The simplified database of British history

4000 BC – Neolithic people arrive to Britain with a knowledge how to sow corn, keep animals and make pottery, first buildings were constructed, some of those in a mysterious shape and usage like Stonehenge.

800 BC – arrival of Celtic tribes (from Western Europe) creating the base for modern British culture and language.

43 BC – Roman conquest of Britain, despite of previous resistance (of eg. Boudicca, that’s why the Hadrian’s Wall was constructed), agricultural and infrastructural development, London is founded, characteristic villas and e.g. baths in Bath.

410 – Saxon tribes attack Britain and introduce the division of territories into a Heptarchy.

597 – St Augustine launch a conversion programme and establish the ecclesiastical capital of Canterbury.

793 – Vikings attack the Lindisfarne monastery and take over the control over Easter part of Britain (Danelaw).

871-899 – the reign of Saxon king, Alfred the Great, reforms of military, agriculture and territorial extent.

1066 – throne vacancy, Norman conquest of William the Conqueror successful at the battle of Hastings, events presented on the Bayeux  Tapestry, William introduced feudal system, administrative reform (sovereign Treasury), in London he built Tower and rebuilt Westminster Abbey.

1086 – Domesday Book – the efficient description of population and its wealth, to support taxation.

1154-1189 – the rule of Henry II, due to a marriage and political skills reached an empire of England and most French lands.

1167 – the establishment of an independent University of Oxford to educate lawyers and officers (Cambridge founded in 1209)

1215 – Magna Carta (Great Charter) – world first written human rights and rules of controlling the royal power.

1265 – knights and merchants form a Parliament, but are afraid of its revolutionary reforms.

1284 – the Statute of Wales, the province is dependent to England, the title of Prince of Wales to every claimant.

1328 – a peace of Northampton, after a series of guerrilla fights (of eg. William Wallace), Scotland is separated to England.

1337-1453 – a Hundred Years’ War against France in case of both sides attempts to gain territories and thrones, despite of glorious British victories due to a long bow (1346 – Crecy, 1356 – Poitiers, French king imprisoned, 1415 – Agincourt), but finally lost all of Continental provinces despite of Calais.

1390 – Geoffrey Chaucer wrote his “Canterbury Tales”, a set of pilgrims’ stories on their way to Canterbury

1485 – a battle of Bosworth finished a civil War of Roses against Yorks and Lancasters, Henry VII Tudor units the two families.

1509-1547 – the colourful reign of Henry VIII, great need for a male descendant to ensure succession, the introduction of medieval England into an era of renewed activity, the stabilisation of Welsh case (1536 – Act of Union).

1534 – Act of Supremacy, with the break of ties with Rome, the king was the Supreme Head of Anglican Church.

1553 – “Bloody Mary” tended to restore Catholics, his husband, king of Spain declared a war on France, England lost Calais.

1558-1603 – the nationalistic reign of Elizabeth I, establishment of National Church of England, the development overseas and economical change into a capitalism based mainly on trade.

1564-1616 – marvellous works of William Shakespeare revive the cultural life and form modern English language.

1588 – Francis Drake defeated the “Spanish Armada”, the threat of Spanish succession in England limited.

1600 – the establishment of East-India Company to control economical and political affairs in colonised India.

1603 – the union of crown as Scottish protestant  king James I Stuart started reigning in England as well.

1605 – “gunpowder treason” of Guy Fawkes (attempt to blow the Parliament up) against James who condemned Catholics.

1620 – Puritans (orthodox protestants, also condemned by James) from a “Mayflower” established Plymouth in America.

1640 – after tyranny (illegal rule without parliament) of Charles I the civil war started, the society divides between Parliamentarians (later Liberals) and Royalists (later Conservatives).

1649 – Charles I as the 1st European monarch executed after a trial, the Commonwealth led by Oliver Cromwell started.

1660 – the restoration of Stuarts’ rule, British people unhappy with a military dictatorship in which democracy changed.

1665-1666 – the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London, the rebuilding programme under new style.

1679 – Habeas Corpus Act forbade the imprisonment of citizens without legal trials.

1687 – Isaac Newton published his work in which he described e.g. universal gravitation and three laws of motion.

1689 – Glorious Revolution of William of Orange as a way to ensure democracy, the Bill of Rights introduce the parliamentary monarchy, religious tolerance and divide the rule into legislative (parliament), executive (Cabinet) and judiciary.

1694 – Bank of England was founded with a right to edit banknotes and make banking transactions.

1707 – the Act of Union with Scotland creating the Great Britain, reluctant Scottish encouraged by economical factors.

