History^437
printing in England
1483–1485 Richard III
(England)
1485 Richard III defeated at
Bosworth by Henry Tudor
1485–1509 Henry VII
(England)
1486 Henry VII marries
Elizabeth, daughter of
Edward IV, uniting York and
Lancaster
1488–1513 James IV
(Scotland)
1509–1547 Henry VIII
(England)
1513 James IV is defeated
and killed by the English
at Flodden
1533 The Pope
excommunicates Henry VIII
after Henry forces the
Archbishop of Canterbury to
annul his marriage to
Catherine of Aragon
1534 Henry VIII has himself
made Supreme Head of the
Church of England
1536–1539 Monasteries in
England and Wales are
dissolved
1536 Act of Union between
England and Wales; Wales
and England formally
become a single state
1541 Irish Parliament
declares Henry VIII king of
Ireland
1542–1567 Mary, Queen of
Scots (Scotland)
1549 The English Book of
Common Prayer is published
1553–1558 Mary I (Mary
Tudor) (England) returns
England to Catholicism
1558–1603 Elizabeth I
(England)
1559 Elizabeth I restores
Protestantism
1560 Scottish Parliament
introduces Protestantism
1567 Mary, Queen of Scots,
flees to England after
Protestant lords rebel
against her plans to restore
Catholicism
1567–1625 James VI
(Scotland). Mary’s son,
James, succeeds1588 Spanish Armada
defeated in English Channel1603–1625 James VI of
Scotland becomes James I of
England and Ireland on
Elizabeth’s death. From now
on the thrones of Scotland
and England are united1605 Catholic “Gunpowder
Plot” to blow up Houses of
Parliament is foiled1625–1649 Charles I1629–1640 Charles rules
without parliament1642–1649 Civil War.
Parliamentarians defeat
Royalists at Naseby in 16451649 Charles I is executed.
England is ruled as a
Commonwealth1652 Cromwell quells
rebellion in Ireland and
conquers Scotland1653–1658 Cromwell is
Lord Protector of Britain and
Ireland1660–1685 Charles II, son
of Charles I, restored to the
throne1665 The Great Plague1666 The Great Fire of
London sees much of the
city of London destroyed1685–1688 James II (James
VII of Scotland)1688 After James II
suspends laws against
Catholics, Protestants fear
persecution, leading to the
Glorious Revolution in
which the Protestant
William, Prince of Orange,
replaces James as king1689–1702 William III and
Mary II (1689–1694)1689 Bill of Rights limits
the powers of the monarch1689 William III of England
invited to take over Scottish
government from James VII.
War breaks out between
supporters of both1689–1691 Campaign in
Ireland between the forces
of the exiled James II and
William III1690 Battle of the Boyne.
William’s army defeats
James1692 The Macdonald clan,
slow to take the oath of
allegiance to William, are
massacred by the Campbell
clan at Glencoe1692 Catholics excluded
from Irish Parliament1701 Act of Settlement
formalizes the succession
to the throne to prevent
further upheaval1702–1714 Anne1702 First daily newspaper,
the Courant, published in
London1707 Act of Union between
Scotland and England gives
Scots seats at Westminster1714–1727 George I1721 Robert Walpole
becomes the first British
prime minister1727–1760 George II1733 John Kay invents the
flying shuttle. A period of
technological innovation
known as the Industrial
Revolution begins1745–1746 Bonny Prince
Charlie leads the last
attempt to restore the
Stuart dynasty in Britain1756–1763 The Seven
Years War between Britain
and France. Britain wins
North America and India.
This lays the basis for the
British Empire1760–1820 George III1775 The American
Revolution starts. British
forces are defeated by 17831776 James Watt produces
the first commercial steam
engine1798 Rising of United
Irishmen against Britain
fails; some leaders are
executed1801 Act of Union between
Britain and Ireland ends
Irish Parliament and brings
Irish seats at Westminster;
Catholics are unable to
stand for Parliament1803–1815 Napoleonic War
with Britain and other
states. In 1815 Napoleon is
defeated at Waterloo1820–1830 George IV1825 First railway starts
between Stockton and
Darlington1829 Catholic Relief Act
allows Catholics to stand for
Parliament1830–1837 William IV1832 Great Reform Bill
extends the vote to many in
the middle class1837–1901 Victoria1838 Chartists petition
Parliament, demanding more
power for the poor and
working people1845–1847 The Great
Famine. Over one million
starve as potato blight
hits Ireland1854–1856 Crimean War1858 Foundation of radical
Irish nationalist Fenian
movement in New York1870 Irish Home Rule
movement launched1876 Queen Victoria
becomes Empress of India1899–1902 Boer War1901–1910 Edward VII1904 Britain and France
sign Entente Cordiale;
tensions with Germany
mount1910–1936 George V1911 Parliament Act curbs
power of House of Lords1914–1918 World War I1914 Home Rule bill passed,but is suspended due to
outbreak of World War I1916 Easter Rising in Dublin
against British government1918 Women over the age of
30 are allowed to vote for the
first time; the vote is
extended to women aged 21
or over in 19281918 Majority of Irish seats
won by republican candidates
in post-war general election.
Members found their own
Parliament in Dublin1919–1921 War of
Independence in Ireland
between British troops and
Irish Republican Army1920 Government of Ireland
Act provides for parliaments
and governments for
southern and northern
Ireland1921 Anglo Irish Treaty leads
to formation of Irish Free
State 1922, and Irish Civil
War 1922–19231936 Edward VIII abdicates1936–1952 George VI1939–1945 World War II1946 Welfare State
introduced in the United
Kingdom1949 Republic of Ireland
formally declared. Ireland
leaves the Commonwealth1952– Elizabeth II1969 The “troubles” start in
Northern Ireland1972 Northern Ireland
Parliament suspended and
direct rule introduced1973 Britain and Ireland join
European Union1997 Referendums support
creation of a Scottish
Parliament and a Welsh
Assembly1998 Good Friday agreement
sees new impetus to end the
“troubles” in Northern Ireland2003 Britain supports US
invasion of Iraq to topple
Saddam Husseinn2010 First coalition
government in Britain since
1945 takes office1066–1154 Normans1154–1399 Plantagenets
1399–1461 Lancastrians
1461–1485 Yorkists
1485–1603 Tudors1603–1714 Stuarts
1714–1901 Hanoverians
1901– WindsorsENGLISH DYNASTIES