Medieval and Middle Ages History Timelines (original) (raw)

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Biographies of lesser people starting with A

The people listed on this page currently have less information so do not warrant a page of their own. As this website evolves and more information is added these people will be promoted to individual pages.

Please note: Portraits on this page are not intented to be accurate depictions of the individuals.

Adam (of Usk)

Born: circa 1352 Died: 1430

Adam of Usk was a medieval lawyer and wrote an account of English history for the period between 1377 to 1404. He was born at Usk, in Monmouthshire and was sent to study at Oxford University by Edmund Mortimer, the Earl of March. At Oxford he became a law student and excelled in the subject. From around 1390 until 1397/9 he was advocate at the court of the Archbishop of Canterbury. When Henry Bolingbroke invaded England in 1399 to become King Henry IV Adam joined the invading army alongside Thomas Arundel, the Archbishop of Canterbury. After the defeat of Richard II, Adam was appointed as a commissioner in the old king's deposition and visited Richard in prison. King Henry was pleased with the work Adam did, but in 1402 for some reason Adam was banished and left England for Rome. It was here that his skills again were recognised and he became a papal chaplain and the auditor of the Sacred Palace (Rota). While in Rome was was assigned the bishoprics of both Hereford and St. David's but was not allowed to take up the positions by those back in England. In around 1411 Adam secretly returned to England and may have been pardoned by the King, but after the death of Thomas Arundel in 1414 he lost the person who was his patron and never rose to the important roles that he had enjoyed before.

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Adelaide (of Savoy)

Born: 1092 Died: 18 November 1154

Adelaide was the second wife of Louis VI, king of France and mother of Louis VII, king of France. She was the daughter of Humbert, the count of Maurienne and Gisele of Burgandy. They were married in 1115 in Paris and together they had seven sons and a daughter. Sadly in 1131 their eldest son Philip was killed after falling from a horse. Their second son become King Louis VII after the death of his father. After the death of Louis VI Adelaide married Matthieu of Montmorency. Towards the end of her life Adelaide spent time at the Abbey of Montmatre in Paris that she had founded with King Louis in around 1133. It is here that she is buried.

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Adelard (of Bath)

Born: circa 1090 Died: circa 1160

Born in the late eleventh century, he studied and taught in France before going to Spain to learn Arabic. This allowed him to translate the Elements of Euclid, a series of books written by the Greek mathematician Euclid. Adelard travelled to Africa and Greece (learning the language) and Asia Minor. When he returned to England in England in 1130 he wrote several books on scientific information.

Aelfgifu (of Northampton)

Born: circa 990 Died: 1040

Aelfgifu was the consort of Canute. They had two sons, Swein Alfivason (also known as Swein Knutsson) and Harold Harefoot. Although Canute married Emma of Normandy in 1017, Aelfgifu remained an important person and was made regent of Norway in 1030 when Canute removed Olaf Haraldson from power. Through misrule and attempts to take too much power, both Aelfgifu and Swein were expelled from Norway in 1034 or 1035. After Canute's death in 1035, Aelfgifu supported her other son, Harald Harefoot, in his bid to become the English king.

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Timeline

Aelfgifu became regent of Norway ruling in place of her son Swein who had been appointed king of Norway by Canute after the defeat of Olaf Haraldson.

Family Tree Details

Aelfheah (Archbishop of Canterbury)

Born: circa 954 Died: 1012

Timeline

Through the Winter months Aethelred provided the Vikings with lodgings and £16,000 in cash to stop the raids on his land. Aethelred was also the sponsor at the baptism of Olaf Trygvasson. Olaf was given instruction from the Aelfheah Bishop of Winchester. ¹

Aefheah, formerly the bishop of Winchester became the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Vikings captured Canterbury and obtained a payment of £48,000. In a drunken rage the Vikings murdered Aelfheah, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Aelfheah was the man that had baptised Olaf Trygvasson in the Winter of 994. Outraged by the actions of his fellow men Thorkell the Tall defected to the side of Aethelred along with 45 Viking ships to help defend England from further Viking attacks. ¹

Aella, (King of Northumbria 866-7)

Died: 21 March 867

Aella (Aelle) became king of Northumbria after the city of York fell to the Great Army of the Vikings. The previous king, Osberht was removed from power by the Northumbrians after York was captured and replaced by Aella. The two kings put aside their differences to mount a joint attack on York in an attempt to drive the Danes out, but even though they gained access to the city the pair were killed and the attack failed.

