The World of Learning. 47th ed., Allen and Unwin, 1997.
1524
Events Timeline
Orlando includes short event entries, freestanding and embedded in author profiles, about moments and processes relevant to literary history and organized into four categories: Women writers, Writing Climate, Political Climate, and Social Climate. Explore the timelines by searching for date(s) and/or words or phrases associated with them.
226 - 250 of 43197
1451: After a petition by James II of Scotland,...
1451
After a petition by
, initiated by
, the
was founded under a Bull of
.
Sir Thomas Malory: By January 1452
Writing climate item
Author event in Sir Thomas Malory
By January 1452
, having once escaped from custody by swimming a moat, was awaiting trial in a London prison, well away from his Warwickshire power base.
29 May 1453: Constantinople was taken from the Christians...
National or international item
29 May 1453
Constantinople was taken from the Christians by
; this signalled the end of the Byzantine Empire.
29 October 1453: The Hundred Years' War came to an end, as...
National or international item
29 October 1453
The Hundred Years' War came to an end, as reckoned from the surrender of English-held Bordeaux to the French.
1455: Johann Gutenberg finished printing his 42-line...
Writing climate item
1455
finished printing his 42-line Bible at Mainz in Germany.
22 May 1455: The Wars of the Roses broke out between the...
National or international item
22 May 1455
The Wars of the Roses broke out between the houses of York and Lancaster, both claimants to the English throne.
1460: Those London barbers who also practised as...
1460
Those London barbers who also practised as surgeons incorporated a company to protect their interests.
4 March 1461: The Yorkist Edward IV was proclaimed king...
National or international item
4 March 1461
The Yorkist
was proclaimed king of England following his military victory over the forces of the Lancastrian
(who had for years been increasingly withdrawn and clearly incapable of personal rule).
29 March 1461: In a climactic and singularly unchivalric...
National or international item
29 March 1461
In a climactic and singularly unchivalric battle of the Wars of the Roses, fought on Palm Sunday at Towton in North Yorkshire, about 28,000 men died and
's position as king was confirmed.
Later 1400s: This half-century probably saw the life of...
Women writers item
Later 1400s
This half-century probably saw the life of
, the only woman in medieval Wales to have left a considerable body of identifiable poetry (in Welsh).
1463: Import controls prohibited trade in finished...
National or international item
1463
Import controls prohibited trade in finished goods and luxury items, including playing cards, dice, woollen clothes, silk, embroidery, leather and metal goods.
December 1463: In a letter to Sir William Plumpton, Bryan...
December 1463
In a letter to Sir William Plumpton, Bryan Roucliffe praised
, aged four, for having nearly learned her psalter: that is, to say the psalms by heart.
About 1470: The Distaff Gospels, a collection of the...
Writing climate item
About 1470
The Distaff Gospels, a collection of the beliefs, proverbs, stories, medical and cookery recipes, and advice of medieval peasant women, is assigned to this date by its editors,
and
.
By 3 March 1470: Sir Thomas Malory, a political prisoner in...
Writing climate item
By 3 March 1470
, a political prisoner in London, most probably in the Tower, finished compiling and writing his collection of legendary
romances, Le Morte d'Arthur.
Sir Thomas Malory: 14 March 1471
Writing climate item
Author event in Sir Thomas Malory
14 March 1471
, narrator of Arthurian legends, died in London. Contrary to most accounts before recent times, it is not certain that he died at
.
Probably late 1474: William Caxton published (at Bruges) the...
Writing climate item
Probably late 1474
published (at Bruges) the heroic romance entitled Recuyell of the Historyes of Troy: the first book printed in English.
1476: Abraham Conat, one of the earliest printers...
Writing climate item
1476
, one of the earliest printers of Hebrew books, printed at MantuaBechinat Olam (Investigation of the World) by
.
13 December 1476: William Caxton printed a Papal Indulgence...
13 December 1476
printed a Papal Indulgence on which a contemporary hand added this date, which makes it Caxton's earliest known printing in England.
By late 1476: William Caxton set up at Westminster the...
Writing climate item
By late 1476
set up at Westminster the first printing press in England.
1477: William Caxton printed an edition of Geoffrey...
Writing climate item
1477
printed an edition of
's composite narrative poem The Canterbury Tales.
14 February 1477: Margery Brews sent to John Paston what some...
14 February 1477
sent to
what some regard as the earliest surviving Valentine, asking him to keep it secret.
18 November 1477: Having set up a printing shop in Westminster...
Writing climate item
18 November 1477
Having set up a printing shop in Westminster the previous year,
published The Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers; the earliest dated book printed in England.
1478: The medieval institution of the Inquisition...
1478
The medieval institution of the Inquisition was revived as the
at the request of the Spanish royal couple
and
.
About 1480: A papal decree barred both men and women...
About 1480
A papal decree barred both men and women from practising medicine in Rome without a licence.
1481: A nun of noble rank at Dartford Priory in...
1481
A nun of noble rank at Dartford Priory in Kent was allowed a Latin tutor for herself and the other gentlewomen of the house.