World History Timeline

Countries / Europe

History of United Kingdom

124 notable historical events in United Kingdom, in chronological order.

War · 40Politics · 46Dynasty · 5Treaty · 15Revolution · 9Science · 14Technology · 7Exploration · 5Religion · 2Culture · 3Art · 2Economy · 10Disaster · 4Disease · 3Birth · 3Death · 6

1st century

  1. 43★★★★★

    Roman conquest of Britain begins

    Under Emperor Claudius, Roman forces invade Britain, gradually making much of the island a province of the empire.

    War· United Kingdom

2nd century

8th century

  1. June 8, 793★★★★★

    Viking raid on Lindisfarne

    Vikings plunder the monastery on Lindisfarne in England, an event often taken as the start of the Viking Age.

    War· United Kingdom, Norway

9th century

  1. 878★★★★★

    Battle of Edington

    Alfred the Great of Wessex defeats the Viking Great Army under Guthrum, securing the survival of Anglo-Saxon England.

    War· United Kingdom

11th century

  1. October 14, 1066★★★★★

    Battle of Hastings

    William of Normandy defeats King Harold II, beginning the Norman conquest of England.

    War· United Kingdom
  2. 1086★★★★★

    Domesday Book compiled

    William I orders a great survey of land and property across England, recorded in the Domesday Book.

    PoliticsEconomy· United Kingdom

13th century

  1. June 15, 1215★★★★★

    Magna Carta

    King John of England seals Magna Carta at Runnymede, subjecting royal power to the law.

    Politics· United Kingdom

14th century

  1. June 23, 1314 – June 24, 1314★★★★★

    Battle of Bannockburn

    Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats the army of Edward II of England, a key victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

    War· United Kingdom
  2. 1315 – 1317★★★★★

    Great Famine in Europe

    Successive crop failures caused by bad weather bring mass famine to northern Europe, killing a significant share of the population.

    DisasterEconomy· United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland
  3. 1337 – 1453★★★★★

    Hundred Years' War

    A series of conflicts between England and France over the French throne ends with England losing nearly all its continental lands.

    War· France, United Kingdom
  4. June 1381★★★★★

    Peasants' Revolt in England

    Peasants led by Wat Tyler rise against the poll tax and serfdom, marching on London before being suppressed.

    Revolution· United Kingdom

15th century

  1. August 22, 1485★★★★★

    Battle of Bosworth Field

    Henry Tudor defeats and kills Richard III, taking the throne as Henry VII and founding the Tudor dynasty, effectively ending the Wars of the Roses.

    WarDynasty· United Kingdom
  2. c. 15th century – c. 1860s★★★★★

    The transatlantic slave trade

    From the 16th to the 19th century, an estimated 12.5 million enslaved Africans were shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas, with profound consequences for both continents.

    Economy· Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, Angola, Brazil, United States, Portugal, United Kingdom

16th century

  2. 1564★★★★★

    Birth of William Shakespeare

    William Shakespeare, the most celebrated playwright and poet in the English language, is born in Stratford-upon-Avon.

    BirthCultureArt· United Kingdom
  3. August 8, 1588★★★★★

    Defeat of the Spanish Armada

    The Armada sent by Philip II to invade England is defeated by the English navy at the Battle of Gravelines and scattered during its retreat.

    War· United Kingdom, Spain
  4. December 31, 1600★★★★★

    English East India Company chartered

    Queen Elizabeth I grants a royal charter to the East India Company, which later comes to rule much of the Indian subcontinent.

    EconomyPolitics· United Kingdom, India

17th century

  1. May 1607★★★★★

    Founding of Jamestown

    English colonists establish Jamestown in Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in North America.

    ExplorationPolitics· United States, United Kingdom
  2. April 23, 1616★★★★★

    Death of William Shakespeare

    Shakespeare dies in Stratford-upon-Avon, leaving some 39 plays and 154 sonnets.

    DeathCultureArt· United Kingdom
  3. December 1620★★★★★

    Mayflower Pilgrims found Plymouth Colony

    The Mayflower Pilgrims sign the Mayflower Compact and establish Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts.

