A fleet of Viking longboats sailed up the River Seine to Rouen. There they plundered the city of its wealth. ^[1]

Lanfranc, who had trained as a law student in northen Italy had crossed the Alps several years earlier. In this year he arrived at the religious community at Bec situated a few milles to the south west of Rouen in Normandy. The name Bec being derived from the name of the stream that ran through the complex of buildings.

William the Conqueror of England died at the abbey of St Gervais, near Rouen. ^[2]

After several years of conflict between the Angevins and the Barons of Normandy Geoffrey Plantagenet, count of Anjou, captured Rouen and took control of the whole of the duchy of Normandy. Geoffrey also took the title of Duke of Normandy. ^[3]

A triumphant Henry returned to Rouen in Normandy to a warm reception from his family including Eleanor and his eight month old son William. ^[4]

Eleanor of Aquitaine gave birth to a daughter at Rouen. The girl was named Eleanor after he mother. ^[3]

William of Paitin, Henry II's brother, died at Rouen. ^[5]

From the middle of July King Louis of France, Henry the Young King and Philip the count of Flanders had surrounded the city of Rouen. The city held out against the war engines long enough for Henry II to arrive in the middle of August to stage a rescue. The besiegers were fearful that King Henry II would invade France and the siege was lifted. ^[3]

John is crowned Duke of Normandy at Rouen by Walter the Archbishop of Rouen. ^[6]

The early cathedral at Rouen in France was badly damaged by a fire that destroyed other churches and parts of the city as well. ^[7]

The young prince was being held in the castle at Falaise, where Hubert de Burgh had become castellan. King John ordered that Authur should be blinded and sent several of his court to carry this out. But only one reached the castle. The others could not commit such a crime and fled. When the man reached Falaise and told Hubert what had to be done Hubert refused. To protect the young prince, a story was concocted stating that Aurthur had died of grief. This caused an uprising by the Bretons and to avoid conflict Hurbert then declared that the prince was still alive. But Arthur could not be produced as he had been moved to Rouen. ^[8]

Arthur had been moved to Rouen from Falaise where he was being held captive. There it is said that King John killed Arthur and dumped his weighted-down body in the Seine. The body was discovered and later buried.

Philippe II, King of France won control of Rouen, the capital of Normandy and Normandy itself. John still had control of Aquitaine. ^[9]

King Henry was not troubled by any Burgundian attempts to stop his progress and by the end of July had begun the siege of the important city of Rouen.

By December so many people in the besiged city of Rouen were starving that as many as 12,000 people were forced to leave. But King Henry refused to let them pass through the his lines and they remained stuck between the English and the walls of the city without food in the freezing weather. Many of them died.

The city of Rouen in Normandy surrendered to the English King after a siege of seven months. ^[10]

Queen Catherine and her young son landed at Harfleur. From there she travelled to Rouen and then to Vincennes where she met her husband King Henry V. Together they travelled on to Paris. It was around this time that the King's health was failing. ^[11]

Joan was burnt at the stake in Rouen in the Old Market Square. ^[12]

John, Duke of Bedford, died in Rouen. Henry was still too young to rule and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, took over as regent until Henry was old enough to rule England unaided. Gloucester was not popular and was the cause of unrest with Parliament.

Although Richard, Duke of York, had been appointed governor of France and Normandy he did not go until reports from Rouen in Normandy of French attacks persuaded him to do so. ^[13]

The future King Edward IV was born on April 28th in Rouen in Normandy. His father was Richard, Duke of York, the great-grandson of King Edward III and his mother was Cecily Neville. Richard was acting as Henry VI's lieutenant-general in France.

A large army of French soldiers were able to retake the cities in Normandy that had been captured by the English. Rouen, the last to fall, was retaken in November after a siege of almost three weeks. This was a major victory for Charles, the French king and a disaster for Henry VI. ^[14]