Mini Timeline

1013	Autumn	Emma and Edward leave England
		Forced to leave England by the inavsion from Denmark, Emma Athelred's wife, fled to Normandy assisted by the Bishop of Peterborough. Sons Edward (the Confessor) and Alfred followed later along with the Bishop of London. Ethelred was not far behind.
1014		Athelred goes into exile
		Athelred had to abandon his country to Swein and went to Normandy to join his wife Emma and his sons.
1017	Jul	Canute marries Emma
		Canute married Emma, the widow of Athelred the Unready. This helped Canute secure ties with Normandy as Emma was the daughter of Count of Normandy.
1035	Jul	William the Conqueror becomes Duke of Normandy
		In the eighth year of his life William (the Conqueror) became the Duke of Normandy when his father Robert died on a pilgrimage at Nicea. Robert's death led to a period of instability in Normandy as William was too young to take his father's place and the nobles in the region took the opportunity to settle old feuds and to increase their private wealth.
1065		Mysterious meeting in Normandy
		A mysterious meeting is reported to have taken place in Normandy between William the Conqueror and Harold in 1065. In the meeting it was claimed that Harold agreed that William should become King of England when Edward the Confessor died. From what is known of Harold it seems unlikely that he would agree to something like this. We know that he went against this agreement when assumed the role as King after Edward's death.
1066	Jan 4	Edward the Confessor dies
		Edward the Confessor died at Westminster. The death of Edward was an important event in the chain of events that led up to the invasion by William the Conqueror from Normandy.
	Jul	William's Invasion fleet gather in the estuary of the River Dives
		William the Conqueror prepared to invade England. His invasion fleet gathered in the estuary of the River Dives and other ports in Normandy.
1067	Mar	William returns to Normandy
		William returned to Normandy taking as guests Edgar the Aetheling (the grandson of Edmund Ironside), Stigand (Archbishop of Canterbury, the Earls of Mercia and Northumbria and the brothers Edwin and Morcar.
1088	Spring	Revolt against William
		Many Norman barons held land both in England and Normandy. With two opposing lords, William in England and Robert in Normandy, the barons were finding it difficult to know who to support. A revolt led by Odo sprung up in England with the aim of removing William from the throne. Odo's revolt in Kent and Sussex was supported by Robert of Belleme, a Norman baron, who was able to bring support from Normandy. Robert also controlled castles in the Welsh Marches where the revolt also took place.
	Jul	William puts down the revolt
		William and the barons who had remained loyal to him in England attacked the rebels and defeated them at Rochester Castle. Odo and the Bishop of Durham, both leaders of the revolt, were exiled to Normandy. The revolt in the Welsh Marches was dealt with by Bishop Wulfstan.
1096		William buys Normandy
		Robert of Normandy became under pressure from William who laid claim to Normandy. William was gaining support from some Norman barons and Robert took the opportunity to leave Normandy to answer Pope Urban II's call for a Crusade. Robert agreed that William could lease Normandy for three years for a sum of 10,000 marks. This money would help him fund the expedition.
1101	Feb	Robert attempts to take the Crown
		Ranulf Flambard escaped from the Tower of London and fled to Normandy. There he joined Robert II of Normandy who had just returned from the Crusades. Flambard and Robert planned to take the English throne away from his younger brother Henry I.
1105		Henry attacks his brother
		Henry entered Normandy to take power from this brother Robert whose incapacity to manage the affairs of the region could have had grave consequencies. Robert fought back forcing Henry to return to England but not before Henry had gained Caen and Bayeux.
1120	Nov	William Audelin is drowned
		The son of Henry I was drowned attempting a crossing from Normandy to England.
1147		Henry arrives in England
		Henry landed in England with a small army intent on attacking Stephen. Unfortunately, Henry's army of mercenaries was small and they were not being paid enough. Stephen gave Henry money to pay the mercenaries and for Henry to return to Normandy. Henry left England.
1148	Feb	Matilda leaves England
		Without the support of the Earl of Gloucester, who died the previous year, Matilda left England for Normandy.
1150		Henry becomes Duke of Normandy
		Henry returned to Normandy from Scotland and he was given the title of Duke of Normandy by his father.
1151		War in Normandy
		Louis VII, the king of France, was not happy with Henry's new position as Duke of Normandy. Louis declared war on Henry. The dispute was sent to arbitration in Paris (who by - probably Knights Templar) and was resolved by Henry doing homage to Louis for Normandy and giving France the area of Vexin.
