Prehistory
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AD  978 - Edward the Martyr murdered at Corfe Castle upon the orders of his step-mother; Aethelred II, the Unready (ill-counselled), younger brother of Edward the Martyr, King of England (to 1016). English troops are deployed on the Lleyn Peninsula on behalf of King Hywel of Gwynedd in order to prevent his uncle, Iago, invading with Viking allies from Dublin. St. Dunstan completes the cloisteral buildings and his western extensions to the Abbey Church of St. Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury. The church is rededicated to St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Augustine. 980 - The Danes renew their raids on England attacking Chester and Southampton. Manx Vikings led by King Godfred I ally themselves with Prince Custennin of Gwynedd and raid Anglesey and the Lleyn Peninsula. Custennin is killed. Foundation of Amesbury Abbey. 983 - Ealdorman Aelfhere of Mercia allies himself with King Hywel of Gwynedd and together they attack the lands of Prince Einion of Deheubarth. 984 - Death of Bishop Aethelwold of Winchester. He is buried in Winchester Old Minster and later revered as a saint. 985 - The English kill King Hywel of Gwynedd by treachery. 987 - Re-foundation of Cerne Abbey. c.988 - Manx Vikings, under King Godfred I, ravage Anglesey. 991 - Battle of Maldon: Byrhtnoth of Essex is defeated by Danish invaders; Aethelred II buys off the Danes with 10,000 pounds of silver (Danegeld). 992 - Aethelred makes a truce with Duke Richard I of Normandy. 993 - King Aethelred the Unready appoints Aelfhelm as Ealdorman of Northumbria in place of the aging Waltheof I. Re-foundation of Sherborne Abbey. 994 - Danes under Sweyn and Norwegians under Olaf Trygvesson sail up river Thames and besiege London; bought off by Aethelred. 995 - Uhtred, son of Ealdorman Waltheof I of Northumbria, establishes an episcopal see at Durham and moves the monastic community of Chester-Le-Street there. Foundation of Evesham Abbey. c.1000 - Medshamstead is made into a Burgh. It soon becomes known as St. Peter's Burgh (Peterborough). 1003 - Sweyn and an army of Norsemen land in England and wreak a terrible vengeance. 1006 - Ealdorman Aelfhelm of Northumbria falls foul of King Aethelred the Unready who has him murdered. 1007 - Aethelred buys two years' peace from the Danes for 36,000 pounds of silver. Uhtred, son of Ealdorman Waltheof I of Northumbria, is appointed to his father's old position. 1011 - Thorkell the Tall and his brother, Hemming, plunder Canterbury, burn the city and the Cathedral, and make off with Archbishop Alphege to Greenwich. St. Alphage refuses to be ransomed and the Vikings throw ox-bones at him in a drunken orgee and kill him. 1012 - The Danes sack Canterbury: bought off for 48,000 pounds of silver. 1013 - King Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark lands in England and is proclaimed king; Aethelred II the Unready flees to Normandy. c.1013 - Archbishop Lyfing probably restores Canterbury Cathedral, adding porticus towers and a massive 'westwerk'. 1014 - The English recall Aethelred II the Unready as King on the death of King Sweyn Forkbeard; the latter's son, Canute (II), retreats to Denmark and turns his attention to annexing Norway. 1015 - King Canute II of Denmark & Norway again invades England; war between Danes and Saxons. 1016 - Edmund Ironside, son of Aethelred II the Unready of England, becomes King. He and King Canute II of Denmark & Norway meet on the Isle of Alney near Deerhurst and agree to divide the kingdom: Canute holds the north and Edmund Wessex; Edmund is assassinated; Canute takes the throne as King Canute the Great of England. 1017 - King Canute the Great divides England into four earldoms. 1019 - King Canute the Great marries the Dowager-Queen Emma, widow of Aethelred II. Canute gives the relics of St. Wigstan to Evesham Abbey. They are translated from Repton. 1026 - King Canute the Great's steward, Orc, founds Abbotsbury Abbey. 1035 - Death of Canute the Great of England, Denmark & Norway: his possessions are divided; Harold I Harefoot, becomes King of England (to 1040). 1040 - Hardicanute, King of England (to 1042); he dies of drink. 1042 - Edward the Confessor, son of Aethelred II, King of England (to 1066). 1046 - Sweyn, son of Earl Godwin of Wessex, attempts to marry Abbess Eadgifu of Leominster. c.1050 - Abbot Wulfric of St. Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury embarks on a flamboyant programme of building-work at his abbey. He adds a further western chapel and bell-tower to the monastic complex and begins to join St. Mary's to the Abbey Church with a huge rotunda based on that at St. Benigne at Dijon. 1051 - Earl Godwin exiled (until 1052): he returns with a fleet and wins back his power. 1052 - Edward the Confessor founds Westminster Abbey, near London. 1053 - Death of Godwin: his son Harold succeeds him as Earl of Wessex. Earl Harold of Wessex begins a programme of building work at Waltham Abbey which includes the addition of a huge eastern crossing. 1055 - Harold's brother Tostig becomes Earl of Northumbria. 1058 - The See of Sherborne is joined to that of Ramsbury & Sonning. 1063 - Harold and Tostig subdue Wales. 1064 - Harold is shipwrecked in Normandy; while there, he swears a solemn oath to support William of Normandy's claim to England. 1065 - Northumbria rebels against Tostig, who is exiled
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