Vasco de Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope to reach East Asia. ¹

After the death of Paschal II at the end of January, Giovanni Da Gaeta was unanimously chosen as the new Pope by the Cardinals of Rome.

With Maurice Bourdin in control of Rome, Gelasius decided to leave Italy and travel to France. He landed in Pisa where he consecrated the Cathedral.He travelled through France consecrating churches and ordinaing Bishops.

Pope Gelasius died at the Abbey of Cluny in France and was buried there.

Birth of Geoffrey Plantagenet. ¹

Geoffrey,one of the younger sons of King Henry II of England married Constance of Brittany and was granted the title Duke of Brittany.

Geoffrey, the son of King Henry II died in a tournament. ¹

Geoffrey Martel, count of Anjou, captured the town Tours and took control of the county of Touraine. ¹

Some years earlier William had supported the exiled Count Herbert of Maine when Geoffrey Martel invaded the province and captured its main town Le Mans. As part of the pact William and Herbert agreed that if Herbert died without an heir the province could be claimed by William. William's eldest son Robert Curthose was betrothed to Herbert's daughter (Margaret?) but she died before they could be married. When Herbert died William claimed Maine in the name of his son and invaded. Robert was made Count of Maine when the province was captured. ¹

Fulk Rechin was at war with his brother Geoffrey. They were fighting over the lands of Anjou and Touraine which had been left to them by their uncle Geoffrey Martel, the count of Anjou. Fulk captured Geoffrey the Bearded and captured Anjou later taking the title of count. ¹

After the death of Aed, Giric (his cousin?) became the Scottish ruler.

Sweyn, the son of Earl Godwin, attacked the abbey at Leominster and the Abbess. For his crimes, Sweyn was exiled to Denmark by King Edward. There he became a pirate and raided the English coast.

Sweyn Godwinson attempted to return to England and wanted forgiveness for his earlier crimes. Earl Beorn went to meet Sweyn as part of Sweyn's return, but Sweyn had the Earl murdered. For this new crime Sweyn Godwinson was exiled again from England by Edward the Confessor.

Sweyn Godwinson was pardoned and allowed to return to England.

An English army landed at Cherbourg under the command of Sir Thomas Kyriel. Joined by forces led by Matthew Gough the combined army laid siege to Valognes. The town fell to the English in April.

An English army under the command of Sir Thomas Kyriel and Matthew Gough were attacked at Formigny in Normandy. The English were defeated and many of them were captured including Kyriel. Matthew Gough managed to escape. ¹

English forces led by Matthew Gough held out at Bayeux against a French siege. The French used powerful cannons and finally Gough agreed to surrender the town to the French. ¹

On his return from Normandy Matthew Gough was made Captain of the Tower of London. Gough was killed in the fighting with Jack Cade and the rebels on London Bridge soon afterwards. ¹

Lady Jane Grey was born in around 1537 possibly at her father's estate Bradgate in Leicestershire. She was the daughter of Henry Grey, the Duke of Suffolk and Frances Brandon, the daughter of Mary Tudor, Queen of France.

Archbishop Cranmer, Lady Jane Grey and her husband were all found guilty of treason.

King Edward I of England granted Ruthin to Dafydd, the brother of Prince Llewelyn ap Gruffudd in return for his help against his brother who have been attacking English interests in the north of Wales. Construction of Ruthin Castle may have begun under the direction of Edward or Dafydd himself.

When Dafydd ap Gruffyd rebelled against King Edward the Welsh area Dyffryn Clwyd became was granted to Reginald de Grey as a Marcher Lordship. Reginald was granted the castle at Ruthin.

David ap Gruffydd attacked and took control the castle at Hawarden. The constable, Roger de Clifford, was captured during the attack.

David, Llywelyn's brother, rose up in revolt. Llywelyn, even though he had sworn fealty to Edward, joined his brother in the fight against the English.

David the brother of Llywelyn was handed over to the king by his own supporters who had already surrendered. He was taken to Shrewsbury Castle where a Parliament met and sentenced him to death by execution. ¹

Dafydd was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to death. His punishment for betraying the King was to be drawn, hanged and quartered.

A force of Welsh and Irish men led by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, a Welsh prince attacked and burnt the building.

Aelfgar, earl of Mercia was outlawed by the witan. In revenge he built a force and allied himself with Welsh Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. After defeating the King's nephew, Radulf, they attacked Hereford and raided the church killing several canons and taking everything of value leaving the building on fire. The rebels also attacked Leominster. ¹

Death of Athelstan, bishop of Hereford; succeeded by Leofgar, who tried to take reprisals against Gruffydd, the Welsh Prince. ¹

In reponse to the attack on Hereford Catherdal, Leofgar the bishop of Hereford took an army into Wales to deal with the Welsh prince. In battle Gruffydd ap Llywelyn killed the bishop and others near Glasbury on Wye. Earl Godwin raised an army in response but the two side eventually came to peaceful terms and Aelfgar was later restored to his position. ¹

The Christian Army of Jerusalem was beaten by Turkish forces at the Battle of Hattin. Guy of Lusignan was King of Jerusalem at this time. All Knights Templars and Hospitallers who survived the battle were executed afterwards. The Archbishop of Tyre, a man called Josias, was dispatched from the city to Europe to inform the Pope and European leaders of the disaster that had taken place and to ask for help. ¹

Philippe Augustus landed in Acre in an attempt to remove Guy of Lusignan as the King of Jerusalem, and replace him with Conrad of Montferrat. ¹

King Richard I 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 II of France to replace Guy of Lusignan with Conrad of Montferrat as the King of Jerusalem. ¹

The Knights Templar hadn't held Cyprus for long before revolts by the local population forced them to sell the island on. They sold it to Guy de Lusignan who became its ruler.

King Henry II invaded the northern territories of the Welsh Prince Owain Gwynedd. At truce was agreed and the Welsh Prince paid homage to English King.

In an attempt to finally bring the Welsh princes under control King Henry II took a large army into north Wales. But the Welsh princes had combined their forces to create a single army of Welsh that matched the strength of the English. The Welsh had the advantage of terrain that they knew and this forced the English king to abandon his plans and return home.