastery at Bec, founds Scholasticism
b Eadmer of Canterbury, Anglo-Saxon monk, devotee of Anselm
1061 Thames freezes for 7 weeks
1063 London: severe winter
1063c b Alan IV of Brittany, Alan Fergan
Wm of Normandy completes takeover of Maine. Before 1060, relations bet Brittany and Maine had been very good. Starting in 1060, Wm of Normandy attacked Maine which was held by Anjou.
1064 Wm of Normandy attacks Brittany. Bretons stick behind their Duke Conan except for Rivallon of Dol who had recently made an oath to Wm based on land in Ceaux of the Avranchin. Other Bretons considered Rivallon a traitor. “Many of the Bretons of SW England after 1066 had probably either directly or indirectly supported Rivallon and Wm in 1064.” “The hostility between the Bretons of SW England and those of the northern honour of Richmond that lasted until 1154 had its origins in the events of 1064.” (K. Keats-Rohan) Normans lose against Bretons in 1064
William takes Dol (Bayeux tapestry); restores Dol to Rivallon
1064-65 Duke Conan II besieges Rivallon at Dol, Rivallon into exile
1064-82 Ricemarch Psalter made in Wales by scribe Ithael for his brother Ricemarch who lived at the school at St David’s. Their father Sulien became Bishop of St David’s in 1072.
1065 Conan II of Brittany besieges Rivallon I of Dol at Combourg
Ralph de Gael is with Conan II
1066 d Duke Conan II, Orderic Vitalis says that “Conan’s chamberlain (Aubrey de Vere?), a man who also had property in Normandy, was asked to place poison on Conan’s war horn, reins, and gloves. The poison was effective after Conan touched his hand to his mouth, and he died soon afterwards.” Aubrey de Vere “can be placed in the entourage of Conan on a visit to Tours, had links with Normandy, participated in the conquest of England, and was well rewarded by King William. Intriguingly, Henry I made Aubrey II de Vere his chamberlain, supporting the possibility that the father might have served Conan in the same capacity, cf. the creation of Walter son of Alan fitz Flaald as seneschal of Scotland, perhaps with the encouragement of Henry I of England.” (Fox)
d Edward the Confessor
R Harold Godwinson
Battle of Stamford Bridge
Battle of Hastings
Wigod, Saxon thegn of Wallingford, relative of Edward the Confessor, helps Wm Conq cross Thames; rewarded with lots of land which his daughter Ealdgyth and her husband Robert d’Oyly inherit when Wigod dies. (c1067-1071)
“…After a long/dry summer, W/WNW winds prevailed in the Channel all through September. It was, according to TEC/Lamb, only the breaking of this anticyclonic NW’ly (ANW) spell that gave Duke William his chance to cross the Channel on the 7th October 1066 (New Style calendar).”
R King William I, William the Conqueror
b Henry, son of William & Matilda, later King Henry I, born in England
Walter de Lacy is a Norman who follows Wm Conq, gets lands in Herefordshire and Shropshire; active on Welsh border; doesn’t give his lands to his knights; one of 21 who held land worth more than 400 pounds in Domesday Book; active against the Revolt of the Earls.
1066+ William fitzOsbern 1st Earl of Hereford builds castle in Monmouth1068-1069 b Richard, son of William & Matilda
Oxford is a thriving trade town, 1 thousand houses, 11 churches, smaller only than London, York, Norwich, Lincoln, and Winchester. It is a meeting place bet Mercia and Wessex. Under the Anglo Saxons and Danes, royal councils were held in Oxford in 1015, 1018, 1035, and 1065.
1067 b Adela, daughter of William & Matilda
Hereford Castle rebuilt by William FitzOsbern, earl of Hereford
Monmouth Castle, William FitzOsbern
Chepstow Castle and Priory, William FitzOsbern
Ewyas Harold Castle rebuilt by William FitzOsbern around this time
Remigius made Bishop of Dorchester, 1st Norman, largest bishopric in England
1067-1068 cold winter
1067-1071 Wallingford Castle Robert D’Oyly
1068 Ralph the Staller and son Ralph de Gael at Wm Conq’s court
d Ralph the Staller, father of Ralph de Gael
1069 Robert of Mortain leads destruction of Danish force in Lindsey
1069-70 Harrowing of the North
devastation and famine so severe that cannibalism occurred
Marianus Scotus mentioned the cannibalism in the Universal Chronicle, Mainz, before 1076; William of Malmesbury wrote that the devastation was apparent in his day; Orderic Vitalis wrote that the appalling act was the only mar on the Conqueror’s record
Ralph de Gael overcomes Norsemen who invaded Norfolk and Norwich Ralph was created Earl of Norfolk and Suffolk (the East Angles)
1070 violent storm in the North Sea as King Sven II of Denmark returns from defeat and reconciliation with Wm Conq; he takes loot from east Midlands/Fen lands
Bayeux Tapestry sewn
shows William and Harold at Mont St Michel
shows a comet which indicates that William will attack England
Gesta Normannorum Ducum — William of Jumieges
builds on Dudo of Saint Quentin (1015-1020) history (Troy legend)
brings the history up to date
Clifford Castle
Wigmore Castle, William FitzOsbern
William of Dol becomes abbot of St Florent de Saumur
m King Malcolm III of Scotland and Margaret, dau of Edward the Exile (St. Margaret of Scotland)
1071 b William IX, Duke of Aquitaine, the Troubador
Oxford Castle, Robert d’Oyly, High Sheriff of Berkshire, Lord Hocknorton, High Sheriff of Oxford
1072 Exeter Book donated to Exeter Cathedral by its Bishop Leofric, the first bishop
Chepstow Priory founded
d William FitzOsborn
son, Roger de Breteuil inherits as 2nd Earl of Hereford
1073 Pope Gregory VII
1073-1074 severe winter
1074 Church of St. George, Oxford, college of secular canons built by Robert d’Oilly and Roger d’Ivry, warrior buddies
1075 m Emma, Roger de Breteuil’s sister to Ralf Guader, Earl of Norfork “bridal of Norwich” which William the Conqueror had prohibited
Revolt of the Earls Roger de Breteuil, Ralf Guader, and Waltheof 1st Earl of Northumberland v Wm the Conqueror
Waltheof confesses to Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury: executed
Roger de Breteuil loses his earldom and properties
Ralph is chased by warrior bishops Odo of Bayeux & Geoffrey de Montbray (GofM orders prisoners’ right feet cut off)
Ralph hoofs it to Denmark, returns with only small force
Emma holds Norwich Castle until she can procure safe passage for everyone; she and Ralf live on her property in Brittany
b Orderic Vitalis, son of chaplain of Robert of Montmorency, Earl of Shrewsbury
d Richard, son of William & Matilda, shot in New Forest
mid 70s Lincoln Cathedral begun, Bishop Remigius moves from Dorcester to Lincoln; secular canons instead of monks, perhaps because the see was so large that finding enough monks problematic
1076 Ralph de Gael attacks Hoel II Duke of Brittany at Dol; Wm Conq aids Hoel; ends in a treaty
Odo of Bayeux on trial for defrauding Crown and diocese of Canterbury
Siege of Dol to eject Juhel from his see. Ousted by “former adversaries Count Eudo of Penthièvre and Count Geoffrey Grenonat; together with Ralph de Gael, who had recently been expelled from England by King William. This was a carefully orchestrated two-prong attack against Juhel.” “Abbot William and his brother John lord of Dol must at the very least have collaborated in the scheme. Simultaneously with the occupation of Dol a deputation of Breton clerics was dispatched to Rome with the objective of asking the Pope to confirm Juhel’s deposition, and to inform him that the citizens of Dol wished to elect Abbot William’s youngest brother Gilduin as their archbishop.” “There must have been a serious falling out between Juhel and the family of his most important vassals, the sons of Rivallon, and it is not difficult to conjecture the cause of this. Abbot William had become an influential and reformist church leader, who must have been appalled that his own father had died an excommunicate. He doubtless had been trying to persuade Juhel to accept papal authority, and it seems that Juhel had blocked the foundation of the new abbey at Dol as a cell of St Florent because he realized it would undermine his own authority. In an attempt to circumvent Juhel, direct papal approval had been sought for the foundation of the priory at least six months before the coup. As a churchman William had ready access to the three barons who took part in the coup, and indeed Geoffrey Grenonat, Count of Rennes, was his brother-in-law, being married to his sister Bertha. Ralph de Gael for his part would have jumped at any oppportunity to annoy Juhel’s ally William the Conqueror, who subsequently made strenuous efforts to have Juhel reinstated both by direct military intervention and by appeal to the Pope. Pope Gregory VII willingly acquiesced to Juhel’s disposition . . .” (Fox)
“The Life of Wihenoc the Knight. Of Juhel’s houehold it appears that only his son-in-law Wihenoc stood beside him and shared his exile. His story is an extraordinary one, and warrants recounting here because of his close association with the stewards of Dol. His first mention in the historical record occurs before 31st July 1055 when as Wihenoc son of Caradoc of La Boussac he witnessed the gift by his lord Robert de Vitré of the church of Montreuil-sur-Pérouse to the abbey of St Serge at Angers. Wihenoc was probably already married to Juhel’s daughter by this time, and was part of the bishop’s pro-Norman inner circle. As such he would have been with Rivallon of Dol in the events of 1064-65. After 1076 he was forced to relinquish his extensive lands in the see of Dol given to him by Juhel because those who failed to do so remained excommunicate. King William compensated him with a barony recently forfeited by the rebellious Roger son of William Fitz Osbern. Roger had become embroiled in the machinations of his brother-in-law, Ralph de Gael. Soon after becoming lord of Monmouth castle Wihenoc, with his brother Baderon, founded Monmouth Priory, endowing it with lands in the marches of Wales and Gloucestershire. Baderon gave lands from his patrimony in Brittany at Epiniac, and the mortgaged lands of La Boussac. Baderon was also a benefactor of St Georges Rennes, giving the village of Beren and a daughter to the abbey with the assent of his son William and in the presence of Ralph de Fougéres his overlord, witnessed by Alan son of Flaald. The Welsh church which the monks used while Monmouth Priory was being constructed fittingly bore a dedication to St Caradoc, the name of the founders’ father. The religious imperative of Wihenoc’s declining years was perhaps at least in part driven tby a desire to catch up for the many years of invalid communion received from an excommunicate bishop. By 1083 he had become a monk of St Florent de Saumur, leaving his English possessions to his nephew William fitz Baderon. Wihenoc gave Monmouth Priory to St Florent de Saumur on his admission as a monk, the instrument being confirmed by William son of Baderon, by his tenant Main de La Boussac, and by Grient the old. Another witness of some interest was Raterius son of Wihenoc. King William agreed to these donations in a charter signed at Salisbury and witnessed by Count Alan Rufus, the most senior Breton noble in England at that time, and a man who also had benefited hugely from the fall of Ralph de Gael. The choice of St Florent de Saumur was a natural one. Wihenoc as one of the archbishop’s knights had served Rivallon of Dol. Abbot William knew him well, understood his demons, and clearly held him in high esteem, using Wihenoc as a travelling plenipotentiary of the abbey. The first datable instance was in 1083, when he was sent to King William to ask him to intervene in a dispute with the monks of Mont-St- Michel. Abbot William’s brother, John of Dol, had granted land in Céaux in Normandy on the coast east of the abbey to St Florent. Passing the mount, Wihenoc and his colleague were able to persuade their fellow Benedictines they were in error in laying claim to these lands, and they signed a quitclaim on the feast of Stephen (26th Dec 1083).
“After this success Wihenoc was made responsible for resolving claims on lands given to all three of the other English cells of St Florent, those at Sele in Sussex, Andover in Hampshire, and Sporle in Norfolk. By this time he was a relatively old man. He visited the Abbot of Fécamp to reach an agreement over territorial rights in Sussex, and c 1095-97 he visited Philip de Braose at Radnor and received for his pains confirmation of all of William de Braose’s gifts to Sele. He even persuaded Philip to make a gift to Monmouth Priory. Philip de Braose later visited St Florent and made a pledge to uphold his donations with a symbolic knife which was placed on the priory altar. Wihenoc obtained a confirmatory charter for Andover from King William Rufus which was signed before him in the New Forest, and witnessed by Count Alan Rufus. On the 18th March 1101 or 1102 with Abbot William he visited Monmouth Priory for its dedication, and before a great gathering of marcher lords William son of Baderon placed a knife on the altar and attested to all the family donations to the monastery. Present at the ceremony was Flaald son of Alan the steward. Twenty-five years earlier Baderon had witnessed Alan the steward’s own gifts to St Florent. Also there was the Breton tenant in chief, Mascoit Musard from East Anglia, who later became of monk of Ely. Another charter in which William son of Baderon gave land near Goodrich castle during the visit of abbot William was also signed by Flaald son of Alan the steward. Wihenoc’s final task was to obtain a charter confirming Alan son of Flaald’s foundation of Sporle Abbey.
“Abbot William took Wihenoc with him at the dedication of another cell of St Florent, this time in Brittany, the Priory of the Magdalene of the bridge of Dinan. It was founded by Abbot William’s kinsman Geoffrey, castellan of Dinan. Wihenoc’s presence here at the dedication was required because of the territorial rights of his son Alan were in question: a vineyard had been donated in the town which was in the fee of Alan son of Wihenoc. Another witness was Richard son of Rivallon, nephew of Wihenoc the Monk.” (Fox)
Wihenoc (Guihenoc), Lord of Monmouth founds a church in Monmouth Castle
Welsh lord Caradog ap Gruffudd attends
Wihenoc’s brother Baderon had 4 children: William FitzBaderon (inherits lordship), Robert Payn FitzBaderon d.1095/1096, Ivo FitzBaderon who founds church, a daughter who is a nun at Rennes-St Georges.
1076-1077 severe winter in Britain
1077 St. Alban’s Abbey built
1078 Old Sarum Cathedral, first one is underway
dry summer, with many ‘wild fires’ in many shires burnt down towns and strongholds’
1079 b Peter Abelard
Winchester Cathedral begun
1080 Clement III, Antipope supported by Holy Roman Emperor
1080c b Adelard of Bath
1080s White Tower, Tower of London built
Henry I possibly tutored by Bishop Osmund of Salisbury, scholar-administrator
1081 b Louis, later Louis VI the Fat
b Abbot Suger
Ely Cathedral begun
Bury St Edmunds Abbey begun
Caradog ap Gruffydd invades Deheubarth; drives Rhys ap Twedwr to sanctuary in St. David’s Cathedral
Rhys ap Twedwr allies with Gruffudd ap Cynan; at Battle of Mynydd Carn they defeat and kill Caradog ap Gruffydd
Wm Conq visits Deheubarth on ostensible pilgrimage to St David’s; makes treaty with Rhys ap Twedwr for which Rhys pays Wm 40 pounds/yr for Deheubarth
William the Conqueror reorganizes lordships in Wales
Alan, son of Brient, lord of Châteaubriant, owns Wihenoc’s former Breton lands
1082 Wihenoc retires to monastery; Coleville next perhaps because William fitzBaderon is too young; nephew William fitzBaden succeeds him
end of Chronicon (history from creation of world) by Marianus Scotus, Irish monk who wrote at abbeys of St. Martin in Cologne, Fulda, then Mainz
Odo of Bayeux imprisoned until death of Wm Conq; then sticks with Curthose
1083 d Queen Matilda
1083c m Adela, dau of W & M, & Stephen II Henry, Count of Blois
1084 Alan IV (Fergant) becomes Duke of Brittany: last Breton-speaking Duke
m Matilda, dau Robert d’Oyly and Ealdgyth and Miles Crispin
St Peter collegiate church in Hereford begun by Walter de Lacy
St Guthlac begun in Hereford Castle by Walter de Lacy
1084-96 Ralph de Gael attests a charter of Alan IV in favor of St Georges at Rennes
1085 St Pauls in London is started by Bishop Maurice
d Walter de Lacy falls off the scaffolding while inspecting progress at Saint Guthlac’s Priory
Roger de Lacy inherits father’s property; builds castles; but, is part of rebellion of 1088 against William Rufus and implicated in 1095 conspiracy against William Rufus. Exiled
discussions in Gloucester that led to the Domesday Book; Bishop Remigius of Dorchester involved; Domsday commissioner for Worcester part of “Circuit V,” Worcester, Cheshire, Gloucestershire; Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire
before 1086 Lifris of Llancarfan writes Life of St Cadog; Lifris is son of Bishop Herewald of Llandaff
1086 Henry knighted at Westminster May 24
Salisbury, William I received homage & fealty of major landholders, Aug 1st
Domesday Book assembled
honours of Striguil, Caerleon, and Monmouth
Welsh leaders listed with their lands
“Three groups of Bretons can be distinguished in Domesday Book. One was settled mostly in the north and west of England and held land in direct or indirect association with the honour of Richmond.”