1714 – according to the Act of Settlement, George of Hanover take the throne and the Saxo-Coburg-Gotha  (name changed in 1917 onto Windsor after the royal residence) dynasty reign up till now, he chose his favourite minister in Cabinet which formed the office of Prime Minister.

1721-42 – Robert Walpole became the first Prime Minister ensuring a modern Cabinet, rapid development of British Empire.

1756-63 – the Seven Years’ War between Britain and Germany against France, Spain, Russia and Sweden in case of colonies overseas, Britain won and by the Treaty of Paris (1763) got Caribbean, Canada, Florida and ensured its global hegemony .

1753 – British Museum founded with an idea of Jack Sloane who wanted to present his collection of arts.

1776 – the Declaration of Independence of United States (13 colonies demanded freedom and sovereignty from Britain).

1776 – first steam engines of James Watt as a base to the later Industrial Revolution.

1768-1779 – voyages of James Cook discovered new lands, animals, plants and people with careful descriptions.

1801 – Act of Union with Ireland created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

1805 – battle of Trafalgar, naval victory led by Horatio Nelson against French and Spain fleet, the naval hegemony overseas.

1812-1870 – Charles Dickens’ works on social life of people, connected sensitivity with a sense of humour.

1815 – battle of Waterloo, victory of Arthur Wellington, the last battle of Napoleon Bonaparte.

1835 – Great Western Railway founded to connect London with Wales, Isambard Kingdom Brunel (constructor of first transatlantic steamships) engineered trains, bridges and tunnels.

1837-1901 – the reign of Queen Victoria, the peak of power of a worldwide British Empire (1876 – Victoria crowned the Empress of India, world biggest country ever in 36,6 mln km2), rising symbolic (family life) role of monarchy with decreasing political one (parliament rules and queen can only give pieces of advice, charismatic Prime Ministers – Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone), social breakthrough (1846 – General Board of Health, 1870 – compulsory primary education) and development of London (1834-60 – Westminster Palace rebuilt, Big Ben appeared, 1863 – world first underground system).

1851 – Great Exhibition with a famous Crystal Palace in Hyde Park presented newest technological inventions from all over Empire.

1853-1856 – Crimean War between Turkey and Britain against Russia and its trade on the Black Sea, modern nursery of Florence Nightingale.

1859 – “On the origin of species” of Charles Darwin formed the base of modern biology.

1880-1902 – Boer Wars between Britain and Boers (Dutch settlers in Tanzania) Britain won and gave losers autonomy

1907 – the Triple Entente between UK, France and Russia against the Triple Alliance of Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary

1908 – Olympic Games in London (later ones appeared in 1948 and will take place in 2012).

1922 – the separation of the Republic of Ireland (English dominium, personal rule) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

1922 – the foundation of a sovereign British Broadcasting Corporation, world’s largest media corporation.

1924 – Imperial Airways Limited supported air transportation and communication, later British Airways (1974).

1931 – Commonwealth of Nations established to gather countries that used to be part of an Empire, but gained independence, gradual break of Empire.

1937 – Ireland became a part of United Kingdom no longer, got its constitution and viable independence.

1940-45 and 1951-55 – Winston Churchill, a genuine speaker, politician, writer (1952 Nobel Prize Winner) was a Prime Minister of UK, won the contest for a most famous Britishman in the history.

1940 – Battle of Britain – aviation campaign of Luftwaffe against Britain, which was protected with the support of RAF and Polish airmen.

1945 – founding member of the United Nations and permanent member of General Assembly.

1953 – the coronation of current monarch, HRH Queen Elizabeth II.

1959 – the production of Mini Morris to motorise Britain started and lasted until 2000 in amount of approx. 5,000,000, the second most famous car ever (after Ford T), the symbol of 1960s.

1960 – the Beatles were established by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the stars of mass culture, most popular group ever.

1966 – England won FIFA World Cup, in the final won with West Germany, team consisted of e.g. Bobby Charlton.

1969 – Monty Python, a cabaret of e.g. John Cleese whose sketches has a characteristic black, ridiculous, quizzical sense of humour.

1973 – United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community.

1982 – Falkland War, took place when a military coup supported by Argentinean took place there, legal rule and democracy were introduced .

1979-90 – Margaret Thatcher, “Iron Lady”, radically fought economical crisis and social tensions, weakened big factories, developed trade.

1997 – Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, ex-wife of the throne claimant Charles and mother of his children – William and Henry (Harry),  a woman that “captured people’s hearts” died in a car accident.