1153	Nov 6	Treaty of Wallingford
		Henry had besieged a fort that Stephen had built at Crowmarsh on the banks of the Thames opposite Wallingford Castle. An agreement of succession of Henry II after Stephen was concluded and witnessed by the English Knights Templars. King Stephen accepted Henry of Normandy, Anjou and Aquitaine as heir to the throne and in turn Henry recognised Stephen as king. Stephen made his barons do homage to Henry (Jan.1154).
1154	Spring	Henry returns to Normandy
		A triumphant Henry returned to Rouen in Normandy to a warm reception from his family including Eleanor and his eight month old son William.
	Oct 25	Stephen dies
		Stephen had agreed that Henry should become King on his death. Henry was in Normandy at the time.
	Dec 19	Henry crowned at Westminster Abbey
		Henry of Normandy crowned Henry II of England, and Eleanor of Aquitaine crowned Queen, at Westminster.
1172	May 21	Compromise of Avranches
		Eventhough Henry II was cleared of involvement in Thomas Becket's murder, he did penance before the Cathedral at Avranches in Normandy. The compromise was a deal struck between Henry and the church over the matter of Becket's death. (More detail required).
1191	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.
1199	Apr 25	John is crowned Duke of Normandy
		John is crowned Duke of Normandy.
1201	May	John sails to Normandy
		In France the Lusignans were causing problems still angry over John's marriage to Isabella. John ordered that an army should assemble at Portsmouth. Instead of taking the assembled army, John used the money they had to hire mercenaries and took them.
1202	Apr 28	John fails to attend a summons to Philippe's court
		Failing to attend the court of Philippe II, John was declared to be a rebel and to have forfeited the areas of Aquitaine, Poitou and Anjou. Philippe tried to mediate in the problems between John and the Lusignans but was ignored by John. The lands were given to Arthur of Brittany. Philippe kept Normandy for himself.
1204	Spring	Peace negotiations with France
		After losing Normandy to the French, John sent an embassy to France to negotiate with Philippe. In the party that went from England were Hubert Walter and William Marshal. The negotiations failed due to Philippe's demands.
	Jun	Normandy is taken by Philippe
		Philippe II, King of France won control of Rouen, the capital of Normandy and Normandy itself. John still had control of Aquitaine.
1205	Feb	Philippe plans invasion
		Philippe II of France held a meeting in Normandy to discuss invading England. This forced John to abandon his own plans of invading Normandy as he could not risk moving his army abroad when the French were about to attack. The planned French invasion never materialised.
	Jun	John prepares invasion
		Worried by rumours of an invasion from Philippe of France, led by heirs of king Stephen, John prepared an invasion fleet of his own. But the barons refused to cross the Channel and attack Normandy and so the fleet was disbanded.
1217		Hubert de Burgh forces Louis to accept peace terms
		Hubert de Burgh, King Henry III's justiciar, won several battles against Louis of France including the navel battle off Sandwich which was won by throwing lime into the faces of the French sailors. Louis accepted peace terms and paid Henry 10,000 marks. Louis waived his claim to the throne of England and should have restored Normandy to Henry but did not.
1259	Dec 4	Treaty of Paris/Abbeville
		Also known as the treaty of Abbeville. A treaty between Louis IX of France and Henry III in which Henry agreed to the loss of Normandy, Maine, Anjou and Poitou. These areas had been lost under the reign of King John. Henry was able to keep the lands of Gascony and parts of Aquitaine. This won Henry the support of Louis IX of France against the rebelious Barons back in England.
1339	Mar 23	French plan invasion
		Philippe of France and the Normandy elite planned an invasion of England. Their invasion force consisted of around 20,000 to 25,000 men.
1346	Jul 12	Edward III lands in Normandy
		Edward's invasion fleet landed on the north west coast of Normandy at Saint-Vaast de la Hougue on the Cotentin Peninsula (also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula). Edward stayed there for several days while the large army came ashore.
	Jul 17	Devastation of Normandy
		Edward III's army began their march east across Normandy attacking and destroying French towns as they went. Those towns that did not surrender were shown no mercy and when they fell to the English many of the inhabitants were killed. Other towns surrendered to avoid bloodshed. Many hostages were taken and shipped back to England so that ransom money could be demanded. The English fleet sailed along the coast at the same time destroying French ships and attacking ports os they went.
1415	Aug 16	English fleets lands in Normandy
		Henry's army landed on the north bank of the Seine estuary near to the town of Harfleur (now part of Le Havre). Henry organised the siege of the town and waited for it to fall.
1442	Apr 28	Future Edward IV is born
		Edward was born on April 28th in Rouen in Normandy. His father was Richard, Duke of York, the great-grandson of Edward III. Richard was acting as Henry VI's lieutenant-general in France.