“affinities of Penthiévre-Richmond in the North and East. The party of Alan of Richmond included the lords of Wolverton in Buckinghamshire, descended from Baino Brito from Ercé-en-Lamée in Châteaubriant, who was allied by marriage to the king’s kinsman William de Warenne.”
Eudo of Penthiévre and son Geoffrey I Boterel of Lamballe stay in Brittany (keep nephew Conan, son of Eudo’s bro Alan III of Brittany, in wardship; revolters with Alan III’s illegit son Geoffrey Boterel). Eudo’s sons Alan the Red, Alan the Black of Penthiévre, and 3 illegit bros and Alan the Red’s foster-mother settle in Richmond. Eudo is son of Willliam Conq’s aunt and Geoffrey duke of Brittany, so these guys were second cousins of William.
“The second group was settled mainly in the south and west and was strongly associated with the Count of Mortain and the West Normans. This group came from the signories of Dol-Combour and Fougères in north-east Brittany.
“The third group was an anomaly because its leader, Ralph of Gael, was heir of the staller of Edward the Confessor and an Englishwoman and, unlike the other groups, had no special relationship with William.” (Keats-Rohan)
Pope Victor III (Antipope Clement III)
m Constance, daughter of William & Matilda, & Alan IV of Brittany
Oxford has lost 57 % of recorded houses to waste, more than any town, including York, except Ipswich. There may have been an unrecorded natural disaster. Or, the shift of the Norman interests to the Scottish border and Normandy, the general drop in trade, and the taxes and costs of the Norman presence may have temporarily caused a major decline. Norman kings rarely visited Oxford.
1086c b William, son of Stephen Henry & Adela of Blois
1086-1087 ‘wet’ years: much famine/want & ‘pestilence’ over 2 years. 1086 was ‘a very thundery year’ with much flooding and many people killed by lightning.
1087 d William the Conqueror — Henry at his deathbed at St Gervais outside Rouen
memory of death: his great men deserted him to look after their castles
his servants stripped the corpse, stole his possessions, abandoned him
a local knight not one bound to him by service made arrangements
a local claimed that the burial plot was on his land — paid off
tomb too small, intestines burst: stink
moral: earthly honor means nothing; abandonment
R King William II (William Rufus)
1088 b Henry of Huntingdon, son of Nicholas (Norman, made archdeacon of Huntingdon by Bishop Remigius of Lincoln) and English mother
Pope Urban II
Henry inherits 5,000 pounds in silver: 1.2 million silver pennies
Henry pays Robert Curthose 3,000 pounds for “the greater part of w. Normany” and title of count; makes friends; goes to England but can’t get Rufus to give him his inherited lands; is arrested on return to Normandy
b Theobald, son of Stephen Henry & Adela of Blois
1088-95 Bernard de Neufmarché conquers the Kingdom of Brycheiniog and creates the Anglo-Norman lordship of Brecon. Participated in 1088 revolt against Wm Rufus but wasn’t punished. Married Nest and Osbern Fitz Richard’s daughter Agnes (Nest). Glasbury, Castell Dinas, Talgarth, Bronllys, Usk Valley where he built Brecon and Honddu, Brecknock Priory. “Bernard also extensively enfeoffed his followers with Welsh land. Further, Bernard enfeoffed the sons of the king he had displaced in the less habitable land, thereby creating a loyal Welsh aristocracy and extracting more out of his land than the Normans otherwise knew how to do.” (wikipedia) By the time he died (1125c), Bernard left Brecon a flourishing borough.
1089 Curthose says Henry has lost his comital lands, but Henry keeps running them efficiently, strengthening defenses
Ralph de Gael attests a judgment between monks of Redon Abbey and chaplains of the Dukes of Brittany
1090 Conan’s Leap, Nov 3rd, Henry defending Curthose in Rouen against Rufus
b Robert of Gloucester, illegit son Henry I, in Caen
b Theobald, later of Bec and Archbishop of Canterbury
d Constance, daughter of William & Matilda, wife of Alan IV, Duke of Brittany
b Alexander, later Bishop of Lincoln, maybe Anglo mom and Norman dad
b Bernard of Clairvaux
b Brian fitzCount, illegit of Alan IV Fergant Count of Brittany, brought up in H1 court
Welsh retaliate against Anglo-Norman colonizers. Kill Caerleon’s lord?
Vikings destroy St David’s, Wales; alter balance of church in Wales?
1091 Rufus & Curthose agree to divvy up Normandy, excluding Henry
Henry beseiged by bros at Mont Saint-Michel, disappears into France
Robert Bloet made chancellor to Rufus
d Robert d’Oyly, leaving dau Maud as heir of Wallingford and nephew Robert d’Oyly as Lord Hocknorton and Lord of Oxford Castle.
Ricemarch becomes Bishop of St David’s after dad Sulien; Ricemarch writes Life of St David and poetry
Oct violent ‘whirlwind’ (tornado/T8) 600+ houses destroyed, much damage to churches, and damage to the new Tower of London
1090s b Henry I’s illegit daughter Matilda (mom Edith) m. Comte de Perche
b Henry I’s illegit son Richard of Lincoln (mom Ansfrida)
b Henry I’s illegit daughter Julianne (mom Ansfrida)
b Henry I’s illegit son Foulques (mom Ansfrida) became monk Abingdon Abbey
b Henry I’s illegit daughter Sibyl (see 1114)
1092 Henry is invited to take Domfront Castle & town by its castellan
he promises good government after the vicious Robert de Belleme
Rufus starts supporting Henry as Henry takes more castles
Sarum Cathedral consecrated, then is heavily damaged by a storm
Hervey le Breton becomes Bishop of Bangor
d Remigius, Bishop of Lincoln
very wet year
1092c 1st archdeacons, bishops appoint. Lincoln 8: Lincoln, Huntingdon, Northampton, Oxford, Buckingham, Bedford, Stow, Leicester
1092-1093 English rivers freeze so hard that horsemen and wagons can travel on them. When thaw comes, drifting ice destroys bridges
1092/1095 b Stephen, son of Stephen Henry & Adela of Blois, later King Stephen
1093 Durham Cathedral begun (takes 40 years)
d Remigius de Fécamp, Bishop of Lincon
Robert Bloet made Bishop of Lincoln: married, patron of Henry of Huntingdon, educates Robert of Gloucester, Richard of Lincoln and other legit/illegit children of aristocracy, and prepares his own clerks for higher office, curial, and continued in an almost chancellor sort of role to the king, signing writs
“Prior to Bloet’s consecration, the Archbishop of York, Thomas of Bayeux, who had previously had a claim to supervise the see of Lincohn, tried to prevent the Archbishop Anselm’s consecrating Bloet. Thomas argued that the area of Lindsey, which was within the diocese of Lincoln, really belonged to the archdiocese of York. The medieval chronicler Hugh the Chanter alleged that Bloet gave Rufus 3,000 pounds to intervene on Bloet’s side when Thomas attempted to assert York’s claim to Lindsey, but another medieval chronicler, Henry of Huntingdon, who knew Bloet well, said the sum was 5,000 pounds. This payment secured Rufus’s support in the dispute between York and Lincoln, which was settled in Lincoln’s favour.” Bloet was one of the chief administrative officers of the kingdom under William II, often associated with Ranulf Flambard, Urse d’Abetot, and Haimo the dapifer. Continued to be a close advisor of Henry I.
b Henry I’s illegit son Robert FitzEdith (mom Edith Forne) (see 1120, 1129)
later married Matilda d’Avranches du Sap
William Rufus invades Wales, creates lordship of Abergavenny
gives lordship of Cardiff and more to Robert Fitz Hamo (father of Mabel who married Robert later Robert of Gloucester)
Ralph de Gael witnesses a suit bet abbots of Lonlay and St Florent
d King Rhys ap Twedwr killed at Battle of Brecon; dau Nest captured
1093-1109 Anselm is Archbishop of Canterbury — investiture controversy
1094 William Gifford is Chancellor
Robert Bloet made Bishop of Lincoln
1094c b Matilda, daughter of Stephen Henry & Adela of Blois
1094-1095 Henry in England from Christmas to spring
1095 b Stephen of Blois, later King Stephen, grandson of Wm. I (mom Adela)
Pope Urban II preaches the First Crusade
b William of Malmesbury, churchman and historian
amassed library at Malmesbury by traveling and both writing and copying works
d Robert of Mortain, 2nd Earl of Cornwall
1096 b Henry, son of Stephen Henry & Adela of Blois
b Christina of Markyate
late 1090s Hervey le Breton leaves Bangor, unable to control Welsh
1096 d Roger de Lacy in exile; his English lands given to Pain fitzJohn, Josce de Dinan, Miles of Gloucester — not immediately to Josce de Dinan
Gilbert, son, only inherits Norman lands
Welsh reaction to Normans cutting across ancient native boundaries to make castellanries at the honors of Abergavenny, Newport, and alien Benedictine house in Newport. Welsh areas were Gwent, Gwynllwg and Ystradyw. After attack of 1096, “Nor more is heard of Gloucester Abbey’s rights over St Gwynllyw for two generations, and a dean and canons were in charge of the church still in the 1120s. Another effect may have been the disappearance of Thurstin fitz Rolf from Caerleon and his ultimate replacement there and in his Somerset and Gloucersterhire estates by Hamelin de Ballon’s brother, Winebald. Winebald had certainly been given Caerleon well before 1105, and it may be that he would have suggested himself naturally to Rufus as a replacement for a defeated and possibly slaughtered Thurstin.” (Crouch)
1096-99 First Crusade
Rufus pays Curthose 10,000 silver marks so Curthose can go on First Crusade
Rufus will watch over Normandy while Curthose is gone
Bishop Odo goes with Curthose on Crusade; dies in Palermo
Rufus gives Henry the Count of Odo’s former possessions
Stephen Henry of Blois goes with Curthose: as commander at siege of Antioch, he deserts and runs away.
Robert, Count of Flanders (Curthose’s cousin)
Ralf de Gael, former Earl of Norfolk with wife Emma and son William (all die)
Godehilde of Tosni, 1st wife of Baldwin of Boulogne
1098 b Hildegard von Bingen
Dec Crusaders sack Ma’arra an’Numan, conditions are so bad that 3 chroniclers report crusaders cooking & eating flesh of enemy corpses
Fulcher of Chartres Historia Hierosolymitana (History of the expedition to Jerusalem), begins his account in 1100-1102;
anonymous crusader under Bohemond Gesta Francorum et Aliorum Hierosolimitanorum (Deeds of the Franks and other pilgrims to Jerusalem), completed 1099-1101
Raymond d’Aguiliers Historia Francorum Qui Ceperunt Iherusalem (History of the Franks who captured Jerusalem), completed 1102-1105
“cannibalism” not in Latin in 11thc; took from Greek
cannibalism after Harrowing of the North; St Brice’s Day massacre; last resort in bad times when people are really starving
Robert Curthose and Robert of Flanders present at Ma’arra an’Numan
very wet year in Britain
1098-1101 Duke Alan IV of Brittany goes on crusade, leaving wife to govern
1099 b William X, Duke of Aquitaine, Eleanor’s father
Pope Pascal II
Henry at new Winchester Palace on Pentecost May 29
Anselm at Council at Rome at Easter, Pascal against lay investiture
Nov tidal flood (or wind-driven storm surge) in Thames estuary & n Kent formed Goodwin Sands; thousands of deaths
Robert of Arbrissel founds Fontevrault, Benedictine double monastery. Robert is well-educated ascetic, priest, monk, hermit. Preaches on sin in a brothel and, enraptured, the prostitutes walk away into the woods with him. One house at Fontevrault is dedicated to Mary Magdalene.
11th c active scriptoria at Llanbadarn Fawr, Llancarfan, Llanilltud Fawr, more
scriptoria existed in clas churches at end of Celtic period
1100 Notes on the century
already in existence:
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: after 1120 out of Petersborough
Deeds of Norman Dukes: cont’ by Orderic Vitalis, then Robert of Torigni
Chronicon/Worcester Chronicle continues
cathedrals had continuing chronicles & cartularies (lists of donors)
developments:
1100-1200 French literature dominates Western Europe
1100-1200 French/Norman/Anglo-Norman/Latin/vernacular spoken in England
1100-1250 Icelandic sagas
1100+ first recorded miracle play in England; mystery, quem queritis trope, Latin
1100+ earliest written mss of Mabinogi tales
1100 troubadors, OF jogleur: minstrel, joker, juggler, clown
late 1100s – Music: early polyphony, organum; folk music; court music
Romanesque architecture develops into Gothic style (Norman in England)
Crusades
Cult of Mary new; cults continue
first writing down of oral myths and stories
King Arthur/Merlin stories so influential that they’re called the Matter of Britain
development of towns
wool trade, especially to Flanders, trade fairs
rising power of pope, canon law, church bureaucracy
development of sacrament of marriage
rise of Scholasticism, Bernard of Clairvaux
beginnings of students/masters/teacher centers, Abelard
Gregorian reform ultimately smothers Scholastic movement
historians suggesting natural reasons for events; not necessarily acts of God
first half of century historians write from beginning of time, adding further books
second half of century historians more interested in current events
myths of people’s beginnings: Normans, Brit/Welsh, Breton
popularity of romance, rise of tournaments, courtly love, tales read in courts
concerns:
stability — Rufus didn’t support Church or laws
primatial power of Canterbury over York — much bigger than investiture
Gregorian reform: investiture controversy Henry I & Pope Pascal (Anselm)
class system and feudalism
rise of primogeniture: families and wealth
Gwent: Chepstow & Monmouth & Caerleon in 1100s
Welsh initially slow to resist Normans because had already dealt with Anglo-Saxons
incoming Marcher lords settled before 1100, esp 1086-1100
Normans couldn’t push as far west as Caerleon
in the 1100s Welsh resisted English expansion
Caerleon regained by Welsh early in the 1100s & kept until 1217
castles focus of attacks, but towns (merchants) growing around castles
Monmouth was the first Norman town planted in Wales
Upper Gwent cantref ruled by a Welshman, overlord was Norman
Domesday Book on Gwent: rents on honey, bread, ale, pigs, cows, hawks, land, fisheries. Social categories: kings, stewards, a sheriff, villagers, half- villagers, smallholders, male slaves, female slaves. Welshmen. Jocelyn the Breton held 5 carucates of land at Caerwent. 70-80 vills in Gwent.
