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1485
Richard III is killed in battle
Richard III relished his role as a warrior and he ultimately died in battle. He was killed on Aug. 22, 1485, by the forces of Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was not treated regally in death, and is the only king who didn’t have a tomb. -
1492
Christopher Columbus reaches the Americas
Christopher Columbus was a world famous explorer. He crossed the Atlantic ocean and reached the Americas in 1492. He thought that the earth was a sphere and one could reach Asia by sailing west from Europe. -
1503
Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa is a half-length portrait painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci that has been described as "the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world". The Mona Lisa is also one of the most valuable paintings in the world. -
1516
Thomas More's Utopia is published
Utopia is a work of fiction and socio-political satire by Thomas More (1478–1535) published in Latin. The book is a frame narrative primarily depicting a fictional island society and its religious, social and political customs. Many aspects of More's description of Utopia are reminiscent of life in monasteries -
1543
With the Supremacy Act, Henry VII proclaims himself head of Church of England
The Supreme Head of the Church of England was a title created in 1531 for King Henry VIII of England, who was responsible for the foundation of the English Protestant church that broke away from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church -
1558
Elizabeth I becomes queen of England
Elizabeth I was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death on 24 March 1603. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the last of the five monarchs of the House of Tudor -
1564
William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, is born
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, actor and poet also known as the “Bard of Avon” Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he was an important member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men company of theatrical players from roughly 1594 onward. Written records give little indication of the way in which Shakespeare’s professional life molded his artistry. -
Global Theatre is built in London
The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. -
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Shakespeare writes King Lear and Macbeth
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Shakespeare writes King Lear and Macbeth
Shakespeare draws tragic parallels between Macbeth and King Lear’s eventual tale spins into madness. -
First Permanent English settlement in North America is established at Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown, Va., was the first permanent English settlement in the United States. It was founded in 1607 by a group of 104 people, as referenced by the National Park Service. The Virginia Company funded the expedition and told the group of settlers to make way for more people to arrive. -
Shakespeare's sonnets are published
Shakespeare's sonnets are poems that William Shakespeare wrote on a variety of themes. When discussing or referring to Shakespeare’s sonnets, it is almost always a reference to the 154 sonnets that were first published all together in a quarto in 1609 -
King James Bible is published
The New King James Version (NKJV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1982 by Thomas Nelson. The New Testament was published in 1979, It took seven years to complete. -
The Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts
They set sail from England on the Mayflower, arriving in Massachusettes in December. When they landed, the colonists called their new home "New Plymouth.". The colonists all signed the "Mayflower Covenant" before landing, promising to establish "just and equal laws." -
Newspapers are first published in London
In 1621 the newspaper "Corante" is published in London. In 1631 the French newspaper "The Gazette" is founded. In 1690 the first American newspaper "Publick Occurences" is published. -
John Milton begins Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. The first version, published in 1667, consisted of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse. It is considered by critics to be Milton's major work, and it helped solidify his reputation as one of the greatest English poets of his time. -
Puritan Commonwealth ends; monarchy is restored with Charles II
The Restoration of the English monarchy took place in the Stuart period. It began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under King Charles II.