    ExplorationReligion· United States, United Kingdom
  5. 1642 – 1651★★★★★

    English Civil War

    A series of conflicts between the Royalists of Charles I and the Parliamentarians, ending in victory for Parliament under Oliver Cromwell.

    WarRevolution· United Kingdom, Ireland
  6. December 25, 1642★★★★★

    Birth of Isaac Newton

    Isaac Newton, founder of classical mechanics and co-inventor of calculus, is born at Woolsthorpe, England.

    BirthScience· United Kingdom
  7. January 30, 1649★★★★★

    Execution of Charles I

    Convicted of high treason, King Charles I is beheaded at Whitehall, London, and England becomes a republic.

    PoliticsDeathRevolution· United Kingdom
  8. May 29, 1660★★★★★

    Stuart Restoration

    The monarchy is restored in England, Scotland and Ireland as Charles II returns to London to take the throne.

    PoliticsDynasty· United Kingdom
  9. September 2, 1666 – September 6, 1666★★★★★

    Great Fire of London

    A fire starting in a bakery on Pudding Lane destroys much of the medieval City of London, including Old St Paul's Cathedral.

    Disaster· United Kingdom
  10. July 5, 1687★★★★★

    Newton publishes the Principia

    Isaac Newton publishes "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica", setting out the laws of motion and universal gravitation.

    Science· United Kingdom
  11. 1688 – 1689★★★★★

    Glorious Revolution

    James II is deposed and William III and Mary II take the throne; the Bill of Rights of 1689 limits royal power and strengthens Parliament.

    RevolutionPolitics· United Kingdom, Netherlands

18th century

  1. 1701 – 1714★★★★★

    War of the Spanish Succession

    European powers fight over the succession to the Spanish throne after the death of Charles II; the war ends with the treaties of Utrecht and Rastatt.

    WarDynasty· Spain, France, United Kingdom, Austria, Netherlands
  3. 1754 – 1763★★★★★

    French and Indian War

    Britain and France, with their Indigenous allies, fight for control of North America; France is defeated and loses most of its territory on the continent.

    War· United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France
  4. 1756 – 1763★★★★★

    Seven Years' War

    A global conflict among the European powers fought in Europe, North America and India; Britain gains colonial supremacy and Prussia confirms its great-power status.

    War· United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, Spain, United States, Canada, India
  5. June 23, 1757★★★★★

    Battle of Plassey

    The East India Company under Robert Clive defeats Siraj ud-Daulah, Nawab of Bengal, beginning British dominance in India.

    War· India, United Kingdom
  6. January 5, 1769★★★★★

    James Watt patents his steam engine

    James Watt's patent for a separate condenser makes steam engines far more efficient, driving the Industrial Revolution.

    TechnologyEconomy· United Kingdom
  7. March 5, 1770★★★★★

    Boston Massacre

    British soldiers fire into a crowd in Boston, killing five people and heightening tensions between the colonies and Britain.

    Politics· United States, United Kingdom
  8. April 29, 1770★★★★★

    James Cook lands at Botany Bay

    On his first voyage, Captain James Cook of HMS Endeavour landed at Botany Bay, then charted Australia's east coast and claimed it for Britain.

    Exploration· Australia, United Kingdom
  9. December 16, 1773★★★★★

    Boston Tea Party

    Colonists protesting British taxation dump an entire shipment of East India Company tea into Boston Harbor.

    PoliticsRevolution· United States, United Kingdom
  10. April 19, 1775★★★★★

    Battles of Lexington and Concord

    The first clashes between colonial militia and British troops in Massachusetts begin the American Revolutionary War.

    WarRevolution· United States, United Kingdom
  11. July 4, 1776★★★★★

    United States Declaration of Independence

    The Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the 13 colonies free from Britain.

    PoliticsRevolution· United States, United Kingdom
  12. October 17, 1777★★★★★

    British surrender at Saratoga

    British General John Burgoyne surrenders to the Continental Army at Saratoga, a victory that helps bring France into an alliance with the Americans.

    War· United States, United Kingdom
  13. February 14, 1779★★★★★

    Death of James Cook in Hawaii

    The explorer James Cook was killed in a clash with Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay during his third voyage.

    DeathExploration· United States, United Kingdom
  14. October 19, 1781★★★★★

    British surrender at Yorktown

    General Cornwallis surrenders to American and French forces at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending major fighting in the American Revolutionary War.