Welsh: sought prestige & land in Wales, parallel play with Normans
allied with or resisted Normans according to their own aims
Marcher lords: owed allegiance & homage to king, were exempt from royal taxes
held usually royal rights: create forests, markets, & boroughs w/o royal permission. Law by local custom rather than royal court. Lordships were compact, discrete territories.
Goronwy ap Tudur, Geoffrey’s age, is 2nd? 3rd? generation of an interpreter family in Powys that dealt with Anglo-Saxons through Normans and the 12th century and beyond. Intermarried with Anglo-Norman/Anglo-Saxon women, usually from the families of sheriffs along the border. Led Norman contingents into Wales. Occasionally stayed on either side of the border to avoid ruling families’ fights. Given lands, sometimes from Welsh/Norman kings, in recognition of their services.
d Death of Brittonic/Cumbric spoken in the kingdom of Strathclyde or Cumbria
Wales: “a sense of Welshness in something like the modern sense. From the twelfth century, the Welsh were aware that they, along with the Cornishmen and the Bretons, were all Britons and that the Welsh language was closely akin to Cornish and Breton, but the Cymry were now primarily the Welsh and Cymraeg was now the Welsh language. Previously, the Cymry of Cumbria and the Cymry of Wales had shared a single British identity and conceived of themselves as sharing a single language.” (T. Charles-Edwards)
Welsh poem “Hywel ap Goronwy” c 1100
Pa Gur poem, Llandaff, “What man is the gatekeeper?” Arthur reference
Vita of St Cadoc
“Dialogue of Arthur and the Eagle”, in Cornwall, Arthur seeking Christian instruction, eagle is his dead nephew
“Dialogue of Melwas and Gwenhwyfar” — King Melwas abducts and rapes Gwenhwyfar
1100 c Culhwch and Olwen written down? Much older poem: ancient framework with Arthur story inserted. Includes Gwenhwyfer, Cei, Bedwyr, Gwalchmei (Gawain), Hoel, Caledfwlch (Excalibur), Rhongemiant (Arthur’s spear), Wynebgwrthucher (Arthur’s shield), Carnwennan (Arthur’s knife), Geraint mentioned, Ehangwen (Arthur’s hall), Hengroen (Arthur’s horse), Cacamri (Arthur’s servant), Bedwini (Bishop of Arthur’s court), Arthur’s family (Culhwch is a cousin; Arthur has sister, uncles, son), Gormant, son of Ricca, is Arthur’s brother through his mother; his father was the chief elder of Cornwall. Arthur’s warriors at Camlan: Morfran son of Tegid, Sanddef Pryd Angel, and Cynwyl Sant (he was 1 of 3 men who escaped Camlan and was the last with Arthur. Arthur’s court is at Celli Wic in Cornwall.
Arthurian world of early Welsh poetry
release of captives
slaying of witches and giants
hunting of oppressive beasts
winning of precious Otherworld objects
title Chief of the Kings of Britain
deputized duties proof of operating court
Arthur’s presence in any story was overpowering (B. Roberts)
knights include Drust Iron Fist (Tristan) and Culfanawyt Prydeian (Essylt Fair Hair’s father)
Essylt Fair Hair & Essylt Slender Neck at Arthur’s Court
1100
May d Richard, son of Robert Curthose, killed hunting in New Forest
Aug 2 d King William II (William Rufus) killed hunting; Henry present
R King Henry I (reigns until death in 1135) 32 when crowned
Coronation Charter: “I establish a firm peace in all my kingdom, and I order that this peace shall henceforth be kept.” First written Coronation Charter
b Geoffrey of Monmouth
b Baderon of Monmouth, son of William fitzBaderon, Lord of Monmouth; older sisters Iveta and Advenia old enough to sign deed of property gifts in 1101 at dedication of Monmouth Church. A brother, Robert, was illegit.
(Antipope Theodoric)
Ely Cathedral nave built
Henry I invites Anselm home from exile
m Henry I & Matilda of Scotland
Michaelmas — Anselm refuses investiture/homage
Christmas — Great Council, future Louis VI of France present
Henry ridiculed by aristocrats, called Stagfoot, Godric and Godiva
more and wealthier barons were against him than for him
Curthose returned from Crusade with wife Sibylla and money
Church of St Peter’s rebuilt as Gloucester Cathedral by Abbot Serlo
b Gwenllian, dau of Gruffudd ap Cynan, Prince of Gwynedd
b Nigel, nephew of Roger of Salisbury, brother/cousin to Alexander
b Mabel FitzHamon, daughter of Robert FitzHamon
Roger le Poer (and concubine Matilda?) brought from Caen by Henry I
b Robert of Cricklade, teacher, writer, and prior of St. Frideswide’s Priory
by now Henry of Huntingdon (12 years old) lives in household of Bishop Robert Bloet of Lincoln and is taught by Albinus of Angers
drought; excessive heat
1101 Henry I’s army meets Curthose’s at Alton; Curthose renounces English throne
b Heloise, later a scholar, Abelard’s lover and wife, nun, and abbess
(Antipope Adelbert)
Monmouth Church dedicated. Important people include Royal chaplain, Herve exiled bishop of Bangor
magister Theobald of Etampes lecturing in Oxford through 1117
d Hugh of Chester, bringing his young son & lands into royal control
Alan FitzFlaad witnesses documents at Henry I’s court; knight from Dol
Roger le Poer made Chancellor
1102 Henry uses law enforced with military might to rid England of the most untrustworthy barons — one result is cleaning out the independent marcher lords like the Montgomerys from the Welsh border
Henry gives Welsh land to Richard of Beaumais bishop of London
Henry gives Walter fitz Richard Netherwent and honor of Striguil
Henry gives Walter’s bro Baldwin lordship of Ystrad Tywi
Council of London = punishment for sodomy is excommunication
b Matilda, daughter of Henry I & Matilda
b William Clito, son of Curthose and wife Sibylla of Conversano
d Stephen Henry of Blois in Ramla
Henry I & Alan fitz Flaad in New Forest witness issue connected to St Florent de Saumur (Anges, Anjou). Wihenoc, monk of St Florent, is present
Alan’s uncle Riwallon is a monk at St Florent. Tie to Monmouth & Dol.
Sept Roger switches Chancellor to Bshp of Salisbury, not consecrated — Anselm
1103 b William Adelin (Atheling), son of Henry I & Queen Margaret
m illegit Julianne and Eustace de Pacy
m illegit Matilda to Rotrou count of Perche
b Henry I’s illegit son Henry (mom Nest) (Welsh princess captured 1193)
Mont St Michel – 3 bays in the nave collapse on praying monks
cold and wet conditions stress agriculture
Aug Great storm on St Lawrence’s Day does more damage than anyone can remember
1104 Crusaders capture Acre
b Waleran and Robert de Beaumont, twins, knights and lords
statement that Walter is Archdeacon at Oxford; not nec. at the same time, provost of St. George’s College
Hekla, volcano in Iceland, erupts; ‘perished crops’ in England 1105 & 1109
1104c m Nest ferch Rhys and Gerald fitz Walter
1105 Henry attacks Normandy; suddenly stops to meet Anselm
(Antipope Sylvester IV supported by Holy Roman Emperor)
Henry taxes priests with wives or concubines, then taxes all priests
b William FitzAlan, later Lord of Oswestry, Breton Marcher Lord, supported EMP
1106 investiture controversy settled; Anselm back to England
Henry invades Normandy; captures Curthose in battle at Tinchebray
imprisons Curthose for rest of life
Henry gives Welsh land to Henry of Beaumont earl of Warwick
Henry gives Welsh land to Roger bishop of Salisbury
b Isabel, sister of Beaumont twins, in Normandy; (royal ward) later had illegit daughter Elizabeth of Henry I; later m Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke (their first child born 1130) then m Herve de Montmorency, Constable of Ireland
Robert, Count of Meulan, settles estates on twin sons Robert & Waleran
d latest date for Flaald Seneschal of Dol, dies in Monmouth
relics discovered of Ursula’s martyred virgins
m Bohemund, Crusader and daughter of Philip of France, Adela of Blois provisions
Order of Tiron established by Bernard of Tiron; strict Benedictine; gray monks; Bernard becomes a priest at 19; spends years as a hermit, visiting Peter l’Étoile and Vital of Sauvigny before living like a desert father. When his former monks seek him, Bernard flees to the Isle of Chaussey and lives in a cave until they convince him to return to mainland France. There he attracts other hermits. He works with Robert Arbrissel. Tironsian houses appear in Ireland and Scotland. In Wales Robert fitz Martin builds St Dogmael’s, Pembrokeshire, near Cardigan at site of 600AD Celtic clas. In 1109 Bernard builds Abbey of Holy Trinity of Tiron in Perche.
1107 Henry returns to England to formalize Anselm’s position & invest vacancies
Theobald made Count of Blois (older brother William not suitable, Adela)
Henry, Adela’s youngest son, sent as oblate to Cluniac house
replacement of Anglo-Saxon Hereford Cathedral with Norman starts (’till 1115)
Baldric, abbot of Bourgueil, becomes Bishop of Dol
Hervey le Breton made abbot of Ely, then first Bishop of Ely
Aug Roger consecrated Bishop of Salisbury
Urban consecrated bishop of Llandaff, had been consecrated priest in Worcester
by Anselm of Canterbury
1107-1110 Henry settles Flemings in Western Dyfed, Wales
1108 Llanthony Augustinian Priory founded by Hugh de Lacy
1108-1118 Quadripartitus — mix of Anglo-Saxon laws, treaties, H’s decrees, correspondence
1109 d Anselm of Canterbury
Henry and Louis VI with armies negotiate across river
Henry I’s force ravages Cadwgan ap Bleddyn’s lands in Powys; valuables had been moved; horse stud was there which apparently the Normans didn’t take. Powys cobs were already being bred (they still are) and around 1100 a new bloodline (Spanish? Arabian?) is introduced through returning crusaders. Gerald of Wales says lowland Powys stud-farms are known for their horses that are consistently of “majestic proportions and incomparable speed.”
Abduction of Nest wife of Gerald fitz Walter by Owain ap Cadwgan
1109-1113 Henry’s intelligence/surveillance leads to seizures of property and restitution
1110 b Robert of Torigni, later Abbot of Bec
Exchequer as a term used, abacus accounting, court of audit, pipe rolls
Constitutio domus regis Henry I lists stipends for his household staff
Henry takes Cardigan from Owain ap Cadwgan as punishment (inc Nest abduction); gives Cardigan to Gilbert fitz Richard of Clare
Theobald of Blois backs Henry & family interest over Louis VI or Fulk Anjou
b Walter FitzAlan, son of Alan FitzFlaald
b Ailred in Hexham, son of priest
d Nicholas archdeacon of Huntingdon
Henry of Huntingdon succeeds to father’s position
1110+ b Henry I’s illegit son Renaud de Dunstanville (mother Sibyl Corbet; he was born in Dunstanville, Normandy)
b Henry I’s illegit daughter Rohese (mother Sibyl Corbet)
Geoffrey Gorham produces miracle play of St Katherine
1010-1111 long & hard winter; bad weather, both planted crops and trees severely affected
1110-1015 Orderic Vitalis starts Historia Ecclesiastica — shares as he writes
1111 Stephen knighted by Henry in August
1112 Stephen with Henry when he imprisons Robert of Belleme & retakes Alencon
Duke Alan IV of Brittany abdicates, son Conan III inherits
m illegit daughter Matilda & Conan III, Duke of Brittany
1112c m illegit daughter Constance & Roscelin Vicomte de Beaumont and Maine
d Nigel d’Oilly, son Robert inherits Lord of Hock Norton
1113 b Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou
Henry I visits Orderic’s abbey at Saint-Evroul
Feb Henry I & Louis VI agree on peace; Stephen & Theobald with him
Henry I makes Stephen Count of Mortain (he’s around 21)
Stephen given honour of Eye in Suffolk and honour of Lancaster
Stephen goes to England for intros; he & Theobald visit Crowland Abbey and former tutor Geoffrey of Orleans
Henry I arranges for William Adelin (10 yrs old) to marry Count Fulk’s daughter
m Matilda (Adela’s daughter) to Richard, Earl of Chester, vicomte of Avranches
m Gwenllion ferch Gruffydd to Gruffydd ap Rhys, prince of Deheubarth
Bishop Ranulf Flambard tries to rape Christina of Markyate
Breton monks on a funding visit for Laon Cathedral visit Cornwall, ask to see Arthur sites, are shown Arthur’s chair and oven, argue with a man about
Arthur being still alive. (see William of Malmesbury 1125)
by this time Alan Fitz Flaad is Sheriff of Shropshire
1113c Henry gives Abergavenny to Brian fitz Count
1114 m Matilda & Henry V of Germany, Holy Roman Emperor
m illegit daughter Sibyl & Alexander I of Scotland
Henry leads royal foray into Wales — the Welsh feared extermination as Rufus intended “so that the name of Britons should nevermore be called to mind”
Ralph d’Escures for archbishop of Canterbury
Thurstan of Bayeaux for archbishop of York (ended up in fight)
first reference to “tournaments” by Count Baldwin III of Hainault
1114 one of the driest years on record; Oct 10, Thames at London so low that men and boys wade across river
1114 or 1115 Great winds in October and a terrible storm on night of Nov 18 damages buildings and trees
1114-1115 frost lasts 9 to 11 weeks; almost all English bridges damaged by ice; Ireland: severe weather with frost and snow from 15th of kalends of January to the 15th of the kalends of March which makes “great havoc of birds, and cattle, and people; and from which arose great scarcity and want throughout all Ireland.”
