| | | 1175 | Canterbury Choir building work |
| Canterbury Choir building work by William of Sens. |
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| Oct 6 - Treaty of Windsor |
| A treaty signed by Henry II and Rory O'Connor allowing O'Connor control of the areas of Ireland other than Leinster, Meath, Waterford and Dublin which were controlled by the English King. O'Connor agreed to pay Henry an annual sum of money and to provide one hide from each ten animals slaughtered every year. |
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| 1176 | Work begins on new London Bridge |
| Peter de Colechurch began the construction of a new London Bridge across the Thames, replacing the old wooden structure that had been destroyed by fire in 1136. The new bridge was built of stone and took until 1209 to complete. |
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| Peveril Castle Keep |
| A square central keep was constructed at Peveril castle which was under the control of Henry II. |
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| Cwmhir Abbey is founded |
| Cistercian monks from Whitland founded the Welsh abbey of Cwmhir in this year. |
| Construction work at Arundel |
| More improvements were made to Arundel Castle between 1176 and 1188. |
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| Croxden Abbey founded |
| Monks from the Savigniac abbey Aulnay-sur-Odon in Normandy found a new abbey in England. |
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| Summer - Death of Stongbow in Ireland |
| Richard 'Strongbow' fitzGilbert de Clare, Earl of Pembroke died in Ireland. |
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| 1177 | Byland Abbey founded |
| After several years of moving the location of this abbey, the Cistercian monks finally settled at Byland in North Yorkshire. |
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| Henry as arbitrator |
| Again Henry's knowledge of law is used in a conflict between Alfonso IX of Castile and Sancho VI of Navarre held in London. |
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| May - Council at Oxford |
| At the council Henry II gave his title of Lord of Ireland to his son Prince John. |
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| 1178 | King Arthur found at Glastonbury |
| From the Chronicles of Meaux Abbey came the report saying 'In the twenty-third year of Henry, the body of Arthur some time king of the Britons were found at Glastonbury, between two stone pyramids formerly erected in the sacred cemetery. Hidden by a hollow oak, lay about fifteen feet deep in the ground.' |
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| 1179 | Rochester fire |
| In 1177 or 1179 another fire took hold in the city of Rochester damaging the Cathedral. |
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| Canterbury Trinity Chapel and corona building work |
| Canterbury Trinity Chapel and corona building work by William Englishman. |
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| Richard (I) takes the impenetrable fortress town of Taillebourg. |
| Within two weeks Richard broke the defences of the fortress town of Taillebourg. Henry II employed his son Richard to bring the rebellious barons of the Aquitaine area under control. |
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| 1180 | Construction of Conisbrough Castle |
| Built by Hamelin Plantagenet, Henry II's brother. |
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| Kenilworth Castle keep |
| The massive keep at Kenilworth was under construction during this period. |
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| Wells Cathedral building begins |
| Work on Wells Cathedral began in this year. (More Information to follow) |
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| Jun 28 - Treaty of Gisors |
| A non-aggression treaty signed between Philippe Augustus and Henry II. |
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| Sep 18 - Philippe Augustus takes the French throne |
| Philippe II, Augustus succeeds to the French throne after the death of his father. |
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| 1181 | Assize of Arms |
| This law was passed to force all freemen to arm themselves with according to their wealth with weapons and equipment. |
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| 1182 | Dingstow Castle |
| Dingstow (Dingestow) castle was under construction by 1182, in the form of a motte and bailey. Located near Monmouth in south Wales. |
| Abergavenny Castle attacked |
| In 1182 the castle was invaded by sons of Sitsyllt in revenge for the death of their father. |
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| Kenilworth Castle becomes the King's property |
| Henry de Clinton exchanged Kenilworth Castle for other land? |
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| 1183 | Jun - The Young King dies |
| Henry II's son Henry, crowned as the Young King, died of dysentery and Richard became heir to the English throne. |
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| 1185 | Lincoln Cathedral damaged |
| Earth tremors damaged the Cathedral at Lincoln beyond repair. The earthquake must have been very powerful as it was said that it was felt throughout the country. Only the West front survived in good shape and rest of the building had to be demolished. |
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| Apr - John in Ireland |