    War· United States, United Kingdom, France
  15. September 3, 1783★★★★★

    Treaty of Paris (1783) recognizes US independence

    Britain signs a treaty with the United States in Paris, formally ending the American Revolutionary War and recognizing American independence.

    Treaty· United States, United Kingdom
  16. January 26, 1788★★★★★

    The First Fleet arrives at Sydney Cove

    Arthur Phillip's eleven-ship convict fleet arrived at Sydney Cove and founded the penal colony of New South Wales, the first permanent European settlement in Australia.

    PoliticsExploration· Australia, United Kingdom
  17. 1793★★★★★

    Macartney Embassy to China

    A British embassy led by Lord Macartney meets the Qianlong Emperor but fails to secure expanded trade.

    PoliticsEconomy· China, United Kingdom
  18. May 14, 1796★★★★★

    Jenner's smallpox vaccination

    Edward Jenner inoculates the boy James Phipps with cowpox material, pioneering vaccination against smallpox.

    ScienceDisease· United Kingdom

19th century

  1. October 21, 1805★★★★★

    Battle of Trafalgar

    The British fleet under Admiral Nelson defeats the combined French and Spanish fleets, securing British naval supremacy; Nelson is killed in the battle.

    War· United Kingdom, France, Spain
  2. June 18, 1812 – 1815★★★★★

    War of 1812

    The United States declares war on Britain; fighting in North America and at sea ends with the Treaty of Ghent and no change in borders.

    War· United States, United Kingdom, Canada
  3. 1814 – June 9, 1815★★★★★

    Congress of Vienna

    The European powers meet in Vienna to reorder the continent after the Napoleonic Wars, redrawing the map of Europe and establishing a balance of power.

    TreatyPolitics· Austria, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France
  4. June 18, 1815★★★★★

    Battle of Waterloo

    British and Prussian forces defeat Napoleon Bonaparte, ending the Hundred Days and the Napoleonic Wars.

    War· Belgium, France, United Kingdom, Germany
  5. 1819★★★★★

    Founding of modern Singapore

    Stamford Raffles signs a treaty establishing a British East India Company trading post at Singapore, beginning the modern port city.

    PoliticsEconomy· Singapore, United Kingdom
  6. 1824★★★★★

    Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824

    Britain and the Netherlands divide their spheres in the Malay world, roughly creating today's Malaysia–Indonesia divide.

    Treaty· Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, United Kingdom, Netherlands
  7. 1824 – 1826★★★★★

    First Anglo-Burmese War

    Britain defeats Konbaung Burma, which cedes Assam, Manipur, Arakan and Tenasserim under the Treaty of Yandabo.

    War· Myanmar, India, United Kingdom
  9. 1831★★★★★

    Faraday discovers electromagnetic induction

    Michael Faraday discovers that a changing magnetic field induces an electric current, the principle behind generators and transformers.

    Science· United Kingdom
  10. June 20, 1837★★★★★

    Accession of Queen Victoria

    Victoria succeeds to the British throne; her reign of more than 63 years coincides with the height of the British Empire.

    DynastyPolitics· United Kingdom
  11. 1839 – 1842★★★★★

    First Opium War

    Britain wars with Qing China after it cracks down on the opium trade; the defeat opens what China calls the 'century of humiliation'.

    WarEconomy· China, United Kingdom
  12. February 6, 1840★★★★★

    Treaty of Waitangi

    Representatives of the British Crown and many Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document; differences between its English and Māori texts remain debated.

    TreatyPolitics· New Zealand, United Kingdom
  13. August 29, 1842★★★★★

    Treaty of Nanking

    The Qing cede Hong Kong Island to Britain and open five treaty ports, the first of China's unequal treaties.

    Treaty· China, United Kingdom, Hong Kong
  14. 1845 – 1852★★★★★

    Great Famine in Ireland

    Potato blight triggers a famine that kills about a million people and drives more than a million to emigrate from Ireland.

    Disaster· Ireland, United Kingdom
  15. 1845 – 1872★★★★★

    The New Zealand Wars

    A series of armed conflicts between the colonial government and Māori iwi, chiefly over land and sovereignty, which led to large confiscations of Māori land.