Timeline

The Danes led by the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, Ivar the boneless and Halfdan, attacked Northumbria and York. They wanted revenge for the death of their father who had been killed by Aella, the King of Northumbria. (Aella could have been an Irish Prince.) The Danes destroyed many churches and monasteries including Whitby Abbey. The monasteries remained ruined for two hundred years. (This may be a legend as Aella was supposedly killed at York)

Armies from Northumbria led by the two kings Aella and Osberht attacked the Danes at York but were defeated. The two kings were killed after gaining access to the city. After the battle the Danes moved south attacking Nottingham and taking control of it. The king of Mercia asked Ethelred and Alfred for assistance and an army from Wessex was sent to help. ¹

Aelred (of Rievaulx)

Born: 1109 Died: 1166

Aethelred (of Mercia)

Born: circa 855 Died: 911

Timeline

Aethelflaed, the daughter of Alfred the Great married Aethelred of Mercia.

Family Tree Details

Aethelwold (Bishop of Winchester)

Died: 984

Aethelwold became Bishop of Winchester in 963 and together with Archbishop Dunstan began the reform of monastic practices. The pair were supported by King Edgar and were able to push through many reforms. The purpose of the reforms was to put an end to the decline of monastic life which had been caused by the many Viking raids and the preference of secular clergy. Unlike Dunstan who preferred a more tactful approach Aethelwold's methods of reform were very dramatic including removing those who would not take the full monastic vows and baning wives from the monasteries. After reforms were put in place in Abingdon, Winchester and the south east, the bishop toured England pushing through his demands and restoring monasteries that had been abandoned during the Viking attacks. One of these was Ely that had been destroyed by the Danes. Aethelwold established the Benedictine rule at the abbey.

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Timeline

Aethelwold becomes Bishop of Winchester.

As part of his reform of monastic life, Aethelwold, Bishop of Winchester bought the lands of the Isle of Ely and installed Benedictine monks on the site.

Agnes (of France)

Born: 1171 Died: circa 1220

Agnes was the daughter of King Louis VII of France and his third wife Adela of Champagne. At the very young age of eight a marriage was arranged for her to marry the son of the Emporer of Constantinople, Alexius. She travelled to Constantinople in 1179 where large wedding festivities were held. Within a year Alexius became Emporer at the age of thirteen when his father died. Alexius was too young ro rule unaided and in 1183 was murdered by another family member, Andronicus, who took advantage of the situation to rule himself. Although Andronicus was in his sixties he forced Agnes to be his wife. Agnes was made twice a widow when, in 1185, Andronicus himself was killed when he too was disposed. Agnes, still a young girl of sixteen, found protection under a Greek called Theodore Branas, a general of the Byzantine Empire, who she married. Agnes' date of death is not known.

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Agnes (of France) (b.1171 - d.1220?)

 Agnes (of France) (b.1171 - d.1220?)

Alcuin (of York)

Born: circa 735 Died: 804

Timeline

Alcuin of York died at the monastery of St. Martin's at Tours.

Alexander (IV, Pope {y:1254}-{y:1261})

Born: circa 1199 Died: 1261

Alexander IV was the Pope from 1254 until his death in 1261. He agreed to absolve King Henry III of England from the Provisions of Oxford and allow the English king to regain the power that the Barons had taken from him.

Timeline

Pope Alexander IV agreed to absolve King Henry III from the Provisions of Oxford. ¹

Urban IV was elected Pope after the death of Pope Alexander IV.

Alfonso (Son of Edward I)

Born: November 1273 Died: 19 August 1284

Alfonso was the son of King Edward I and Eleanor of Castile and born in Gascony. Both of his elder brothers had died at an early age and for a short time Alfonso was heir to the English throne. At the age of ten a marriage was arranged for him to the daughter of the Count of Florence, but he dies before the wedding could take place.

Timeline

At the time of his death, Alfonso was heir to the English throne as he was the eldest surviving son of King Edward I and Eleanor of Castile, but at the age of just ten at Windsor Castle he died. This left his four month-old younger brother, Edward, as heir.