| John accepted the post of Lord or Ireland and travelled there to take control. He was around eighteen years old and took his friends of the same age with him. They treated the native Irish barons with contempt and the English soldiers were unable to subdue the Irish fighters in unfamiliar conditions and the mission soon became a complete disaster. By the end of the year John returned to England. William Marshal, the Earl of Pembroke was entrusted with the task of controlling Ireland. |
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| Apr - John is knighted |
| John is knighted by his father at Windsor Castle before travelling to Ireland. |
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| May 1 - Eclipse |
| There was an eclipse of the Sun on this day over the north of Europe. Interestingly, there was an earthquake that damaged Lincoln Cathedral in 1185. Did the earthquake happen before or after the eclipse? Are the two events related? |
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| Jul - Treaty of Boves |
| Signed by Philippe Augustus to ensure his authority over his vassals. |
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| 1186 | Cleeve Abbey planned |
| Plans for a Cistercian abbey in Somerset were put forward around about this time. |
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| Aberconwy Abbey founded |
| A Cistercian Abbey was founded by monks from Strata Florida in Wales in Conwy. |
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| Jul - Geoffrey, son of Henry II dies in a tournament |
| Geoffrey, the son of Henry II dies in a tournament. |
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| 1187 | Another fire at Chichester Cathedral |
| Chichester Cathedral suffered another disastrous fire. |
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| Crusade sermon at Llandaff Cathedral |
| Archbishop Baldwin preached the Crusade, the spot being marked with a cross that was restored in 1897. |
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| Henry signs a peace treaty |
| To avoid war with Philippe Augustus, after Philippe had taken Issousun, Henry II signed a peace treaty at Chateauroux. |
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| Jul 3 - Army of Jerusalem defeated |
| The army of Jerusalem was beaten by Turkish forces. Guy of Lusignan was King of Jerusalem at this time. All Knights Templars and Hospitallers who survived the battle were executed afterwards. |
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| Oct 2 - Jerusalem falls to the Muslims  |
| The al-Asqu mosque was returned to Islam. The Muslims allowed four Christian Priests to hold services in the Church of the Holy Sepulche. This was opposed to the first Crusaders who since they first captured the city in 1099 had treated Jerusalem as theirs alone. The Muslim leader was Al-Malik al-Nasir Salad ed-Din Yusuf (Saladin). |
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| Nov - Richard takes the Cross. The Crusade |
| Richard took the Cross. Before going on a Crusade a vow was taken and the person was given a piece of cloth in the shape of a cross to be sown onto the surcoat. To go on a Crusade meant a person was granted a plenary indulgence which freed them from the terrors of purgatory and hell if they killed the enemy and gave them the promise of eternal life in heaven. |
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| 1188 | Cutting of the Elm |
| Odd events surrounding the meeting of Henry II and Philippe II of France in a field at Gisors. Events surround a sacred Oak tree. |
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| 1189 | William Marshal and Chepstow Castle |
| In 1189 William Marshal married Isabel (Isabella), the heiress of Earl Richard de Clare. Isabel's castles passed to William including Pembroke Castle. |
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| Teutonic Knights established |
| The Order of the Teutonic Knights established at Acre. |
| John marries Isabella |
| John married Isabella of Gloucester who was the heiress of the Glamorgan lordship. |
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| Building work commences at the Tower |
| While Richard I was away on Crusade, William Longchamp, the Bishop of Ely and and Chancellor ordered the enlargement of the bailey surrounding the keep Tower in London. A new ditch and bank were constructed with a new section of curtain wall. |
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| Jul 6 - Henry II Dies |
| Henry II died at Chinon and was buried in the choir church of Fontevrault. Richard became King of England. William Marshal, who served under Henry II and was favoured by Richard, was sent to England to prepare for Richard's arrival. |
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| Aug 3 - Richard returns to England |
| Richard of Normandy arrived at Portsmouth to claim the crown. |
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| Aug 29 - John marries |
| John ‘Lackland’ married Isabella of Gloucester. |
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| Sep 3 - Richard I Crowned King |
| Richard I was crowned king in Westminster Abbey. He was escorted along a path of woolen cloth. At the head of the procession was the clergy, first the priors next the abbots then the bishops. In the midst of the bishops were four barons holding golden candelabra, followed by Geoffrey de Lucy, John Marshal, William Marshal and William Fitzpatrick holding the Cap of State, golden spurs, golden sceptre and golden verge. The golden crown was carried by William de Mandeville. Richard was anointed with holy oil on his head, chest and hands. During the service a bat was seen to flutter around the throne which was seen to be an evil omen. |