    War· New Zealand, United Kingdom
  16. February 1848★★★★★

    The Communist Manifesto is published

    Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish in London a pamphlet setting out the theory of class struggle, one of the most influential political texts ever written.

    PoliticsCulture· United Kingdom, Germany
  17. 1853 – 1856★★★★★

    Crimean War

    An alliance of the Ottoman Empire, Britain, France and Sardinia defeats Russia, with fighting centred on the siege of Sevastopol in Crimea.

    War· Russia, Turkey, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Ukraine
  19. 1856 – 1860★★★★★

    Second Opium War

    Britain and France fight Qing China, occupy Beijing and burn the Old Summer Palace in 1860, forcing further unequal treaties.

    War· China, United Kingdom, France
  20. May 10, 1857 – 1858★★★★★

    Indian Rebellion of 1857

    Sepoys mutiny at Meerut, sparking a widespread uprising against East India Company rule across northern and central India.

    WarRevolution· India, United Kingdom
  21. 1858 – 1947★★★★★

    Beginning of the British Raj

    After the 1857 rebellion, the Government of India Act transfers rule from the East India Company to the British Crown; the Mughal Empire formally ends.

    Politics· India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, United Kingdom
  23. 1865★★★★★

    Maxwell's electromagnetic theory

    James Clerk Maxwell publishes "A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field", unifying electricity, magnetism and light.

    Science· United Kingdom
  24. July 1, 1867★★★★★

    Canadian Confederation

    The colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick unite as the Dominion of Canada, the beginning of the modern Canadian state.

    Politics· Canada, United Kingdom
  25. November 30, 1874★★★★★

    Birth of Winston Churchill

    Winston Churchill, Britain's prime minister during the Second World War, is born at Blenheim Palace.

    Birth· United Kingdom
  26. June 1878 – July 1878★★★★★

    Congress of Berlin

    The European powers reorganise the Balkans after the Russo-Turkish War, recognising the independence of Serbia, Montenegro and Romania.

    TreatyPolitics· Germany, Russia, Turkey, United Kingdom, Austria, Serbia, Romania, Montenegro, Bulgaria
  27. January 22, 1879★★★★★

    Battle of Isandlwana

    In the Anglo-Zulu War, a Zulu army defeated a British column at Isandlwana, one of the worst defeats of the British army by an indigenous force.

    War· South Africa, United Kingdom
  28. December 16, 1880 – March 23, 1881★★★★★

    First Boer War

    Boers of the Transvaal rose against British annexation and regained self-government after their victory at Majuba Hill.

    War· South Africa, United Kingdom
  29. March 14, 1883★★★★★

    Death of Karl Marx

    Karl Marx dies in London, where he had lived in exile and written Das Kapital.

    Death· United Kingdom, Germany
  30. November 15, 1884 – February 26, 1885★★★★★

    Berlin Conference on Africa

    European powers met in Berlin to set rules for colonial claims in Africa, accelerating the "Scramble for Africa" without any African representation.

    PoliticsTreaty· Germany, United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Belgium
  31. 1885★★★★★

    Third Anglo-Burmese War

    Britain takes Mandalay and deposes King Thibaw, ending the Konbaung dynasty and annexing all of Burma to British India.

    WarPolitics· Myanmar, United Kingdom
  32. October 11, 1899 – May 31, 1902★★★★★

    Second Boer War

    The British Empire fought the Boer republics of the Transvaal and Orange Free State; the war ended with the Treaty of Vereeniging, after tens of thousands of civilians died in concentration camps.

    War· South Africa, United Kingdom

20th century

  1. December 12, 1901★★★★★

    Marconi's transatlantic radio signal

    Guglielmo Marconi reports receiving a radio signal in Newfoundland transmitted from Cornwall across the Atlantic.

    Technology· United Kingdom, Canada
  2. 1911★★★★★

    Rutherford's model of the atomic nucleus

    From alpha-particle scattering experiments, Ernest Rutherford proposes that the atom has a small, dense, positively charged nucleus.

    Science· United Kingdom
  3. April 15, 1912★★★★★

    Sinking of the Titanic

    RMS Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic on her maiden voyage after striking an iceberg; more than 1,500 people die.