1115 at Rouen Henry has his barons swear allegiance to William Adelin
King Louis gives full support to William Clito
Saint Bernard founds Abbey of Clairvaux
Walter the Archdeacon of Oxford signs charters for Abingdon Abbey
Westminster Court — election of Anglo-Norman Bernard to St. David’s
Henry gives Welsh land to the curial bishop Bernard of St David’s
consecration of Abbey Church at St Albans — at Christmas Court
new Bishop Bernard tries to make St. David’s primatial see of Wales
m Sybil, dau of Walter de Lacy, sis of Gilbert, who has inherited lands (Ludlow)
and Pain FitzJohn
Lordship of Striguil given to Walter fitz Richard de Clare, had been forfeited by Roger de Breteil back in 1075
1115c m illegit daughter Mabel/Richilde & Guillaume III, Goet de Montmirail
French monk Guibert of Nogent writes that the schoolmasters of the his youth could not compare in competence or number with those of the present day
1115-1116 severe winter
1115-1118 Leges Henrici Primi – Henry’s laws integrated into legal treatise
1115-1119 Bishop Urban moves his see, renames his bishopric Llandaff,
translates St. Dyfrig’s relics from Bardsey Island to Llandaff
1115-1120 Stephen in France, with Henry I and on Theobald’s behalf
1115-1125 Mont St Michel – Abbot Roger II rebuilds sections of Mont St Michel
1115-1143 Rahere holds prebend of Chamberlain Wood at St Paul’s. Cleric in H1 court, exceptional minstrel, social climbing flatterer, from humble roots or extremely wealthy, “sewing pillows on all elbows,” ostentatious (signed with Geoffrey)
1116 Hildegard sent to Benedictine monastery with Jutta
Palm Sunday Great Council at Salisbury —
Henry has English barons swear allegiance to William Adelin
Henry decides for Canterbury; York archbishop Thurstan resigns
King Louis and others start pillaging edges of Normandy
1116-1118 heavy rains from August to Candlemas (Feb 2) ruined crops
1117 heavy rains nearly all year, disastrous for corn. Dec 1 violent weather, hail
1117+ In Cornwall, English landowner Osulf’s death blamed on Toki; Toki’s 6 French- born sons are murdered near St Michael’s Mount by Anglo-Normans led by native sheriff of Cornwall Frewin. King pursues murderers. Frewin lost his lands and perhaps his office. Fines for the sons’ murders still being collected in Pipe Roll of 1130. National scandal. “The house of Corineus will slay six brothers” Prophecies of Merlin
1118 Henry’s enemy Amaury II de Monfort inherits county of Evreux
d Queen Matilda
d Robert count of Meulan
b Thomas Becket
Pope Gelasius II
(Antipope Gregory VIII)
Walter the Archdeacon of Oxford king’s justiciar at Winchester with Robert Bloet, Bishop of Lincoln
in siege of Laigle, Henry almost killed when stone strikes his helmet
city of Alencon — the single major military defeat of Henry’s career
precipitated by Stephen of Blois’s harsh treatment when in charge of town
Stephen had Alencon: lost it bec he disrespected burgesses; mistreated children hostages of townspeople; people complained to Count of Anjou who defeated Stephen, Theobald, and Henry I’s forces in 3 days; major setback
high taxes on people in Britain to pay for defense of Normandy
Henry affected by defections in Normandy of lords he’d trusted
Henry did have support in Normandy, “for although the magnates might shift sides with the winds, knights of the familia regis did not.”
Abbot at St Florent de Saumur changes
Curthose’s chaplain Arnulf becomes Patriarch of Jerusalem
very great wind on St Thomas’s Day (Dec 21); damage to houses/trees
1118+ a treasurer-chamberlain in Henry’s household with lesser servants plots to assassinate him; Henry increases his guards & sleeps with sword handy
1119 Eustace of Breteuil and wife Julianna rebel against Henry; mutilate a hostage; as a result their own daughters (hostages) are mutilated; Julianna tries to shoot Henry her father with crossbow: Julianna jumps out of tower window, butt
Pope Callixtus II
Henry gives Welsh land to Walter fitz Richard
Henry gives Welsh land to Brian fitz Count
m May William Adelin & Matilda daughter of Fulk of Anjou; Fulk then left on crusade
May d Alan IV of Brittany who had become a monk previously
June m Robert de Caen and Mabel FitzHamon
Aug Battle of Bremule: Kings Henry & Louis with their armies bump into each other
Henry saw & planned; Henry nearly killed; Louis ran away; Henry won
Louis tries to attack Chartres, but prelates display chemise of Virgin Mary
Pope Callixtus II consecrates Thurstan as bishop of York; Henry furious
week+ Henry and Callixtus meet (first time British king met a pope since Cnut)
Callixtus impressed by Beaumont twins
Henry refuses to free Robert Curthose
m illegit Alixe (Aline) & Mathieu de Montmorency, later Constable of France
maybe only arranged, then took place in 1126?
French knights Hugues de Payens and Godfrey de Saint-Omer, vets of 1st Crusade, propose Knights Templar Order
Pope Calixtus II sends pastoral letter on behalf of Bishop Urban of Llandaff to nobles in Glamorgan and Gwent threatening excommunication if they don’t give back lost property and pay taxes to Llandaff. William fitz Baderon is on list.
Payn Fitz John is on the list with the honor of Llantilio and Grosmont, suggesting a precursor of the lordship of the Three Castles (Grosmont, Skenfrith, and White Castle)
1120 formal peace treaty between Louis and Henry, son William doing homage
Adela of Blois (Henry’s sister and Stephen’s mother) plays major role in peace bet Louis & Henry; acceptance by Henry of Thurstan as bishop of York
Louis VI accepts homage of William Adelin as Henry’s heir
Adela retires to nunnery
Nov White Ship disaster
d William Adelin, heir of Henry I, drowned in White Ship wreck
d Matilda, Henry illegit, wife of Rotrou III, Count of Perche,
d Richard of Lincoln, Henry illegit
d Richard d’Avranches, Stephen bro-in-law
d Lucia-Mahaut/Matilda, wife Richard d’Avranches, Henry niece, Stephen sis
d Geoffrey Ridel, Royal Justice, d’Avranches relation
d Gilbert d’Aigle, d’Avranches relation, brother-in-law of Count of Perche
d William Bigod, Henry’s steward
d Gisulf, Henry’s secretary
d Robert of Mauduit, Henry’s chamberlain
d Ralph the Red of Pont-Echanfray, military power for Henry
d Geoffrey, archdeacon of Hereford
d William, son of Roger Bishop of Coutances
Henry hit by arrow during successful campaign to calm Wales
b Louis, future King Louis VII of France
b John of Salisbury, also called Johannes Parvus
St. Lazare Autun Cathedral begun, completed 1146
m Edith Forne & Robert D’Oyly, lord of Hock Norton (see 1093, 1129)
Stephen and Theobald in Henry’s company through Christmas court, Councils
Monmouth charter mentions Geoffrey the scribe
Sarum Cathedral completed under Roger of Salisbury
Llandaff Cathedral started; St Dyfrig moved from Bardsey
David the Scot made Bishop of Bangor (see empty since late 1190s)
d Alan Fitz Flaald around this time
Bishop Urban begins reconstructing Llandaff church into a cathedral,
creates dossier to show that Llandaff bishopric dated back to the 6th century, and to displace the bishoprics of St David’s and Hereford
dossier = the Book of Llandaff, associated with Geoffrey & Caradoc
from Council of Rheims (1119) to his death (1134) Urban litigates w/Pope
result = more English/Welsh began taking issues directly to Pope
Book of Llandaff includes The Life of St. Teilo
hero Gereint in romance: composite of 5th century British general, a character in Y Gododdin, an 8th century King of Domnonia, a 6th century King of Cornwall, and a 6th century Cornish saint
hero is grandson of Custennin of Cornwall, ancestor of Cornish saints culted in Wales, and ancestor of southeastern Welsh dynasty of Morgan ap Owain, d 980. Also, first cousin of King Arthur
1120c possible reasons for Rahere’s conversion “… the example of Queen Matilda, who was herself always intent on good works. She had been educated at the abbeys of Wilton and Romsey, and in the year 1108 had founded the Augustinian monastery of Holy Trinity, Aldgate.” When H1 was away, sometimes for years, “the queen managed the affairs of the court. ‘Yet lowliness in thee tempered thy great majesty,’ says Henry of Huntingdon.” “The example of Rahere’s good bishop Richard de Belmeis…” “… the great catastrophe of the wreck of the White Ship, the Blanche Nef…” “Newton relates a story … to the effect that when Rahere was on the Continent a great friend of his died and at funeral the dead man was caused to rise and tell Rahere of the inexpressible torments he was suffering in purgatory for not having performed sufficient works of benevolence. Rahere was so affected that he resolved to devote his future life and means to benevolence.” Rahere travels to Rome in repentance, gets sick, “fearing that he had not yet given satisfaction to God for his misdeeds . . . poured out his heart like water in the sight of God and all breaking out into tears he vowed a vow that if, having obtained health, it would be allowed him to return to his own country he would erect a hospital for the restoration of poor men and, as far as he could, would administer to the necessities of the poor gathered together in that place.” “Whilst he was accomplishing his journey, on a certain night he saw a vision, full of terror and sweetness.” “… he was borne on high by a certain beast having four feet and two wings and that he was set by it in a very high place. And when from such a height he bent down the glance of his eyes to the depths, he discovered a horrible pit to be beneath him, the terrible vision of which struck the beholder with both fear and horror at once…” “… while he was thus fearful and crying aloud with fear, one was beside him, bearing royal majesty in his countenance, of wonderful beauty and imperial authority, and with his look fixed upon him spake good words…” “Oh! man,” says he … “I am Bartholomew, an Apostle of Jesus Christ who have come to help thee in thy straits and to unlock for thee the secrets of the heavenly mystery; for thou shalt know that I …” “have chosen a spot in a suburb of London at Smedfeld where in my name thou shalt found a church.”… “Nor doubt at all with anxious mind concerning the expenses of this building; merely apply diligence, mine it shall be to provide the costs necessary for directing and completing the fabric of this work.”… Rahere, as a pilgrim, would also have been lodged there [in Rome, in the Trastevere/Jewish Quarter, near the church of S Bartolommeo housing the saint’s relics] and it would be reasonable to assume that he visited” the shrine multiple times. Also, the bones of one of St Bartholomew’s arms were already in Christ Church, Canterbury, bought then given by Queen Emma (when m to King Cnut). When Rahere returned to London, he had to go to Henry I because Smithfield was the king’s market, as it had been for Wm Conq and Edw Confessor. By 1174 it was a horse market. The church was founded in March, 1123, and the church was consecrated in 1126, 1127. St Bartholomew was always patron of Priory, hospital, and market. (BHO)
1120s-1130s separate “Dialogue of Melwas and Gwenhwyfar” in Life of St Gildas by Caradog of Llancarfan.
Gildas and Abbot of Glastonbury make peace between King Melwas, who has abducted and raped Gwenhwyfar, and King Arthur, who is besieging Melwas’s Glastonbury.
Caradog of Llancarfan also wrote a Life of St Cadog.
1121 Jan Henry marries Adeliza; Stephen & Theobald present, and illegit Robert of Caen
Henry founds abbey at Reading
the question of succession
Henry gives Welsh land to Miles of Gloucester
Henry gives Welsh land to Robert of Caen
Fulk of Anjou returns from crusade
Henry sends back Matilda, widow of William Adelin
does not return dowry of castles, specifically Maine
Henry campaigns in Wales?
Oct 18 violent north-east gale damages much in London
1121-22 political tension bet England and Scotland?
Henry names Robert de Caen as Earl of Gloucester
1121-26 Peter Abelard’s Sic et Non
1122 d Ralph d’Escures archbishop of Canterbury
problems choosing and consecrating new archbishop
whether Canterbury monks or bishops elect new archbishop
monks angry that they’re given a shortlist (no monks on it)
choose William of Corbeil
Archbishop of York won’t say Canterbury is top primate
new Canterbury bishop is consecrated by Bishop of London
both archbishops York & Canterbury head to Lateran Council
b Eleanor of Aquitaine
Concordat of Worms, pope or emperor appointing bishops
St. Frideswide’s in Oxford reconsecrated as an Augustinian abbey
1123 d Robert Bloet, bishop of Lincoln. “He had a sudden fit while out riding with King Henry and Roger of Salisbury, the Bishop of Salisbury, and collapsed in the king’s arms before dying shortly after without absolution, which combined with his style of living led many contemporaries to conclude he was condemned to Hell. His last words were, “Lord King, I am dying,” which he uttered right before collapsing into Henry’s arms. (wikipedia)
Alexander of Blois made bishop of Lincoln, nephew of Roger of Salisbury
1st Lateran Council in Rome
Callixtus grudgingly okays William of Corbeil as archbishop
unimpressed by the Canterbury forgeries to prove itself tops, so decides to send Papal Legate to England
m William Clito & Sibylla of Anjou (Fulk’s 2nd daughter)
m Fulk becomes 3rd King Jerusalem by marrying Melisande
Henry goes to Normandy to fight a war against Fulk, Amaury, Walleran, Louis
slow siege warfare, lots of devastation
unusually harsh winter in Britain and France
high number of thieves hung
silver coins filled with tin: Henry has Roger of Salisbury mutilate minters
Sporle Abbey Norfolk given to St Florent de Saumur by Alan FitzFlaad
William de Corbeil becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
1124 Henry’s familia regis captures rebel leaders at Bourgtheroulde/Rougemontier
Henry directs that 3 who had been pledged to him be blinded (1 suicide)
Waleran and two others are imprisoned for five years or more
Henry is more severe these days
d abbot of Bec William of Beaumont
Boso is elected new Abbot of Bec
Boso and Henry I become close friends
Henry gets William Clito and Sibylla’s marriage annulled (consanguinity)
Pope Honorius II
(Antipope Celestine II)
John of Crema is sent to England & Scotland as Papal Legate
Stephen founds Abbey of Furness in Lancaster; mother house in Savigny
one moved monk, Ewan, was born in Avranches of English-speaking parents, so could translate for the rest
Ailred moves to David I’s court, rising to echonomus steward, Master of the Household
d Ralph I of Fougères, Ralph de Fougères Seigneur de Fougères
father was Main II de Fougères
wife was Avice de Clare, dau of Richard Lord of Clare and Rohais Giffard
through wife held land in Normandy by way of Robert of Mortain
sons were Henry de Clare and Robert
Domesday tenant-in-chief, but may never have visited England
April d Saint Caradoc, hermit and harpist in Wales
1125 William of Malmesbury: “This is the Arthur about whom the trifles of the Britons rage even today; clearly he was a worthy man about whom genuine histories, rather than the dreams of lying fables, ought to speak.” Wm of Malmesbury says that the old popular songs still tell that he will someday return. Bretons who visited Cornwall in 1113 looking for Arthur sites, were shown Arthur’s chair and oven, argued with a man about Arthur being still alive. Wm notes that this incident resembles the way the Bretons are accustomed to dispute with the French over King Arthur. (Curley) William of Malmesbury mentions that Walwen’s (Gawain’s) grave had been discovered in the time of William the Conqueror.