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| Dec - William of Scotland gives Richard 10,000 marks |
| William I of Scotland gives Richard I 10,000 marks for the Crusade. This overturns the Treaty of Falaise which William had to sign when captured in 1174. |
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| 1190 | Construction on Skenfrith Castle |
| Built by Hubert de Burgh this castle is one of the three he owned in the Welsh Marches. White Castle, and Grosmont Castle being the other two. |
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| Mar - Massacre of Jews at York |
| Even though the Jews were under special protection from Richard I ,because of their wealth that could help pay for the Crusades, the mob attacked 150 Jews hiding in the castle at York. Most committed suicide rather than be attacked by the mob, but the rest believing promises that they would be spared if they came out left the castle and were promptly massacred. |
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| Jul 4 - Richard's Crusade starts |
| Richard leaves to begin his crusade. |
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| 1191 | John opposes William Longchamp |
| John began a campaign opposing William Longchamp who had been appointed administrator of England by Richard I while he was away on Crusade. |
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| Foundation of Glenluce Abbey |
| Foundation of a Cistercian abbey in south-west Scotland by the lords of Galloway. |
| Apr 10 - Richard's fleet leave Sicily |
| The fleet left Sicily to sail to Rhodes. On route, three ships were separated from the group and landed on Cyprus at the port of Limassol. The governor of Cyprus at the time was Isacc Dacus Comnenus, who had come to power from trickery. He had sided with Saladin, and treated the Richard's ships as the enemy. |
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| Apr 20 - Philippe V arrives in Acre |
| Philippe V landed in Acre in an attempt to remove Guy of Lusignan as the King of Jerusalem, and replace him with Conrad of Montferrat. |
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| May 6 - Richard sails to Cyprus. |
| Richard located the three lost ships at Limissol, and promptly attacked Comnenus' troops in the town and drove them out. Comnenus was again attacked outside the town, but escaped, leaving behind his standard, embroidered with gold cloth. This was later presented to the abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. |
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| May 11 - Meeting in Limassol |
| Richard met Guy of Lusignan (King of Jerusalem), Geoffrey (Richard's brother), Bohemund (Prince of Antioch), Raymond (Count of Tripoli), Humphrey of Toron and other knights to discuss the attempt by Philippe V of France to replace Guy of Lusignan with Conrad of Monferrat as the King of Jerusalem. |
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| May 12 - Richard marries Berengaria |
| Richard took time to marry Berengaria at Limassol. |
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| Jun 1 - Richard controls Cyprus |
| By the 1st of June, Richard had control of the whole of Cyprus and imposed a 50% tax in return for letting the Cypriots return to a more traditional way of life. Richard of Camville and Robert of Turnham were left in charge of Cyprus. |
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| Jun 6 - Richard arrives at Tyre and attacks Acre |
| Richard landed at Tyre and quickly moved towards Acre, where he needed to help an army that was besieging the town which was being held by a garrison of Saladin's troops. By July 12th, the town fell to Richard. Richard held Saladin's men hostage in exchange for 200,000 dinars and 1500 of Richard's own troops who were being held by Saladin. When no ransom was paid, Richard publicly executed 2700 of the garrison. It was at this point that Richard angered Leopold of Austria, who was to imprison Richard as he tried to return to Normandy. Leopold's banner was ripped down from alongside Richard's and the French. The banners indicated that the spoils of war should be shared, but Richard was not prepared the share with Leopold, who had not contributed that much to the fall of Acre. |
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| Jun 23 - Eclipse |
| Most of Europe would have seen the Sun eclipsed by the moon just before midday. |
| Jul - Richard takes Acre |
| Under Richard's command, the city of Acre is taken back by the Crusaders. |
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| Oct 6 - Tower of London siege |
| Bishop William Longchamp held the Tower of London against Prince John's supporters for only three days. The Bishop surrendered the Tower and escaped to continue his support for King Richard. |
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| 1192 | Llansteffan Castle rebuilt |
| William de Camville was granted Llansteffan Castle by Henry II. Rebuilding work started in 1192. |
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| Lincoln Cathedral choir |
| Work on the choir and east transept progressed between 1192 and 1200. |
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| Rebuilding of Lincoln Cathedral |
| After the damaging earth tremors of 1185 Bishop Hugh of Lincoln started rebuilding work on the Cathedral at Lincoln. His new scheme was followed even after his death apart from minor alterations up to the completion of the Angel Choir in 1280. |