    DisasterTechnology· United Kingdom
  4. July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918★★★★★

    World War I

    Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, drawing Europe's powers into a global war that lasts until the armistice of 11 November 1918.

    War· Austria, Serbia, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia
  5. April 25, 1915★★★★★

    ANZAC landing at Gallipoli

    The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in the Allies' unsuccessful campaign against the Ottoman Empire; 25 April is now commemorated as Anzac Day.

    War· Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, United Kingdom
  6. April 24, 1916 – April 29, 1916★★★★★

    Easter Rising in Ireland

    Irish republicans rise in Dublin and proclaim an Irish Republic; the rebellion is put down by British forces after six days.

    Revolution· Ireland, United Kingdom
  7. November 2, 1917★★★★★

    Balfour Declaration

    The British government declares support for a 'national home for the Jewish people' in Palestine, while stating that the civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities should not be prejudiced.

    Politics· Israel, Palestine, United Kingdom
  8. April 13, 1919★★★★★

    Jallianwala Bagh massacre

    Troops under General Reginald Dyer fire on an unarmed crowd in Amritsar, killing hundreds and fuelling anti-colonial sentiment.

    Politics· India, United Kingdom
  9. June 28, 1919★★★★★

    Treaty of Versailles

    The peace treaty ending the war between Germany and the Allies is signed in the Hall of Mirrors, imposing war guilt, territorial losses and heavy reparations on Germany.

    Treaty· France, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Italy
  10. December 6, 1922★★★★★

    Irish Free State established

    Under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the Irish Free State is established as a self-governing dominion of the British Commonwealth.

    Politics· Ireland, United Kingdom
  11. January 26, 1926★★★★★

    Baird demonstrates television

    John Logie Baird demonstrates a mechanical television system transmitting live moving images in London.

    Technology· United Kingdom
  12. September 28, 1928★★★★★

    Fleming discovers penicillin

    Alexander Fleming notices Penicillium mould killing bacteria, paving the way for the antibiotic era.

    Science· United Kingdom
  13. September 30, 1938★★★★★

    Munich Agreement

    Britain, France, Italy and Germany agree to Germany's annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland, the high point of the appeasement of Hitler.

    TreatyPolitics· Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Czechia
  14. September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945★★★★★

    World War II

    Germany invades Poland, starting the deadliest conflict in human history, which ends with Japan's formal surrender on 2 September 1945.

    War· Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, France, Russia, United States, Japan, China
  15. July 10, 1940 – October 31, 1940★★★★★

    Battle of Britain

    The Royal Air Force repels a large-scale air campaign by the Luftwaffe, forcing Hitler to postpone his planned invasion of Britain.

    War· United Kingdom, Germany
  16. February 15, 1942★★★★★

    Fall of Singapore

    British forces in Singapore surrender to Japan, the largest capitulation in British military history, beginning the Japanese occupation of Malaya.

    War· Singapore, United Kingdom, Japan
  17. June 6, 1944★★★★★

    D-Day: the Normandy landings

    Allied forces carry out the largest seaborne invasion in history on the Normandy coast, opening a Western Front to liberate Western Europe.

    War· France, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany
  18. February 4, 1945 – February 11, 1945★★★★★

    Yalta Conference

    Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin meet at Yalta to discuss the post-war reorganisation of Europe and the world.

    PoliticsTreaty· Ukraine, United States, United Kingdom, Russia
  19. May 8, 1945★★★★★

    Victory in Europe Day

    The Allies formally accept Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender, ending the Second World War in Europe.

    War· Germany, United Kingdom, United States, France, Russia
  20. November 20, 1945 – October 1, 1946★★★★★

    Nuremberg trials

    An international military tribunal tries leading Nazi figures for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    Politics· Germany, United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia
  21. March 5, 1946★★★★★

    Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech

    At Fulton, Missouri, Winston Churchill declares that an "iron curtain" has descended across Europe, a symbolic marker of the early Cold War.

    Politics· United Kingdom, United States
  22. August 15, 1947★★★★★

    Independence of India

    British India is partitioned into the independent dominions of India and Pakistan, accompanied by mass migration and violence.

    Politics· India, Pakistan, United Kingdom
History of United Kingdom · World History Timeline