William of Malmesbury Deeds of English Kings 449-1120
John of Crema holds council at Westminster: general papal reform agenda
the two English archbishops travel with him to Rome
final York/Canterbury solution: Canterbury receives ex officio papal legateship for England
d Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, husband of Matilda (Henry I’s daughter)
Eadmer, Life of Anselm
Walter the Archdeacon of Oxford king’s justiciar at Peterborough with Richard Basset
m Stephen of Blois & Matilda of Boulogne — arranged by Henry I, huge estates
Matilda is niece of King Baldwin I of Jerusalem
Aug 10 Great flood on St Lawrence’s Day; many towns, bridges, and lowland crops ruined
Cadwallon, son of Gruffydd ap Cynan, kills 3 of his maternal uncles, Goronwy, Rhiddid, and Meilyr. “Exeter commentator on HRB sees this in Merlin’s prophecy ‘Venedotia [North Wales] will be red with maternal blood.'” (Curley) (In 1132 Cadwallon is murdered by 2 of his nephews)
1126 d Cecilia, daughter of William I & Matilda
Henry, Stephen bro, made Abbot of Glastonbury, richest monastery in England
invites William of Malmesbury to research history
Nigel, nephew of Roger of Salisbury, made Treasurer of England; already working for treasury in Normandy
1127 Great Court at Westminster: all courtiers swear oaths to Matilda and any future legitimate son
secretly for Clito — Henry of Huntingdon, Roger of Salisbury, Alexander of Lincoln
m William Clito & Jeanne de Montferrat, French queen’s half-sister
Charles of Flanders murdered by powerful Flemish industrial family
Louis takes over and Flemings welcome William Clito as their count
Henry acts with diplomatic ingenuity to undermine Clito
d William IX, Duke of Aquitaine the Troubador, Eleanor’s grandfather
1128 m Matilda fitzEmpress & Geoffrey of Anjou, son of Fulk of Anjou/Jerusalem
d William Clito while fighting to keep control of Flanders
Matilda, widow of William Adelin, takes vows at Fontevrault Abbey
Hugh of Payens, founder and Grand Master of the Knights of the Order of the Temple in Jerusalem, visits England, recruitment & propaganda campaign
Apr 22 severe winter; heavy snow on Easter Day
1129 first of Henry of Huntingdon’s 8 books on Historia Anglorum Geoffrey knew
requested by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln
‘In those times Arthur the mighty warrior, general of the armies and chief of the kings of Britain, was constantly victorious in his wars with the Saxons. He was the commander in twelve battles, and gained twelve victories. The first battle was fought near the mouth of the river which is called Glenus. The second, third, fourth, and fifth battles were fought near another river which the Britons called Duglas, in the country of Cinuis: the sixth on the river called Bassas. The seventh was fought in the forest of Chelidon, which in British is called “Cat-coit-Celidon.” The eighth battle against the barbarians was fought near the castle Guinnion, during which Arthur bore the image of St. Mary, mother of God and always virgin, on his shoulders, and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the blessed Mary his mother, the Saxons were routed the whole of that day, and many of them perished with great slaughter. The ninth battle he fought at the city Leogis, which in the British tongue is called ‘Kaerlion.’ The tenth he fought on the bank of a river which we call Tractiheuroit; the eleventh on a hill which is named Brevoin, where he routed the people we call Cathbregion. The twelfth was a hard-fought battle with the Saxons on Mount Badon, in which 440 of the Britons fell by the swords of their enemies in a single day, none of their host acting in concert, and Arthur alone receiving succour from the Lord. These battles and battle-fields are described by Gildas the historian, but in our times the places are unknown, the Providence of God, we consider, having so ordered it that popular applause and flattery, and transitory glory, might be of no account. At this period there were many wars, in which sometimes the Saxons, sometimes the Britons, were victors; but the more the Saxons were defeated, the more they recruited their forces by invitations sent to the people of all the neighbouring countries.”
Geoffrey Arthur witnesses first of 7 charters in Oxford (3 use Arthur)
foundation charter for Oseney Abbey
Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford signs too (5 charters w/ Geoffrey)
Roger of Almary, precentor of Lincoln, signs too; service family
Edith D’Oilly convinces husband Robert d’Oilly to build St. Mary Church, an Augustinian Priory, on Osney Island. Robert gives Oseney Priory the southern end of the island and all of his churches.
Louis and Henry sign a treaty that lasts through the rest of Henry’s reign
Matilda fitzEmpress leaves Anjou for Henry’s court
Henry, Stephen’s bro, becomes Bishop of Winchester, keeps Glastonbury
Order of the Knights Templar supported by Church at Council of Troyes
Henry I uses the site where Ethelred the Unready held a witan with Saxon nobles (before 1008) to build a hunting lodge at Woodstock; in 1129 surrounds by 7 miles of fence to hold in his menagerie of lions, leopards, camels, and a porcupine.
1130 Pope Innocent II
(Antipope Anacletus II)
Peter the Venerable, Abbot of Cluny visits England
Rowlstone Church, Payn FitzJohn, Lord of Ewyas, & wife Sybil de Lacy
Church of St George’s owns St Mary Magdalen’s in Oxford
1130c m Baderon fitzWilliam of Monmouth and Rohese, dau Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare and Adeliza de Clermont. The wedding is held at Striguil Castle, stronghold of her bro Gilbert fitz Gilbert de Clare. Rohese is notable for her gifts to Monmouth Priory.
List made (for Pipe Roll?) of possessions of College of St George’s, Oxford Castle: “the church of Mary Magdalene, Oxford with 3 hides in Walton and the estate (terra) of Cutslow, the church and estate of Cowley, the church and estate of Stowe (Buckinghamshire), 2 hides in Morton (Buckinghamshire), 2 1/2 hides in Cassington, a hide in Sandford, 2 hides in Arncot, a virgate in Hook Norton, and two-thirds of the tithe of the demesne of all the manors of the two founders, numbering nearly seventy, and scattered over Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire, and Northamptonshire. The number of canons is nowhere mentioned, but as Oseney in later times was bound to maintain 5 chaplains at St. George’s to pray for the souls of the founders, it is possible that this was the original number of the canons. As was the case at Beverley, the head canon was called prepositus, but unlike Beverley, the canons did not live in common, but had their separate prebends. Walter, the archdeacon of Oxford (c1110-51), held the prebend of Walton, and was provost in the year 1145, and probably long before. Robert de Chesney, as he tells us, held the prebend of Stowe before he became bishop of Lincoln. Cowley with its church no doubt gave the title to another prebend.” “That the canons were appointed by the representatives of the families of the two founders is clear from a dispute between Oseney and Reginald of St. Walery.” (After Walter the Archdeacon died in 1151.) BHO
Cowley might have been in the neighborhood of what is now St Hilda’s College
1130-40 b Bernart de Ventadorn troubador
1131 Rouen: St Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot Suger, Pope Innocent II visit Henry
last entry in Peterborough Chronicle/Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
during rough Channel crossing, Henry promises God that he will cancel Danegeld for 7 years if he doesn’t lose his life; he keeps his promise
Geoffrey of Anjou sends for Matilda to return; she does
Christina of Markyate anchoress at St Albans; Alexander of Lincoln presides
1132 Henry busy with appointments, benefactions, and confirmations
b Rhys ap Gruffydd, son of Gwenllian and Gruffydd ap Rhys
1133 b Henry fitzEmpress, future Henry II
magister Robert Pullen moves from Paris to Oxford to lecture on theology
Nigel made Bishop of Ely
Geoffrey begins writing his History and Prophecies of Merlin?
1133c Henry of Huntingdon allows copies made and circulated of his history to 1129
1134 b Geoffrey of Anjou, brother of Henry II
Henry crosses to Normandy; enjoys his grandsons
late summer Alexander of Lincoln in Normandy with Henry I; Henry I on campaign
Rouen: king hears case between Alexander & abbot of Peterborough
Ailred enters Rievaulx
Robert of Ketten and others translate Qu’ran in Spain under directions of Peter the Venerable
1135 William of Malmesbury Miracles of the Virgin
Geoffrey of Monmouth Prophecies of Merlin dedicated to Alexander of Lincoln
Vae tibi neustria “Woe to you Normandy” added after H1’s death
Henry of Huntington Historia Anglorum continuation Geoffrey knew
Orderic Vitalis may refer to Prophecies of Merlin as Merlini libellus. Orderic interprets leo iusticiae as Henry I, “whom he speaks of in the present tense as awaiting his divinely ordained but uncertain destiny.” (Chibnall quoted in Wright&Reeve)
Geoffrey of Anjou presses Henry I for border castles that had been part of Matilda’s dowry: maybe G&M wanted proof of succession intentions
Henry prowls around Normandy, checking faithfulness of counts, with Stephen
Flemings in Wales leave, fearing reprisals after Henry’s impeding death, Orderic
Richard, illegit son of Robert of Gloucester, made Bishop of Bayeux
mom is Isabelle, d. of Samson, Bishop of Worcester and niece of Bishop of Bayeux
Dec 1 d Henry I suffers an attack and dies within a week
by his side: Robert of Gloucester, William of Arenne, Rotrou of Mortagne, Waleran of Meulan, Robert of Leicester
memory of William the Conqueror’s death: his lords left body; servants stole belongings; Henry I had to pay for burial land
chroniclers bemoan disorders that break out, Hollister pp 474-476
1st wk Dec Matilda takes castles: Argenton, Eximes, Domfront, & episcopal city of Sees
Dec 5, Thur Stephen in England
Dec 8, Sun Stephen in Southwark
2nd wk Dec Stephen welcomed in London and Winchester
Londoners claim right of election
11th or 12th Stephen to Winchester, treasury chamberlain William de Pont de l’Arche keys
Dec 15, Su Henry of Winchester prepares text for Stephen promising church reform
Dec 18 William Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury & papal legate, agrees to terms
Dec 21, Sa Theobald of Blois to Lisieux; Normans don’t want Angevins invading
Dec 22, Su Theobald and Robert of Gloucester chatting in Rouen when messenger announces Stephen’s coronation
Dec 22 R King Stephen, Stephen of Blois, through his death in 1154
1136 Stephen is popular in this first year: agreements with Scots and France, large treasury from Henry I, common counsel, accomplished courtier, smiled a lot, soft- spoken, supported by top churchmen, England’s wealth was growing
Jan 5 Burial of Henry I at Reading Abbey present: William Martel (royal steward), Hugh Bigod (royal steward), Robert Fitz Richard (royal steward),
Robert de Vere (royal constable since 1127), William de Pont de l’Arche (chamberlain of the exchequer), Adelen (treasurer), Roger of Fecamp (senior clerk), Miles of Gloucester (royal constable; 3rd generation),
Payn Fitz John (servant of Henry I), Ingelram de Say (Lord of Clun in Shropshire), Robert de Ferrers (Stephen’s kin, North Midlands)
Geoffrey of Anjou invades Normandy with little success
Jan 1 South Wales revolts against Norman rule, winning Battle of Llwchwr
David I of Scotland invades England and takes Carlisle, Wark, Alnwick, Norham, and Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
d Gwenllion, Deheubarth Welsh defeated by Maurice of Londres, Kidwelly Castle
Feb 5 King Stephen marches north with largest army in living memory
Treaty of Durham — Gives King Stephen control of Wark, Alnwick, Norham, and Newcastle, and David control of Carlisle, Cumberland, and Lancashire
March 22 Winchester Easter Court — magnificent, rituals, Queen crowned
more higher Anglo-Norman clergy than had ever gathered
Miles of Gloucester even gets hereditary grants (Henry I didn’t do hereditary)
Robert of Gloucester conspicuously absent
Apr 15 d Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare, Norman lord of Ceredigion, ambushed and killed by Morgan and Iorwerth ab Owain at Coed Grwyne near Abergavenny
the two Welsh bros worked together well; shared lordship
tensions which led to this could be the Norman hold on Usk Valley
against advice, had gone into forest led by fiddler and singer — really?
April Robert of Gloucester appears at Stephen’s traveling court (maybe at Brian Fitz Count’s Wallingford) around time that Pope’s acknowledgement of kingship arrives
Stephen requires Robert of Gloucester to stay with him and his court
Archbishop of Canterbury, William de Corbeil, dies
Hildegard elected abbess after Jutta dies
rumor that king is dead – False – Hugh Bigod occupies Norwich Castle
rumor that Roger of Salisbury is dead — Stephen rushes back from preparations for traveling to Normandy — False
summer rumor that Baldwin of Redvers captured Exeter Castle — True
Stephen beseiges for 3 mos, besieged reduced to only wine
Stephen lets surrendering garrison leave on honorable terms
“suddenly they [advisors] changed him into another man.”
“The king took the very worst advice.”
summer “A castle called ‘Usk’ and Caerleon were seized by Morgan ab Owain, who seems to have reclaimed all the land west of the river in Netherwent, and seized also the Candos lordship in Llebenydd east of the Usk, where he became the acknowledged advocate of Goldcliff Priory. King Morgan made further gains elsewhere. Although Newport remained as a fortress of Earl Robert of Gloucester, the earl conceded some areas of lowland Gwynllwg to Morgan as a grant in fee. A question remains as to how far Morgan pressed eastward up the Severn estuary. There is evidence that his dynasty was still in control of the area around Undy and Salisbury as late as the 1230’s. This was a region deep within the honor of Striguil, and indicates that Morgan’s military conquests did perhaps get quite a long way along the coast of Gwent before he was broeght to a halt by negotiation and (perhaps) a major enfeoffement like the one he obtained from Earl Robert of Gloucester.” (Crouch)
Exceptionally dry summer
Sept Cardigan Castle the only castle still in Norman hands in Ceredigion
Oct Battle of Crug Mawr Normans defeated by Owain ap Gruffud and Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd (sons of Gruffudd ap Cynan, king of Gwynedd) and Gruffydd ap Rhys of Deheubarth
Normans had large heavy cavalry
Welsh had longbow (and cavalry)
Banc-y-Warren = Crug Mawr, modern A487, village of Penparc
South Wales rises in rebellion led by Owain ap Gruffud and Gruffydd ap Rhys. Rebel gains included Carmarthen Castle. Brother of murdered lord (see 1136 ambush), Baldwin Fitz Gilbert de Clare and Lord Robert Fitz Harold of Ewyas sent to quash rebellion, unsuccessful, Pain Fitz John slain.
Stephen failed to support marcher lords (kept Robert of Glouc with him)
Walter FitzAlan enters service of David I, King of Scotland
by end of year Morgan and Iorwerth ab Owain hold Usk Valley, including Caerleon
1137 Tombelaine Island — Abbot Bernard du Bec of Mont St Michel builds abbey
Meilyr Brydydd begins Welsh praise poems
d Louis VI, King of France August 1
R Louis VII, King of France
Theobald (not Count) becomes Abbot of Bec
March Stephen to Normandy, progressing through Robert of Gloucester’s lands
Caen, Bayeux; Bishop of Bayeux is Robert of Gloucester’s illegit son
Apr 9 d William X, Duke of Aquitaine (Eleanor’s dad)
Apr 11 Easter Robert of Gloucester joins Stephen
Stephen meets up with his brothers at Rouen
grants Theobald 2,000 pounds for life; payoff for stealing English throne?
meets with Louis VI; Eustace does homage to the French king
spring, early summer
Geoffrey of Anjou trying to break in to Caen
major lords are joining Stephen
then, things start going sour
at Livarot, brawling among Flemings & Normans over a barrel of wine
William of Ypres attempts to ambush Robert of Gloucester
forewarned, Robert of Gloucester stays away from court
Archbishop of Rouen mediates between the 2 men, but they only play along
lords start leaving, Stephen is furious
Stephen ends up making a peace agreement with Geoffrey of Anjou. Stephen agrees to pay 2000 marks yearly if Geoffrey maintains peace on Norman border.
July m Louis & Eleanor of Aquitaine; Theobald takes groom to meet bride
summer hot — severe drought
d Gruffydd ap Cynan King of Kings of Wales (specifically Gwynedd)
R son Owain Gwynedd, King of Wales, rules through 1170
“The situation in Gwent had stabilized remarkably quickly by 1137, as a result of negotiation between the Welsh leaders and the Anglo-Norman magnates. It is clear from Morgan’s behaviour that he was looking for a new relationship with the colonists, based on their acceptance of his recovery of his dynastic heartland in the Usk valley. . .” “For their part, the Anglo- Norman magnates in 1137 were looking over shoulders at the unravelling political situation in England. Earl Robert of Gloucester left for Normandy early in 1137 and did not return to England until September 1139.” (Crouch)
by end of year Robert of Gloucester makes treaties with Morgan and Iorwerth ab Owain which acknowledge their enlarged holdings, accepts their fealty, and accepts their military support
1138 Geoffrey of Monmouth: History of the Kings of Britain dedicated to Robert of
Gloucester. Geoffrey creates a coherent narrative that includes many of the traditions about Arthur (not the saints’ lives stories). Geoffrey centers the court in southeastern Wales. He also adapts parts of it to the contemporary Norman world: Arthur’s court, known places, “chanson de geste” hero, single combat, leading by personal example, spreads across onto Continent. Geoffrey avoids wonder-tales. He connects Merlin with Arthur although the two never meet. He writes in Latin.
