Explore the White Tower
Explore all four floors of the White Tower at the Tower of London using the Unity 3d game engine.
A Medieval Mystery
There appear to be some strange connections between the fourteenth century Old Wardour Castle and ancient stone circle Stonehenge.
1: Location
Old Wardour Castle appears to be aligned to ancient sites in the Stonehenge landscape.
2: Alignment
Stonehenge is aligned to the Summer Solstice. Old Wardour has a very similar alignment.
3: Size
Could the builders of Old Wardour used mesaurements from Stonehenge to layout the geometrical keep?
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976 .. 1000
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33 Historical events occurring between 976 and 1000
978
Regnal years: -
Deaths
EDWARD (The Martyr, King of the English 975-978) (b.962 - m.978)
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Siege of Paris
Otto II, the Holy Roman Emporer, laid siege to Paris. Lothair, the King of West Francia, had taken refuge in the city after Otto had invaded his lands in retaliation for Lothair's invasion into Lorraine. The siege was lifted when Otto's men became sick and a relief army led by Hugh Capet arrived to free the city.
Mar
Aethelred becomes king
Mar
Aethelred became king after the assassination of his elder brother Edward the Martyr.
Mar 18
Murder of Edward the Martyr
Mar 18
Edward, the King of the English was assassinated under orders from his step-mother, who wanted her son Aethelred to become king. His body was buried at Warham.
979
Regnal years: -
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Dunstan survives
The collapse of a building at Calne caused the deaths and injuries of many of the senior witan of England who were on the first floor. Archbishop Dunstan survived as he remained standing on a beam. ¹
Mar
Edward the Martyr reinterred
Mar
The body of Edward the Martyr may have been moved and reinterred at Shaftesbury.
980
Regnal years: -
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First Viking attacks
With Aethelred on the throne for a short time and possibly showing some weakness in his ability to rule, the Vikings started their attacks. Concentrating on the south coast the raids were limited and the affect to the country as a whole was small. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
982
Regnal years: -
Births
Emma (of Normandy, Wife of Aethelred) (b.982 - d.1052)
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Vikings colonise Greenland
Vikings from Iceland discovered the island and called it Greenland.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
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London ravaged by fire
A large part of London, including the King's palace, were destroyed by fire. ¹
See Also
983
Regnal years: -
...
Monastery at Worcester
Oswald founded a Benedictine monastery at Worcester dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin. Oswald became bishop of Worcester upon the recommendation of Dunstan.
985
Regnal years: -
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Sigeric becomes Bishop of Ramsbury
Sigeric, the future Archbishop of Canterbury, was consecrated to the see of Ramsbury by Archbishop Dunstan.
987
Regnal years: -
Deaths
Geoffrey (I, Greymantle, count of Anjou) ( - d.987)
Jul 3
Hugh Capet becomes King of France
Jul 3
Hugh Capet, elected by his peers became King of France, and was crowned at Noyon. ¹
Winter
Severe frosts
Winter
A severe frost hit England that lasted for 120 days. The weather turned so cold that the Thames froze over. ¹
988
Regnal years: -
Deaths
Dunstan, (Archbishop of Canterbury) (b.925 - d.988)
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Athelgar becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
Athelgar became the Archbishop of Canterbury after the death of Dunstan.
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Battle at Wachet
In Somerset Viking raiders attacked and burnt the village at Wachet. Streonwold, the local English leader, called for help from the surrounding population and a battle was fought. The Vikings won the battle and Streonwold was killed.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
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Swein becomes King of Denmark
Swein Fork-Beard overthrew this father King Harold Blue-Tooth Gormsson, King of Denmark.
990
Regnal years: -
Births
Aelfgifu (of Northampton) (b.990 - d.1040)
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Sigeric Serio becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
Sigeric Serio becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.
See Also
3D Virtual Reconstructions
Click to explore
991
Regnal years: -
...