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Alfonso (Son of Edward I) (b.1273 - d.1284)

 Alfonso (Son of Edward I) (b.1273 - d.1284)

Alice (Daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine)

Born: 1150 Died: 1198

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Alice (Daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine) (b.1150 - d.1198)

 Alice (Daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine) (b.1150 - d.1198)

Alys (Daugher of Louis VII)

Born: 1160 Died: 1220

Alys was the daughter of King Louis VII of France and Constance of Castile his second wife. A marriage agreement was arranged between Alys and the son of Henry II, Richard who would become King Richard I, the Lionheart. Alys was only a child and until she was old enough to be married lived under the protection of the English King. The marriage never took place and Richard married Berengaria instead. Alys' half-brother Philip II of France fined Richard for not marrying her. It was rumoured that King Henry had made Alys his mistress and this was the reason that Richard did not marry her. After Henry's death Alys returned to France and in 1195 was married to William III Talvas, Count of Ponthieu who was almost twenty years younger than her. With William she had several daughters.

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Timeline

A marriage agreement was arranged between Prince Richard and the daughter of King Louis VII, bringing peace between England and France.Alys was only nine years old at the time and sent to England under protection of the English King Henry II. ¹

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Alys (Daugher of Louis VII) (b.1160 - d.1220)

 Alys (Daugher of Louis VII) (b.1160 - d.1220)

Amalric (I, King of Jerusalem, 1162 - 1174)

Born: 1136 Died: 11 July 1174

on of Fulk V, count of Anjou and King of Jerusalem. Amalric became King of Jerusalem after the death of his elder brother Baldwin.

Timeline

Baldwin, the king of Jerusalem died. He was succeeded by his brother Amalric. ¹

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Anne (of Bohemia)

Born: circa 1367 Died: 1394

Timeline

Richard II married Anne, the sister of Wenceslas of Bohemia. This was a diplomatic move over the French as the king of France Charles V wanted Anne his marry his own son. The marriage was not popular as a large loan had to be paid to Wenceslas for the privilege. The coronation of Queen Anne took place a few days later at Westminster Abbey.

The rivals Henry Bolingbroke and King Richard both lost their wives in his month. Mary Bohun died in childbirth while Anne of Bohemia died from the plague.

Henry Yevele designed a tomb for King Richard II and his first wife Anne of Bohemia at Westminster Abbey, ¹

Family Tree Details

Anne (of Denmark, Queen Consort of Scotland)

Born: 1574 Died: 1619

Anne of Denmark, the daughter of Frederick II of Denmark, married James VI of Scotland (later James I of England). In August of 1589 they were married by proxy in Denmark before Anne attempted to sail to Scotland to her new husband. But bad weather prevented the Danish fleet, carrying the new queen, reaching the Scottish shores. On hearing the news King James decided to rescue his queen himself. One of their sons would become Charles I, King of England.

Timeline

A proxy marriage was performed in Denmark to wed James VI of Scotland, who was not present, to Anne, the daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark.

After the proxy marriage in Denmark, Queen Anne attempted to sail to Scotland to join King James, but bad weather prevented the Danish fleet, carrying the new queen, reaching Scottish shores. On hearing the news King James decided to rescue his queen himself.

Charles, the future king of England was born at Dunfermline Palace, Fife in Scotland.

Family Tree Details

Ansgard (of Burgundy)

Died: 890

nsgard was the first wife of King Louis II of France. They married in secret before Louis became king but the marriage was repudiated in 878 when the King of France found out about it. Louis remarried but Ansgard ensured that her sons would remain heirs to the throne of France and after the death of Louis her sons became Louis III and Carloman II, joint rulers of the country.

Family Tree Details

Athelbald (King of Wessex 858-860)

Died: 860

Timeline

Unhappy with his father's marriage to Judith and absence from the country, Ethelbald, Ethelwulf's second son claimed the kingdom of Wessex for himself. When Ethelwulf later died, Ethelbald married Judith, his stepmother. ¹

Upon the death of his elder brother, Ethelbert became the King of Wessex. ¹

Family Tree Details

Athelbald (King of Wessex 858-860) ( - d.860)

 Athelbald (King of Wessex 858-860) ( - d.860)

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