Henry of Huntington Historia Anglorum continuation Geoffrey knew
Caradoc of Llancarfan already wrote Arthurian tale, reworked saints lives
Armagh Gospels, scribe Máel Brigte úa Máel Úanaig
Jan David I of Scotland raids Northumberland numerous times, taking Norham Castle and putting Wark Castle to siege
Feb 2 Stephen in Northumberland Feast of the Purification, refuses Scots’ demand that Henry, David’s son, be made earl of Northumberland
report: David of Scots planned to ambush Stephen at Roxburgh
Stephen avoids Roxburgh and destroys Scots’ lands
rumors of disloyalty, so Stephen heads south
makes Eustace Fitz John give up Bamburgh Castle and stay at court
Vigil of Easter, 4/2 Godstow Cartulary: Godstow priory set up with gifts including St George’s Collegiate Church at Oxford Castle
Present: Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford; King Stephen (he was giving the church of St Giles at Walton); Queen Matilda; Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury; Bishop of Sarum; Bishop of Worcester; Robert Chichester, Bishop of Exeter; Bishop of Walton; Bishop of Bath; Bishop of Constance.
Witnesses: Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford; Robert, Bishop of Exeter; Richard, Abbot of Eleemosyna (f.1121, Cisterician abbey bet Blois & Chartres; mother house of Waverley & Tintern); Reginald, Abbot of Evesham; Walter, Abbot of Egenesham; Ralph of Monmouth; Magister Geoffrey Arthur; Robert, prior of Oxford; Robert capellanus; Ansket, presbiter; William Capellanus; Reginald, son of the Count?; William of Keisur; Humphrey, cleric; Andrew, cleric; Hugo de Keisur; William, son of Walter; Simon de Gerard Molend; Nicholas Basset; Nigel del Broc; Ralph de Broc; William, son of Godfrey; William Luvel. [Why doesn’t it mention Alexander of Lincoln or members of the D’Oilly family?] [Ralph of Monmouth seems here to be signing as canon of St George’s; later, he is a canon of Lincoln]
Godstow’s background = “Dame Ediva, a resident at Winchester, widow of Sir William Launcelene, had a vision, bidding her settle near Oxford until God should send her a token ‘in what wise she should build a place’ to His service. When for some time she had lived a holy life at Binsey, one night a voice told her to rise, and go where a light from heaven touched the ground, and there establish a nunnery for 24 ‘of the moost gentylwomen that ye can find.’ Apparently she saw the light at Godstow, northward from Binsey. Going to King Henry I she told him ‘what God in a vision her had sent,’ and with his help a monastery was founded.” The church was dedicated in 1139, after Henry’s death. BHO
April 10 Robert Warelwast appointed to Bishop of Exeter; nephew of last bishop, educated at Laon, not consecrated until December by papal legate Alberic bec Canterbury vacant (signed with Geoffrey)
Easter, 4/10 court at Northampton, problems in Normandy, the North, and Wales
Stephen sends Waleran of Meulan & William of Ypres to Normandy
Geoffrey sends copy with dedication to Waleran? (W drops it at Bec?)
Archbishop Thurstan of York handling Scots’ gruesome behavior
public opinion blames EMPress for both Scots & Normandy problems
Wales – Marcher lords in power vacuum after Pain FitzJohn’s death
May? Ascension Day – Stephen in Gloucester — lots of pomp and ceremony
Geoffrey sends presentation copy to Stephen & Robert?
Stephen besieges Hereford Castle bec of family discord after Pain FitzJohn dies
June? siege takes 4-5 weeks, then Stephen lets surrendering garrison go
in Hereford or on way back to London — shortly after May 10th —
Stephen gets messages from Robert of Gloucester that he is renouncing his homage and fealty to Stephen and is joining the EMP side
Robert of Gloucester provisions Bristol
June 10 Battle of Clitheroe — David I’s nephew William Fitz Duncan defeats the English
First altercation in Civil War
Bath — Geoffrey Talbot & Gilbert de Lacy caught reconnoitering by Bishop’s men; Geoffrey caught; in parley with Bishop, knights break parley and coerce Bishop into freeing Geoffrey
Stephen initially angry at Bishop
Shrewsbury — Stephen besieged, owner William Fitz Alan flees with wife and children, leaving his wife’s uncle Arnulf de Hesdin in charge.
Arnulf’s language enrages Stephen who lights fires & storms through gate
Stephen hangs Arnulf and 93 of his men
Shrewsbury raises Stephen’s popularity.
Bristol — Stephen besieges, but gives up to take Castle Cary & Harptree
Queen takes Dover Castle with a large force from the land side while her relatives from Boulogne blockade the sea side
Aug 22 Battle of the Standard — David I is defeated by English army raised by Archbishop Thurstan of York
thousands of Scots killed, few Anglo-Normans
yet deal afterwards was good for Scots
Nov Church Council; Theobald of Bec becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
canons (rules) include that any married clergy would lose benefices
Henry of Winchester gets to be standing papal legate
announcement of upcoming council in Rome — EMP’s claims to be heard
Dec Legatine Council in London
Aelred accompanies Abbot of Rievaulx to Scottish border for negotiations for Walter Espec, patron of Rievaulx, to surrender his castle at Wark to King David I
Robert Warelwast elevated to Bishop of Exeter
1139 Gathering of king, churchmen, and barons at Godstow near Oxford
charter between Walter the Archdeacon and Godstow Abbey adds title magister to Geoffrey’s name; also signing, Ralph of Monmouth (canon of Lincoln Cathedral), King Stephen, Robert Bishop of Exeter (jurisdiction over Cornwall) (see April 2, 1138)
A second charter addressing the gift of Walton to Godstow Abbey (undated) has witnesses: William, Abbot of Eynsham; Robert, Prior of S. Frideswith; Godfrey, the first of Eynsham; Master Geoffrey Arthur; Ralph of Monmouth; William the Chaplain; Nigel, priest; Jocelino, Clerk; Peter del Bar, Lord (?) Ralph of Melvern, and many others. Robert Bishop of Exeter commissions John of Cornwall to translate the Prophecies of Merlin from British to Latin in the early 1150s. Did Robert and Geoffrey discuss them at this time?
late Jan to Lateran Council in Rome
Theobald, formerly of Bec, new archbishop needing pallium
bishops Simon of Worcester, Roger of Chester, John of Rochester, Robert of Exeter
archdeacons Henry of Huntingdon and Arnul of Sees (=Arnulf de Lisieux “the Polonius of his time.” “old-style, pre-Gregorian bishop” known for his letters. First known for pamphlet against antipope Anacletus II ((1131- 38)) which was very anti-Semitic bec of that antipope’s lineage. Active for King Stephen through the 1130s. Accompanied Louis VII and Eleanor on First Crusade. (lancaster.ac.uk)
In Bec, Robert of Torigni shows Geoffrey’s History to Henry of Huntingdon
Henry writes letter to Warin, possible revisions to Geoffrey which Henry puts in his next version. Henry’s comments produce changes in the first variant version of Geoffrey’s HRB.
Note: pressures on Geoffrey to change his History. Also, changes made by patrons and scribes to copies of Geoffrey’s History.
Robert of Torigni: b.c 1110; enters Bec in 1128; prior of Bec in 1149; abbot of Mont Saint-Michel in 1154; pious monk, accomplished diplomat, skilled organizer, and a great lover and collector of books. “Under Robert de Torigni Mont Saint-Michel became a great center of learning with sixty monks producing copious manuscripts and a library collection so vast it was called the Cité des Livres (City of Books). Robert himself was called “The Great Librarian of the Mont.” Robert’s principal interest was not so much in man’s path to salvation, or in the moral lessons of history; it was in what he called ‘cronography’ (organizing historical events in chronological order). He made no attempts to interpret history but wrote plainly “without a trace of romance in his soul.” (wikipedia)
April Second Lateran Council ending schism
EMP’s representative gets nowhere in arguing her claim for throne
Second Treaty of Durham — Stephen cedes control of much of Northumbria to David I’s son, Henry
Apr 9 Queen heads delegation to ratify treaty with Scots
Henry, son of David, is now Earl of Northumberland
northern barons can do homage to Henry; fealty to king
Scots promise peace and hostages
Henry comes south to marry Ada de Warenne
Easter grand court, besiege a castle, rescue Henry from Simon of Senlis at tournament
Ranulf of Chester tries to entrap Henry on his return to Scotland
m Sybil, widow of Pain Fitz John, has held Ludlow Castle against Stephen since 1136. Stephen now marries her to Breton adventurer Josce de Dinan.
Sybil was a dau of Hugh de Lacy
Josce fortifies Ludlow against Stephen, supports Matilda
when Ludlow Castle falls to Gilbert de Lacy (1150c), Josce pulls back to Lambourn and his daughters marry two of his Breton knights: one son-in- law goes to Robert of Gloucester and the other to Matilda
Fouke le Fitz Waryn (13th c?) tells of Sybil’s bro Gilbert’s attempts to get Ludlow Castle back from Josce de Dinan (garbled history)
June 24 in Oxford, Stephen orders arrest of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, and Nigel, Bishop of Ely
for refusing to hand over their castles
a brawl had started over lodging betw Bishop of Salisbury’s men and Earl Alan of Richmond and his men
when bishops appear in Stephen’s court, they are manhandled, their loyalty is questioned, they are arrested at court, and they are deprived of property without a trial
– the bishops surrender their castles
– the bishops offer to give other satisfaction. Refused
– Bishops arrested.
– Nigel escapes and stupidly runs to one of Roger’s castles.
– All the bishops castles surrender. Bishops released.
– Roger a broken man
– reasons: tense time, everyone is strengthening his castles. Roger and his nephews have power and wealth but few friends
– apparently Beaumont twins and Alan of Richmond had convinced Stephen of the bishops’ guilt
Henry of Winchester, papal legate, holds council
Aubrey de Vere, experienced lawyer representing Stephen
– brawl was initial incident that disturbed the peace
– bishops held castles from the king, not owning themselves
– they could appeal to Rome, but if they went to Rome, Stephen wouldn’t let them back into England
going forward, Stephen put royal garrisons into castles he’d taken from bishops
Sept 30 Matilda lands near Arundel, residence of Adeliza, widow of Henry I
Robert of Gloucester leaves; inadvertently meets Henry of Winchester; they part
Stephen besieges castle of Arundel, but then allows Matilda safe passage to leave and join Robert of Gloucester
Stephen arranges for Adeliza to marry William d’Aubigney
Defections to EMP: Miles of Gloucester, Brian Fitz Count of Wallingford
Stephen raises siege castles against Wallingford; Miles of Gloucester gets Stephen’s garrison
Oct 7 Robert FitzHubert attacks castle at Malmesbury; Stephen arrives to attack it; William of Ypres secures FitzHubert’s liberty with surrender
– monks killed in church
– Fitz Hubert’s tortures
Nov 7 Robert of Gloucester’s forces take Worcester
d Roger, Bishop of Salisbury
Dec 11 Stephen celebrates Christmas at Salisbury
– takes treasure saying Roger had gained it as regnal agent
– canons get confirmation of their possessions at a price of 2,000 pounds
– receive it as charity & goodwill of king not as their rights
– king overriding his earlier promises because of necessity of the times
Stephen at Reading
– new abbots for Malmesbury & Abbotsbury
Pope Innocent II papal bull exempting Knights Templar from obedience to local laws
Robert of Cricklade becomes Prior of St Frideswide’s; knows Hebrew; already has been a teacher and then an Augustinian canon at Cirencester Abbey; wrote “On the Marriage of Jacob” in 1138; Pliny’s Natural History in the 1130s, later dedicated to Henry II; Miracle of Faith 1164-68, dedicated to Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester; Homilies on Ezekial 1172; Life and Miracles of St Thomas of Canterbury 1173-74; Life of St Frideswide
1140 d John of Worcester, ending entries in Chronicon ex chronicis
Nigel, Bishop of Ely, runs away as Stephen approaches Ely
end of exchequer for more than a decade
rumors that Stephen is devaluing currency because royal treasury low
Stephen freely granting land and offices
Henry I made 2 new earls in 35 years
Stephen makes 7 new earls and 7 “counts” all in England
moves balance of authority away from sheriffs to earls
gives most to military service and close companions
strategy: secure loyalty and contain Angevin advance
1140s b Bertrand de Born troubador
Kilpeck Church, 1040-1042
William of Malmesbury’s history covering1128-1142 Geoffrey knew
Robert of Gloucester lends Geoffrey’s History to Walter Espec of Helmesley who gives it to Raul FitzGilbert whose wife Constance gives it to Gaimar to put into verse.
Geoffrey Gaimar’s L’Estoire des Engleis
Crown loses control over coinage. Robert of Gloucester, King David of Scotland, and William Count of Aumale (Yorkshire) minted their own coins
1140-1148 Éon de l’Étoile, Breton prophet & messiah who steals from French monasteries & castles, and gives to the poor. Renowned for his magic. He and his followers think Church too worldly.
Feb 6 d Archbishop Thurstan of York, held North together, now license for disorder
Feb Stephen’s son Eustace betrothed to Louis VII’s sister
rumor that cash taken from Salisbury Cathedral to pay for bride
historians and chronicles become lurid concerning castle warfare, suffering of the poor, violence to the poor and to the clergy
AngloSaxon Chronicle on castle building
William of Malmesbury on brutalities of war
worst offenders were mercenaries flocking to England
ex. was Robert Fitz Hubert, Fleming related to William of Ypres
Stephen alienates church leaders when he refuses to accept their advice about the next Archbishop because he prefers to keep the See for his family
Robert of Gloucester takes back some land taken by Stephen in 1139
Peace of Bath, set up by Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, fails to settle dispute between Stephen and the clergy when clergy require that they set the terms for peace
b Walter Map, courtier and writer
Feb Stephen in and around Worcester, then returns to Oxford
Lent Stephen makes the Beaumont twins earls
March 26 Robert Fitz Hubert takes Devizes Castle from royal garrison. He refuses to do business with EMP supporters. He is tricked. Then hung.
May 26 Whitsunday Stephen at Tower of London – court
– Alexander of Lincoln probably afraid to come
– Henry of Winchester probably nearby; as papal legate he had vetoed Stephen’s appointment for Bishop of Salisbury (had already done the same for Malmesbury in 1140)
June Stephen in Norwich. Alexander of Lincoln attends, local earls
midsummer Henry of Winchester arranges peace talks at Bath
EMP delegation Stephen delegation
Robert, Earl of Gloucester Henry of Winchester
advisors Archbishop Theobald
Queen Matilda
mutual recriminations
Sept Henry of Winchester, in France, speaks with Louis VII, Theobald of Blois, Abbot Suger and other churchmen; returns with specific peace proposals
EMP = Yes Stephen = hedges, then NO
probably had to do with successions of sons
From this point royal court is atrophying and ceremonies are dying out
1140-1141 not sure which year. May 19. Welsburn, Warwickshire: ‘a very violent whirlwind [tornado] sprang up, a hideous darkness extended from the earth to the sky & the house of a priest was violently shaken, and all of his outbuildings were thrown down and broken to pieces.” 40+/- houses severely damaged, and hailstones the size of pigeons’ eggs fell, one of which kills a woman.