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| Apr 28 - Conrad is assassinated |
| Conrad of Montferrat was killed by two Assassins disguised as monks as he walked home. The Assassins, one of whom had been captured alive and questioned, had been sent by their leader Sinan. The reasons for the murder are varied, some theories suggest Conrad had intercepted a shipment of wealthy goods bound for the Assassin Order while others suggest Saladin had ordered the murder of both Conrad and Richard I. Some also suggest it was Richard himself who had ordered the murder. |
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| Oct 9 - Richard I leaves the Holy Land |
| After the agreement of a peace treaty Richard left the Middle East and began the voyage back to England. |
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| Dec - Richard shipwrecked on the way home |
| Richard was shipwrecked while returning home from the middle east. |
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| 1193 | West Front of Peterborough Cathedral |
| The West front of Peterborough Cathedral was constructed between the years 1193 and 1230. |
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| Saladin dies |
| Saladin died. |
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| Hubert Walter becomes Archbishop of Canterbury |
| Hubert Walter follows Baldwin as Archbishop of Canterbury. |
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| Feb - Richard captured by the Emperor of Germany |
| Richard was captured by the Emperor of Germany, Henry IV after being shipwrecked on the way home after his Crusade. The Emperor demanded a large ransom to set Richard free. |
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| 1194 | Plans to move Old Sarum cathedral |
| Bishop Herbert Poore presented plans to move the cathedral at Old Sarum to a new site nearer the river to be called New Sarum, or now Salisbury. Richard I approved the plan. |
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| Mar - Richard returns to England |
| Richard I returned to England after his Crusade and imprisonment in Germany. John had all his castles in England confiscated and the only title left to him was that of Lord of Ireland. |
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| Apr 17 - The 'Crown Wearing' |
| Richard took part in a precession to Winchester Cathedral. The king wore a golden crown and was followed by notables from the Church and State. The previous Crown Wearing was in 1158. |
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| Jul 3 - Richard defeats Philippe |
| On his return from imprisonment, Richard declares war on Philippe Augustus and defeats him at Fretevel. All the French archives were destroyed in the battle which were being transported in a wagon behind the army. |
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| 1195 | Alteration to the West End |
| Modifications to the west end of the church were undertaken under the direction of the abbot John de Cella. The plan was to add an extra three bays to the existing structure. Progress was slow due to mismanagement of the funds and when John de Cella died not much progress had been achieved. The work was completed under the direction of the next abbot, William of Trumpington. |
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| 1197 | Great Council refuse Richard's request |
| Richard requested that 300 knights should be given to him for a years service in France. The Great Council refused. (Need to link to Great Council details here). |
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| 1198 | Cymer Abbey founded |
| This Cistercian abbey in north-west Wales was colonised by monks from Cwmhir. |
| Cleeve Abbey colonised |
| Monks from Revesby in Lincolnshire moved to Somerset and colonised the new abbey at Cleeve. |
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| 1199 | Feb - Teutonic Knights |
| The Order of the Teutonic Knights is approved by Pope Innocent III.
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| Mar - Siege at the castle of Chalus, and Richard dies |
| Richard besieged the castle at Chalus where some treasure had been unearthed. Richard believed it was his and tried to take the castle. Riding too close to the walls, Richard was shot in the shoulder. The castle then fell and the archer who shot Richard was brought before him. Richard forgave the archer but Richard's second in command had the archer executed. Richard died of his wounds. On his death bed, Richard nominated his brother John as his heir rather than Arthur of Brittany. |
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| Apr 25 - John is crowned Duke of Normandy |
| John is crowned Duke of Normandy. |
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| May - Important Appointments |
| John chooses people to help him run the country. He appoints the Archbishop of Canterbury, Hubert Walter as Chancellor. Geoffrey fitz Peter is Justiciar and William, the Earl of Pembroke became Marshal of John's household. |
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| May - John succeeds Richard I |
| John succeeded. Peter De Colechurch - Grand Master starts rebuilding London in stone. Finished by William Alemain in 1209. Peter De Rupibus succeeds Peter De Colechurch and Geoffrey Fitz-Peter chief surveyor acted as deputy. |
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| May 27 - John is crowned King |
| John is crowned as King of England at Westminster. |
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