This table outlines key dates during the Saxon period of British history, AD410 - AD1066. Part of this timeline was taken from David Nicolle's (1984) book Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon Wars. There are clearly some spurious attributions in it - such as Arthur's presence at Mount Badon and his death. However, it is a generally useful account of the major shifts in power over the period.
Year | Event |
---|---|
410 - 520 | Angles, Saxons and Jutes begin their migration to the British Isles and settle in England |
c.600 | Northumbria defeats Strathclyde-Gododdinat |
600 | England is divided into seven major kingdoms (view map);Kent, Northumbria, Wessex, Essex, Sussex, Mercia and East Anglia |
C.615 | Northumbria defeats Britons near Chester. |
627-634 | Northumbria converted to Christianity |
C.628 | Anglo-Saxon Hwicce (Gloucester) annexed by Mercia |
634 | Northumbria defeats Gwynned at Hexham |
635 | Bernicia, Deira and Celtic Elmet formally united as the kingdom of Northumbria |
653 | Essex converted to Christianity |
655 | Pagan Mercia defeated by Northumbria and converted to Christianity |
658 | Most of Somerset conqueredby Wessex |
664 | Synod of Whitby |
679 | Northumbria defeated by Mercia at Trent |
681-686 | Sussex converted to Christianity |
685 | Northern Picts defeat Northumbrians at Dunnichen |
686 | Isle of Wight annexed by Wessex, conversion of this last Anglo-Saxon realm to Christianity |
c.690-720 | Devon absorbed by Wessex |
700-710 | Lindsey absorbed by Mercia |
c.730 | Chiltern-Saeten (Chiltern Hills) annexed by Mercia |
741 | King Oengus of the Picts defeats Scots of Dal Riata |
793 | Lindisfarne monastery raided; first dated Norse attack |
c.800 | Northumbria loses Dumfries to Strathclyde |
814 | South Welsh Dumnonia (Cornwall) conquered by Wessex |
816 | Welsh kingdomof RhuFuniog conquered by Mercia |
841 | Norse found city of Dublin |
c.843 | 'Treachery of Scone', Southern Pictish leaders murdered by Scots of Dal Riata . Picts put under Scottish king, formation of united kingdom of Alban |
865-867 | Norse 'Great Army' raids across England, captures York |
870 | Norse capture Dumbarton, Strathclyde capital |
871 - 899 | Alfred is King of Wessex unites the Saxons and resists the Danes |
871 | Alfred of Wessex halts Norse advance at battle of Ashdown |
875-900 | Norse settle in Galloway |
876 | Norse begin to settle in England |
879 | Norse force Alfred of Wessex to retreat to Athelney |
879 | Wessex defeats Norse of East Anglia |
C.910-920 | Northumbria loses Carlisle and northern Cumbria to Strathclyde |
911 | London and Home Counties north of Thames annexed by Wessex |
912-917 | Norse East Anglia conquered by Wessex |
917-918 | 'Danish' (Norse) Mercia conquered by Wessex |
919 | 'English' Mercia annexed by Wessex |
919 | Norse kingdom of York conquered by Wessex |
920 | Edward of Wessex recognised as senior king in Britain. |
924 - 939 | Atheslstan rules England |
937 | Wessex defeats Celtic-Norse'Grand Alliance at Brunaburgh |
956 | Strathclyde loses Menteith and Lennox to Alban |
959 | Unification of England under king Edgar of Wessex |
962 | Northumbria loses Edinburgh and Midlothian to Alban |
973 | Northumbria cedes suzerainty over Lothian and 'Borders' to Alban |
1006 | Alban defeated by Northumbria |
1013 - 1042 | Danish Kings rule England |
1014 | Celtic-Irish defeat Norse and Norse-Irish at battle of Clontarf |
1015 | Strathclyde temporarily annexed by Alban |
1016 | Knut the Great joins England to his 'empire' of Denmark and Norway |
1018 | Alban defeats Northumbria at Carham., annexes Lothian and 'Borders' |
1034 | Strathclyde finally annexed by Alban |
1038 | Galloway annexed by Alban (effective creation of united kingdom of Scotland) |
1042 - 1066 | The Saxon, Edward the Confessor is King of England |
1062 | Earl Harold of Wessex defeats Gruifydd, high king of Wales |
1066 | Anglo-Saxons defeat Norse at Stamford Bridge. Normans defeat Anglo-Saxons at Battle of Hastings, conquer England. and start of Norman Rule |
Nicolle, D, 1984, Arthur and the Anglo-Saxon Wars. Osprey