Vikings attack the wealthy south-east
Under the leadership of Olaf Trygvasson the Vikings attacked the wealthy south-east coast of England and took as much riches as they could carry. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
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Battle of Malden
The raiding Vikings attacked the Ipswich area of England before sailing into the Blackwater river estuary near Malden. The English were waiting for them and trapped the Vikings in rising tidal waters. The English fought bravely and a poem was written about their exploits but in the end the Vikings were victorious and the English were defeated.
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
...
Vikings paid to leave England with land tax
Aethelred was advised by Archbishop Sigeric to talk to Olaf and arrange a truce rather than trying to defeat the Vikings in battle. The Vikings accepted a large payoff and left. The sum of money was around 10,000 pounds and was raised by collecting a land tax known as Danegeld. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
992
Regnal years: -
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Battle of Conquereuil
Fulk Nerra defeated the count of Brittany at the battle of Conquereuil. ¹
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Ships gather in London
King Aethelred decreed that all sea-worthy ships should gather in London and then put to sea and destroy the Viking army. But alderman Aelfric sent word to the Danes the night before the attack of the King's plan which allowed them to escape. Aelfric then fled. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
994
Regnal years: -
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Swein Fork-Beard invades Britain
Swein Fork-Beard had overthrone this father King Harold Blue-Tooth Gormsson, King of Denmark in 988. With a huge fleet of 94 ships he arrived in the Thames estuary with Olaf Trygvasson by his side. London put up a good defence and drove the Vikings back so Fork-Beard moved his forces again to attack the south-east coast to plunder what he could find. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
Winter
Trygvasson converted to Christianity
Winter
Through the Winter months Aethelred provided the Vikings with lodgings and £16,000 in cash to stop the raids on his land. Aethelred was also the sponsor at the baptism of Olaf Trygvasson. Olaf was given instruction from the Aelfheah Bishop of Winchester. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
995
Regnal years: -
Births
Canute (King of England 1016-1035) (b.995 - d.1035)
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Aelfric becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
Aelfric becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.
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Olaf Tryggvason becomes King of Norway
Olaf was in England when he was approached by a messanger from Norway asking him to return amd overthrow Earl Hakon who was ruling the country as a tyrannt. Olaf returned and joined the rebels against the Earl who had gone into hiding. Hakon was killed and Olaf became King of Norway. ¹
...
Constantine III becomes King of Scotland
Kenneth II of Scotland was murdered by Fenella in revenge for the death of her son and Constantine III became King of Scotland
See Also
996
Regnal years: -
Deaths
Capet, Hugh (King of France 987-996) (b.939 - d.996)
Aug
Capet Dies and Robert II becomes King of France
Aug
Hugh Capet, King of France died of smallpox. ¹
997
Regnal years: -
...
Peasant's Revolt in Normandy
The peasants in Normandy rose up against their masters including the Count of Evreux, the uncle of Richard II, the Duke of Normandy. The revolt failed when the leaders were captured and executed. ¹
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Death of Adalbert of Prague
Adalbert was the Bishop of Prague and had spread Christianity to Hungarians, Poles, and Prussians. He was killed by a pagan mob while travelling in Prussia. ¹
See Also
999
Regnal years: -
...
Durham Cathedral consecrated
Bishop Aldhun, the first Bishop of Durham, consecrated a cathedral at the location where the remains of St. Cuthbert had been relocated to. The remains were at Lindisfarne and were moved because of the danger of Viking raids. ¹
Episode: Viking Invasions [highlight all]
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Sylvester II was elected Pope
See Also
1000
Regnal years: -
Births
Godwin (Earl of Wessex) (b.1000 - d.1053)
Deaths
Elfthyrth (b.945 - d.1000)
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Leif Ericsson lands on North American coast
Several hundred years before Columbus, An area of north east Ameria was being explored by Vikings. They called it Vinland or Winland. This is thought to be the area of Newfoundland.
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Aethelred attacked Strathclyde and Isle of Man.
Aethelred the Unready attacked Strathclyde and Isle of Man. ¹
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