1141 Hildegard receives vision to start writing
Geoffrey de Lacy gets more bits of dad’s lands restored by Matilda; marcher lands now or eventually
Perception that England is being invaded by Angevins
First Battle of Lincoln:
Ranulf Earl of Chester & William de Roumare take Stephen’s castle in Lincoln
– the bros already had Lincolnshire property Stephen had just given them
– castle was both royal and seigneurial; wives started capture
– Stephen marched up & besieged castle
– Ranulf contacts Robert of Gloucester who brings relief forces (Welsh kings)
– Purification of our Lady February 2nd
– portent for Stephen at Candlemas
Feb 2 Battle of Lincoln
good speeches decrying each other
jousting
initial cavalry charge decided for EMP
taking of prisoners; Stephen is caught
many northern nobles who were released
King imprisoned in Bristol — EMP hadn’t planned for this
William of Malmesbury – EMP was anti-mercantile, no municipal liberty
this gave her a poor reputation with cities
Feb 17 EMP moves towards Henry of Winchester
March 2 negotiations concluded,
– Henry & Bernard of St Davids escort EMP into Winchester. Almost all bishops, many nobles, chief magnates there when EMP given city & crown.
– Archbishop of Canterbury meets with Stephen first to be released from oaths
around now? Geoffrey of Anjou sends envoys to Norman magnates
commanding them to hand over their castles
Normans spurn Geoffrey: offer England & Normandy to Theobald of Blois
Theobald refuses to act
Robert d’Oilly joins EMP’s cause
EMP charter in which Henry of Oxford acquires two pieces of land formerly held by the d’Oilly family witnessed by both Robert d’Oilly and Henry of Oxford. Henry may have been a suppporter of EMP since 1135 or 1139. Henry, a burgess, was A-S and a bully in acquiring real estate, especially bits held by his family prior to 1066. His heirs continued the tradition. He gained St. John (formerly d’Ivry) manors/churches in Cowley. Geoffrey or another canon in St George’s held the Cowley prebend. He . . . “took advantage of his position in Wallingford during the civil war to take over the lands of others, including the king.” (Keats-Rohan) His son John became bishop of Norwich
April 7 Henry of Winchester Council (major annual event)
Henry of Huntingdon continuation
d? Walter Archdeacon of Oxford
Line of continuity — England needs ruler because EMP didn’t show up promptly. Stephen stepped in but has been found wanting.
– Stephen hasn’t kept promises to church.
– Contrast to Henry I’s days.
– Can no longer ignore Henry I’s wishes.
– Gives EMP her authority, though it doesn’t give her power
Londoners invited
– their delegation wants Stephen restored; the delegation is excommunicated
EMP needs support
– chooses Oxford as base
– establishes court & network of communication
Invited to London, but does not endear herself to Londoners
– makes clear she would disinherit Stephen’s family
– she would strip away anything Stephen had granted
– she does not take counsel from her advisors
Queen Matilda starts attacking London suburbs
June 24 EMP is run out of London
– runs to Oxford, losing argument and losing territory
on her own, goes to Winchester to force Henry of W to support her
he runs out the other side of the city
Aug 2 Henry of Winchester sets fire to city of Winchester
siege runs 7 weeks, Rout of Winchester
1st siege by EMP of the royal palace held by bishop’s men
2nd siege by Queen Matilda? of the royal castle held by EMP
Sept 14 EMP breaks out on horseback, 1st miraculous escape, gets to Gloucester
Robert of Gloucester is captured and held in Rochester Castle
negotiations are between Queen Matilda & Countess Mabel of Gloucester
All SS Day King released, wife and son as security
Robert of Gloucester released, son as security
Stephen welcomed in London
Things back to stalemate of civil war
Dec 7 Legatine Council at Westminster to reestablish king; Stephen angry
Henry of Winchester claims he was forced to give in to EMP’s clamor
EMP’s delegates charge him with double-dealing
Christmas Stephen & Matilda second coronation, this time at Canturbury w/Archbishop
short of cash, queen mortgages property (never repaid)
situation at end of year: sense that whole political process is in disrepute,
according to Orderic Vitalis, Louis of France, William of Malmesbury, author of Gesta Stephani, William of Tournai, monk of Gloucester
Normandy: Geoffrey of Anjou controls central Normandy
in 3 year process of taking over Normandy
individuals come to him, such as either of Beaumont twins
1141-1142 very cold winter with snow
1142 d Robert d’Oilly, buried at Eynsham Abbey; son Henry inherits
Peter Abelard uses the term scriptorium
spring Stephen in York, no action
EMP = her followers want Geoffrey of Anjou to come to England
Geoffrey of Anjou staying until he controls Normandy; wants English help
EMP followers, sure thing:
go to Normandy, gain prestige in a successful campaign
Robert of Gloucester doesn’t want to desert EMP, takes hostage with him
of Miles of Gloucester to preserve his English holdings
with Geoffrey of Anjou takes 10 castles, inc Stephen’s Mortain
rushes back when hears of EMP problems; brings 10-yr-old Henry
Oct/Nov Stephen besieges EMP in Oxford from Oct up to almost Christmas
Robert rushes in to save EMP
EMP escapes miraculously (2nd great escape) and goes to Devizes
Stephen takes Oxford Geoffrey of Monmouth probably was there
Henry FitzEmpress spends a year at Bristol, taught by Master Matthew
Geoffrey of Anjou takes Avranches, Coutance, and Cherbourg
d Peter Abelard
Geoffrey of Monmouth signs charter, Roger of Almary signs too
d Orderic Vitalis
St Mary’s Church, Bicknor
Aelred to Rome with Walter of London, Archdeacon of York, to tell Pope Innocent II they oppose the election of Stephen’s nephew as Archbishop of York
d Richard, Bishop of Bayeux (illegit son of Robert of Gloucester)
1142-1143 Aelred is novice master at daughter house of Rievaulx at Revesby
1143 Stephen at legatine council in London, mid Lent
early summer Stephen in Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, and Dorset
– can’t pay for the arm of St Oswald, so remits monks’ debt
– Alexander of Lincoln present
June Stephen in Wiltshire, Henry of Winchester supplying troups
– from Wilton he plans to recapture Salisbury, then get EMP at Devizes
July 1 Battle of Wilton
Robert of Gloucester appears, sets fire to Wilton
– Stephen escapes when his steward, William Martel, creates a diversion
– several commanders captured
– some of king’s treasure & war machines captured
– looting in city
EMP now has secure bases and access to coast
d William of Malmesbury
Sept d Pope Innocent II, supported Stephen
Sept 26 Pope Celestine II Sept 26 1143 to March 8 1144, supports EMP
autumn fear of invasion from Normandy (definitely under Geoffrey of Anjou’s control)
Sept 29 Michaelmas court at St. Albans; Stephen arrests Geoffrey de Mandeville
gives up his castles as price of release
– William of Newburgh calls it revenge by the queen because Geoffrey de Mandeville had held Constance, queen’s daughter-in-law in 1141
– Gesta Stephani reports that Geoffrey of Mandeville was too rich
– possibly small clique convinced Stephen that Mandeville supported EMP
Geoffrey’s reaction is to attack Stephen every way he can
– pillage Cambridge, makes Ely his base
Stephen blames Nigel of Ely
– charges him with inciting rebellion
– Nigel tries to get to EMP
– king’s men catch up to him, steal his belongings and treasures
– Nigel returned to Ely then set off for Rome
Christmas Eve Miles of Gloucester dies
1144 perception — Geoffrey of Anjou supported by church, magnates, mercantile folks
consecration of Suger’s new east end of Abbey of St Denis
Henry Plantagenet returns to Anjou
mid Jan Geoffrey of Anjou completes conquest of Normandy by taking Rouen
Castle holds out for 3 months
Castle lord = William Earl Warenne
besieging with Geoffrey = Waleran of Meulan
Geoffrey’s guys = Count of Flanders, King of France, Rotrou of Perche
– Important to Geoffrey of Anjou to rule as inherited through wife and sons
Not through right of conquest
winter Henry of Winchester loses papal legation; Stephen low on money & prestige
d Pope Celestine II (March 8)
March 9 Pope Lucius II
Easter date of alleged murder of boy William used against Jews
May 24 Pope Lucius II writes British clergy decrying tenserie: protection money
in response to Nigel of Ely’s trip to Rome
tenserie used as castle-building increased; extra tax in a way
lay lords over religious houses to build castles (and over peasantry)
included taking a religious foundation’s knights
when? Ranulf of Chester leads rebellion against Stephen
late summer Geoffrey de Mandeville dies during attack on Burwell
Sept 29 Michaelmas Turgis of Avranches, royal confidante, guard over Walden Castle
tries to turn custody of castle into lordship
Stephen shows up and threatens to hang Turgis; Turgis loses position at court and ends up as household knight of Earl Simon of Senlis
Hugh Bigod seems to have lost his lands
when? Stephen orders earthwork built against castle; collapses, killing 80 men
Stephen retreats
when? Stephen captures castle at Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
garrisons men at Malmesbury
EMPs men build castles and siege castles
Nov 28-Dec24 Siege of Edessa – Edessa’s fall signals call for second crusade
1145
Feb 15 Pope Eugene III
papal legation – Imar of Tusculum – Stephen publicly reconciles with Nigel of Ely
good coins again
Stephen tries to take Tetbury — withdraws
Robert of Gloucester tries to take Oxford
Stephen captures Faringdon — gains reports of great triumph
Pope Eugene III
Woburn Abbey founded
Dec 1 Papal Bull proclaiming second crusade; news of fall of Edessa brought first reference to Prester John
1146
Easter St Bernard of Clairvaux preaches 2nd crusade at Vezelay, (built 1132, nave 1165)
Louis VII & Eleanor, masses of people
Ranulf of Chester returns to Stephen’s side — good publicity
Siege of Wallingford – Stephen gives up, but he’s considered active
Robert of Gloucester’s son Philip switches to Stephen’s side
Alexander of Lincoln returns from Rome
instrument written by Robert Pullen, native Englishman
– lay types can’t take bishops’ castles, inc. after death of bishop
Aug 29 Ranulf Earl of Chester arrested at court — allegations of treachery
he shows outraged innocence
Stephen gets back the castle at Lincoln
b Gerald of Wales, historian
b William the Marshall
Robert de Chesney, prebend of Stowe, canon of chapel at St. George, Oxford Castle, now Archdeacon of Leicester (signed with Geoffrey)
nephew Gilbert Foliot, later bishop of Hereford and London
bro William is major Oxfordshire landowner
bro Reginald is abbot of Evesham Abbey
sis Agnes m to Robert Foliot, steward to Earl of Huntingdon
Ralph Gubion made abbot of St Albans Abbey while continuing a clerk of Alexander of Lincoln and Alexander’s personal chaplain. Gubion had also been Alexander’s treasurer. “While abbot, he was alleged to have abused and tormented the prior of St Albans, Alcuin; eventually Alcuin transferred to Westminster Abbey to escape. Gubion appointed Robert de Gorron, who was the nephew of Gubion’s predecessor Geoffrey de Gorham as abbot, as the new prior. Gubion also set the finances of the abbey on a firm footing, and obtained favourable privilages for the abbey from Pope Eugenius III. Gubion was noted as a great lover of books. (wikipedia)
1147 Henry of Huntingdon Historia Anglorum continuation Geoffrey knew
Pope Eugenius III in Paris as Louis VII prepares for second crusade
early Eustace, 16 or 17, knighted; bro William made a count
Stephen’s attitude changes toward some courtiers
his sons come first
Queen very involved with sons’ futures (her inheritance)
another courtier miscontrues Stephen’s intentions and loses everything
April Henry Plantagenet comes to England with unpaid mercenaries and no money
14 years old
wants to square off with Philip, Robert of Gloucester’s son, for betrayal
can’t budge strongly held towns
EMP has no money
Robert of Gloucester refuses to help
asks Stephen, who sends funds by return messenger
May 19 Crusaders leave from Dartmouth, led by Hervey de Glanvil, made up of “Franks” from Flanders, Frisia, France, England, Scotland, Germany
blown off course, land in Porto
May 29 Ascension Day, Henry FitzEmpress at Bec
July 1-Oct 25 Siege of Lisbon – Everyone routed from city
Gilbert of Hastings becomes 1st bishop of Lisbon since 716
Oct 31 d Robert of Gloucester
Ailred elected Abbot of Rievaulx
1147-48 Pope Eugenius reads Hildegard’s writing to synod at Trier
1148 Crusaders fail to take Damascus
Feb d Alexander of Lincoln
Robert de Chesney ordained as priest then consecrated as bishop of Lincoln
his family supports Stephen, but his nephew Gilbert Foliot (Abbot of Gloucester Abbey during Anarchy; then bishop of Hereford; then Bishop of London) is relative of Miles of Gloucester
ecclesiastical & landowning family: bros inc Abbot of Evesham & bros William are aristocratic types; William is Stephen’s top leader at Battle of Wallingford.
Robert holds prebend of Stowe; was canon at College of St George’s, Oxford Castle before being made Bishop of Lincoln
bro William administers Robert d’Oyly’s holdings after 1141 when Robert d’Oyley switches to Matilda’s side; William does well out of Henry II going forward
1142-48 William de Chesney takes so much from places, he even forces his nephew Glbert Foliot’s Gloucester Abbey to pay him. Gilbert writes back, “Which of God’s poor around you have you not harmed?”
David Fitzgerald consecrated as Bishop of St David’s at the same time as Robert of Chesney is raised to Bishop of Lincoln. David Fitzgerald is son of Gerald of Windsor and Nest dau of Ryhs ap Tewdwr
John of Salisbury secretary to Theobald of Bec
Stephen’s court meets to decide who will go to Council at Rheims
bishops: Roger of Hereford, Hilary of Chichester, William of Norwich
clerks: John of Salisbury, Roger of Pont l’Eveque, Thomas Becket
Archbishop Theobald decides late, defies Stephen, leaves
returns with note from pope: all bishops who failed to attend are under penalty of suspension – only Archbishop of Canterbury can release them
Henry of Winchester can only be released by pope
Stephen, furious, heads to Canterbury — Theobald runs to Normandy
Queen and William of Ypres follow, ask Theo to stay in St Omer
Matilda forced to return to Normandy
d Sept 17 Conan III of Brittany dies; daughter Bertha inherits
Gesta Stephani — 1st book — first 12 years of Stephen’s reign
d Bernard Bishop of St David’s
1149 Henry d’Oilly (Robert & Edith’s son) and John de St John give Church of St. George at Oxford Castle to Oseney Priory. Many valuable gifts come in. Also, from 1149 on there is a legal battle bet Oseney and St Frideswith’s over who owns St Mary Magdalene’s. In 1200 it is finally decided in Oseney’s favor. In John de St John’s charters of gives to Oseney Priory, witnesses William the Poitevin, related to Henry of Oxford, A-S burgess in Oxford
April 3 Easter, Henry Plantagenet at Devizes
May 22 Henry Plantagenet knighted at Carlisle Whit Sunday
allies with Ranulf of Chester to attack York
Stephen marches north – the attack doesn’t happen
Stephen scorches earth around Salisbury
1149-1150 severe winter; Thames freezes from December to March; cross river on foot, horseback, and with loaded wagons
mid 12th c Vita Euflami composed in Brittany; “Disembarking on the coast of Brittany, Euflam meets Arthur and his men pursuing a dragon. Arthur fights the dragon all day, but in vain, and when night falls, Euflam makes a spring gush forth so that Arthur can quench his thirst. Euflam prays in frong of the dragon’s cave, and the dragon then climbs on to the rock Hirglas, coughs blood and ends up plunging into the sea, where it expires. The memory of this battle remains rooted in present-day popular traditions reflected in local place names around Plestin, in Trégor.” well is called Toull-Eflamm, Rock of Hirglas can be read as “Rock of the Killing”. “Arthur in Earlier Breton Traditions” Hervé Le Bihan in Arthur in the Celtic Languages
d Death of Brittonic/Cumbric spoken in the kingdom of Strathclyde or Cumbria
1150 Geoffrey of Monmouth Vita Merlinidedicated to Robert of Lincoln
lived in Llandaff before or while writing? When?
includes material associated with Saint Kentigern (Mungo),
traditional founder of St Asaph’s
Henry Plantagenet invested as Duke of Normandy
does not ask Louis VIIs permission
“Certainly it was Henry of Oxford’s transfer of service to Brien fitzCount that really made his fortune and allowed him to assume the prominence that eventually led to the ‘governorship’ of Wallingford, for which service he was well rewarded by Henry II. The statement of the Testa de Neville that Henry of Oxford was a burgess of Wallingford is slightly problematic, but may well be true. At all events, the borough of Wallingford supported the Angevin cause as vigorously as did the knights of the honour, as the charter of liberties demonstrates. The presence of feudal castles and feudal personnel in boroughs was a frequent cause of tension between burgess and barons. . .” “The unity of aim manifested by the borough and the honour in the case of Wallingford probably owed a good deal to the personality of Brien fitzCount, who built the mill at the South Gate for the burgesses. The three officers of Wallingford addressed by Matilda and Henry in 1150 can be divided into two groups, with Ansfrid fitz Ruald and William Boterel representing officials of the honour, and Henry of Oxford representing the borough.” (Keats-Rohan)
summer Stephen trashes Worcester, owned by Waleran de Meulan who hasn’t been in England for a decade; Stephen doesn’t get a surrender
perception that Stephen is treating parts of his kingdom as enemy territory
Sept 17 Feast of Relics day scheduled to make a double feast: pilgrims 40 day indulgence
that year Matilda, widow of William Adelin, becomes Abbess of Fontevraud Abbey
Walter FitzAlan becomes dapifer/steward to David I, King of Scotland; serves kings Malcolm IV and William I; steward becomes hereditary position
Knights Templar begin letters of credit for pilgrims to Holy Land
Ralph Gubion hands over his duties as Abbot of St Albans due to illness.
Denis Pyramus writes Parthénopéus de Blois, a chivalric tale drawn from the story of Cupid and Psyche. An Anglo-Norman, he was a Benedictine monk of Bury St Edmunds Abbey.
1150 +/- Gratian’s Decretum
demise of Old Welsh
demise of conventions for Insular letter forms
Robert Bishop of Exeter commissions John of Cornwall to translate Merlin’s prophecies from British language into Latin
written Latin sources linking Lailoken with Saint Kentigern have reached Wales from the north
1150-60 Baderon of Monmouth charter in which he trades land in Hodenoc (Hadnock) that his father had given Monmouth Priory for 3 forges in Monmouth worth 60s annually. His sons Gilbert and James have given permission and Prior Robert is his nephew. Witnesses: Prior Robert; Mauricio; William celerario. Clergy: Guidone capellano; magistro Roger; Gilbertsecretario; Patrick clerico; Geoffrey scriba. Laity: Gilbert son of Lord Baderon; James his brother; Seisello, son of Dunwall; Robert the abbot; William son of Robert; Robert of Albemare; Walter Marmium; William de Mareis dapifer.
1025 -1150 range for Cotton MS Vespasian A XIV (British Library)
Vita Sanctorum Wallensium, Lives of Welsh Saints section possibly collected/copied in Monmouth
1150-1200 range for Marie de France’s writing: King Arthur in Lanval, Chevrefoil
1150-1330 Brut y Tywysogion written at Strata Florida in Latin (existing ms is in Welsh)
1151 Geoffrey Bishop (elect) witnesses last 2 charters in Oxford area; Robert of Lincoln and Walter the Archdeacon also sign one of the charters; Ralph of Monmouth signs too
Jan 13 d Abbot Suger
mid Lent Council in London, Archbishop Theobald now papal legate
churches free from tenserie except what’s owed to king
intends to free church from local lords
Pope denies latest request to crown Eustace in father’s lifetime
– not English custom
– church had been “burned” before
– precedent in past denials
summer Stephen returns to Worcester but is tricked by Robert of Leicester, Waleran’s twin
Magnates saw multiple obligations
– ties of friendship
– ties of family
– ties of neighborhood
– ties of lordship
neighbor magnates make de-militarized zones
Aug Eustace and Louis VII square off against Henry Plantagenet and Geoffrey of Anjou in Arques, Torigni-sur-Vire
ends in definition & homage
Matilda, Geoffrey, and Henry make peace with Louis VII of France, in return for lands in the Vexin
Henry assembles Norman magnates to leave for England – doesn’t
Sept 14 d Geoffrey of Anjou dies. Henry Plantagenet, 18, is count of Anjou and Duke of Normandy
d Walter the Archdeacon of Oxford
1152 Hildegard founds abbey of St. Rupert at Bingen
Jan 10 d Theobald of Blois
Feb 16 Geoffrey of Monmouth ordained priest at Westminster and consecrated bishop of Saint Asaph at Lambeth by Archbishop Theobald
Lent divorce of Eleanor & Louis VII
Reginald Earl of Cornwall to Normandy to get Henry Plantagenet to England
Henry assembles Norman magnates to leave for England – doesn’t
same day that Stephen imprisons churchmen
Easter Eustace as heir – vows from many nobles
Archbishop and bishops refuse to anoint him
Stephen imprisons them in room
Archbishop Theobald escapes, pursued, to Flanders
May 3 d Queen Matilda, Eustace’s best advocate
May 18 m Henry FitzEmpress & Eleanor of Aquitaine
Louis VII, Eustace, and others line up against Henry
Torigni: “nearly all of the Normans now thought the Duke Henry would rapidly lose all his possessions.”
Hope for Stephen and Eustace
b Geoffrey, illegit son of Henry FitzEmpress
June 12 d Henry Earl of Northumberland (heir of King David)
Ralph de Diceto becomes Archdeacon of Middlesex; has master of arts; favored by Gilbert Foliot and Arnulf de Lisieux; wrote history
d Adelard of Bath; natural philosopher, original works, translations of Arabic and Greek scientific works of astrology, astronomy, philosophy, mathematics from Arabic to Latin. Studied in Tours and Laon (leaving no later than 1109), and then travelling to Southern Italy and Sicily. Travelled through the lands of the Crusades: Greece, West Asia, Sicily Spain, Tarsus, Antioch, and possibly Palestine. Returned to the Benedictine monastery at Bath Cathedral by 1126. Dialogues he wrote inc Questiones Naturales, Questions on Natural Science, 1107-33
1152c Adelard of Bath uses the term scriptoria
1153 “Henry of Oxford was sheriff of Berkshire from 1153 until 1155.” “Henry’s shrievalty was not, however, without incident, for a dispute is recorded during which one Simon fitz Thurstin the Despencer accused Henry of Oxford of bullying as a sheriff: an accusation it is all too easy to credit, given the inferences one can draw from his property dealings.” (Keats- Rohan)
6 Jan Epiphany – Duke Henry of Normandy arrives in England
face off at Malmesbury = equal number of earls supporting them
terrible weather — deaths of men and horses
doesn’t want fight — wants settlement
April 9 Henry to Stockbridge – meets with Archbishop of Canterbury, bishops of Winchester, Salisbury, Bath, and Chichester
amount paid and rights to castle at Devizes (church wants it back)
– deal at Devizes: two ways, depending on if Henry becomes king w/in 3 yrs
early spring Henry in Devizes, Bristol, Gloucester
spring Robert, Earl of Leicester has completely moved to Henry’s side; statesman
Earl Simon of Senlis has switched allegiances, too
– Henry can now deliver lands in Normandy
– Henry requires judicial process before some grants could take effect
– Henry is accessible
– Henry looks back to grandfather’s reign
refuses to recognize lands or offices Stephen had given
May 24 d David I, King of Scots
King Malcolm IV of Scotland, 12 years old, succeeds grandfather
Whitsun Henry moving forward, holds court at Leicester
July 8 d Pope Eugene III
Pope Anastasius IV
July Henry and Stephen close to each other, parallel besieging
Seige of Wallingford Castle: Stephen besieges it, then Henry encircles besiegers. Church leaders want peace
– truce declared, foretaste of peace treaty
Necessity for peace finally accepted by Stephen
Eustace feels betrayed — goes to his house in Cambridge
Aug 16/17 Eustace dies after plundering lands
b William, son of Henry and Eleanor
Aug 20 d Bernard of Clairvaux
d Simon of Senlis
Henry moving on
Stephen continues half-heartedly
Aug 31 Henry takes Stamford
Sept/Oct Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury & Henry of Winchester — peace deals
Oct 14 d Henry Murdac, Archbishop of York
new Pope Anastasius IV restores William FitzHerbert to Archbishop of York
– Hugh de Puiset to Bishop of Durham
Nov 6-11 Treaty of Winchester formalizes Peace of Wallingford. Anarchy ends by granting Stephen the throne for life with succession of Henry. Geoffrey signs as Galfrido de S. Asaph episcopo
38 signatures
Henry as Stephen’s liege man
homage by Stephen’s son William to Henry
Stephen & Henry exchange kiss of peace; not a dry eye in the house
The Peace – Pax
Stephen & Henry progress to London
– edict sent out that all castles built in the time of sedition be destroyed; eject hired foreign knights; land returned to those who had it in Henry I’s time
– Apparent assassination plot by Flemings; Rumors that Stephen’s son was aware of it; William leaves England
Dec 16 Ranulf of Chester dies, big destabilizer
1154 “The king of Scotland died, and almost all the chief men of the whole of England.” (the chronicle: 1133-86, in Annales Cestrienses Chronicle of the Abbey of S. Werburg, At Chester, BHO)
March Henry returns to England
Stephen based in London, takes progress through kingdom
“Death had totally transformed the landscape of power”
June 8 d Archbishop of York, William FitzHerbert (did subdeacon Osbert poison him?)
Michaelmas Stephen holds Council to choose new Archbishop of York
Roger of Pont l’Eveque chosen (southern choice)
Oct 10 Stephen at Westminster for Roger of Pont l’Eveque’s consecration
Oct 25 d King Stephen
R King Henry II to his death in 1189
Dec 4 Pope Adrian IV (Nicholas Breakspear) only English pope
Anglo Saxon Chronicle (Peterborough) ends
Robert of Torigni becomes Abbot of Mont St Michel, cite des livres, chronicler
Peter de Bermingham gains a charter of marketing rights from Henry II and begins a market in the area known as the Bull Ring
Church and Priory of St Mary at Oseney became Oseney Abbey
Gesta Stephani — 2nd book — through end of Stephen’s reign
1155 d Geoffrey of Monmouth
Wace Roman de Brut mentions Merlin
Thomas Becket becomes Chancellor
Pope grants Henry II right to rule Ireland
b Henry, son of Henry II & Eleanor, the Young King
Rhys ap Gruffydd becomes Prince of Deheubarth
June 18 Frederick Barbarossa becomes Holy Roman Emperor
William FitzAlan reinstated as Sheriff of Shropshire
1155 m Rohese, dau of Baderon, Lord of Monmouth, and Rohese de Clare and Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, 1st Viceroy of Ireland, son of Gilbert de Lacy and Agnes de Lacy. Rohese and Hugh de Lacy had a dau who married William fitz Alan
copies made of last version of Henry of Huntingdon’s History
1155-1160 Thomas of Britain, Tristan, tied to Henry II’s court & Eleanor
Beroul’s less courtly Tristan came later in the century
1156 d Bertha Duchess of Brittany; son Conan IV has to fight stepfather to inherit
around now Henry of Huntingdon last appears in documents
1157 b Richard, son of Henry II & Eleanor, the Lionheart
1157-58 Henry II successful Welsh campaign
1158 b Geoffrey, son of Henry II & Eleanor, later Duke of Brittany
because of an earthquake, Thames at London is waterless and is crossed dryshod
Geoffrey of Lacy gives his lands to his son Robert and joins the Knights Templar
Becomes precentor of the Templars in the County of Tripoli
1159 John of Salisbury, Policraticus
Pope Alexander III
(Antipope Victor IV)
1160 m Conan IV of Brittany and Margaret, princess of Scotland
1160-72 Chretien de Troyes in court of Marie de Champagne (Eleanor & Louis’ daughter)
1161 d Theobald of Bec
1162 Thomas Becket made Archbishop of Canterbury
1163 Leonin 1163-1190 early polyphony, Notre Dame Paris
d Henry d’Oilly, Constable of England, buried at Oseney Abbey
Robert of Melun (1100-1167) made Bishop of Hereford. Had studied under Peter Abelard before teaching in Paris and at Melun. Scholastic. Students inc John of Salisbury, Roger of Worcester, William of Tyre, maybe Thomas Becket. Strictly orthodox in his theological works.
1164 d Heloise
Constitutions of Clarendon, church or state running trials
(Antipope Paschal III)
1164-1165 Nicholas de Sigillo has replaced Henry of Huntingdon as archdeacon of Huntingdon
1165 b Philip II
1165-1210 c Jean Bodel — from the Song of the Saxons
Ne sont que III matières à nul homme atandant,
De France et de Bretaigne, et de Rome la grant.
“Not but with three matters no man should attend:
Of France and of Britain, and of Rome the grand.”
1166 d Robert de Chesney, Bishop of Lincoln
66-67 d Aelred, Abbot of Rievaulx
1167 Amalric, King of Jerusalem, captures Cairo
1168 Arabs recapture Cairo
(Antipope Callixtus II)
1169 Saladin becomes vizier of Egypt
1170 d Thomas Becket
Chretien de Troyes, Erec et Enide = French version of Geraint
Welsh/Breton Geraint probably written down around this time, but story beneath the contemporary accoutrements is much older. Welch version clearly has oral background specific to placement in Cardiff area.
Henry the Young King crowned
1170s Chretien de Troyes, Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart
first mention of Camelot
Owain, Welsh version first written around the same time
1171 Henry II annexes Ireland
1172 d Robert FitzEdith, Lord Okehampton
1174 Saladin as Sultan, conquers Syria
1175 William de Braose massacres local Welsh leaders at a feast at his castle at Abergavenny
1176 d Matilda Empress
Chretien de Troyes, Cliges
first recorded Eisteddfod held at Cardigan, Wales (boards for judging poetry existed from at least the early 1100s).
David Fitzgerald, Bishop of St David’s
1177 Baldwin IV of Jerusalem defeats Saladin
Chretien de Troyes 1177-81, Yvain?
1178 Hildegard put under interdict
1179 Grand Assize of Windsor, increase power of royal court
Saladin beseiges Tyre
(Antipope Innocent III)
d Hildegard von Bingen
1180 d Louis VII
R King Philip II
Saladin and Baldwin IV truce
d John of Salisbury
Perotin 1180-1225, early polyphony, Notre Dame Paris
1180-84 H. of Saltrey Tractatus de Purgatorio Sancti Patricii
1181 Pope Lucius III
1182 Philip II banishes Jews from France
Notre Dame de Paris, apse and choir completed
1183 d Henry the Young King
1184 choir of Canterbury Cathedral, William of Sens architect
b Eleanor, daughter of Geoffrey & Constance of Brittany
Council of Verona makes marriage a sacrament (in reaction to Cathars)
1185 Pope Urban III
Vita Kentigerni, Jocelyn of Furness
1186 d Geoffrey, II Duke of Brittany
1187 Saladin captures Jerusalem
Pope Gregory VIII
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