EMERGENCE OF HUMANISM
What a piece of work is a man,
how noble in reason, how
infinite in faculties, in form
and moving how express and
admirable, in action how like
an angel, in apprehension how
like a god! (Hamlet II ii)
1400
GLASGOW UNIVERSITY EST`D
The appearance of
universities
throughout
Europe brings
Humanist thought
into conflict with
traditional Church
teachings.
1451
END OF THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR
Territorial disputes
with France come to
an end; however,
peace is soon to be
shattered by dynastic
conflicts at home that
would be felt for
centuries to come.
1453
THE WARS OF THE ROSES
The Houses of
Lancaster and
York compete for
the crown,
bringing a long
period of death,
division, and
social turmoil to
England.
1455
WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL
The development
of Gothic church
architecture is a
good example of
the period’s hightech mentality:
change because “I
want to.”
1460
EDWARD IV (PLANTAGENET)
Edward, a member of the
House of York, reaches the
throne through violence,
allowing for a break in the
war, at least formally. His
reign would be long, but
predictably tumultuous, and
would really solve nothing.
1461
THE BIRTH OF THE PUBLISHING
INDUSTRY
William Caxton publishes
the first book in English.
The spread of printing,
facilitated by Gutenberg’s
moveable type and the
adoption of European
vernacular languages
produces a critical
information explosion.
1474
THE BIRTH OF MODERN SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY
Modern “R&D” culture
begins to take shape with a
number of inventions and
speculative (spectacular?)
designs – none more clearly
ahead of its time* than da
Vinci’s idea for a parachute.
* N.B. the absence of a plane
1480
SPANISH INQUISITION: REFORM AND
RELIGIOUS CONFLICT
Confronted by a growing
number of subversive
movements, the Spanish
church asks for and receives
permission to conduct an
inquest into matters of
faith. This soon expands
and becomes an instrument
for combating the new
heresy: Reformation.
1481
HENRY VII: EMERGENCE OF A NEW
ENGLAND
The end of the Wars of the
Roses finally comes with the
arrival of Henry Tudor to the
throne. His innovative reign
marks not just a new dynasty,
but also a new phase in
England’s social-political
development: the modern
nation state.
1485
COLUMBUS LANDS IN AMERICA
Columbus’s arrival
in the Americas
ignites a “space
race” amongst
Spain’s rivals...and
opens a sad chapter
in the history of the
New World’s
aboriginal people.
1492
THE LAST SUPPER – DAVINCI
The great Renaissance art movement is driven by the Humanist
respect both for realism and for humanity in its physical form.
1495
JOHN CABOT COMMISSIONED BY
HENRY VII
1496
ROUTE TO INDIA DISCOVERED BY
VASCO DA GAMA
1498
PRINCE ARTHUR MARRIES CATHERINE
OF ARAGON
In an attempt to forge a political
alliance between England and the
powerful kingdom of Aragon,
Henry VII arranges for the
marriage of his eldest son to
Catherine. Sadly, Arthur would
die the following year, touching
off a series of events that would
change history and affect the lives
of all of England’s subjects
1501
HENRY VIII: THE GROWTH OF THE
MONARCHY
Arthur’s place is taken by
younger brother, Henry, who
replaces him as both heir and
fiance. By the end of the
decade, Henry would be both a
new king and a new husband.
His tenure brings a mixture of
success, violence, power, and
division to England and its
monarchy.
1509
EVERYMAN (MORALITY PLAY) IS
PERFORMED
Unaware of the changes that
Humanism and the return of
classical knowledge would
bring to European theatre,
audiences are treated to such
moralistic fare as Everyman.
1510
COPERNICUS’ COMMENTARIOLUS
PUBLISHED
The Ptolomaic
universe (officially
held by the Church)
is challenged by the
Polish mathemetician.
For his efforts in
developing the
heliocentric model,
Copernicus is
brought to trial.
1512
MARTIN LUTHER`S 95 THESES AND
THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION
Like many of his time, Luther
was disturbed by the abuses
he saw in the Church; unlike
them, he posted his criticisms
in public. For this, he too
was called to trial. He would
later go on to translate the
New Testament into German
and marry a former nun.
1517
HENRY VIII: THE MARRIAGE
CONTROVERSY
The failure of the couple to
produce a son convinces
Henry that a new wife is
necessary. Ensuing events
would bring Henry into
conflict with Rome and
many of his own subjects,
and would leave his
personal life largely in
ruins.
1528
JOHN KNOX LEADS CALVINISTS IN
SCOTLAND
Various reform movements
begin to build momentum
throughout Europe. The
emergence of Calvinism as
a force in the north
complicates England’s
already chaotic religious
situation.
1541
CORONATION OF EDWARD VI
Edward, son of Henry and Jane
Seymour, represents the stability
his father sought. He is bright,
personable, and (more critically)
a male. However, it was not be.
Edward would die at the age of
15 after less than 6 years as king
- most as a figurehead only.
1547
“BLOODY” MARY AND THE RETURN
OF CATHOLICISM
Mary, Henry’s eldest child and the
daughter of Catherine, hates the
Church of England on both a
theological and personal level.
Her attempts to return England to
Rome elevate religious/political
strife in the country and make her
rather brief reign one of the most
notorious
1553
ELIZABETH I: ENGLAND`S GOLDEN
AGE
Coming out from under the
threat of execution, Elizabeth
ascends the throne at just 25.
Her youth and appearance
belies a powerful personality
(perhaps inherited from her
father) that would serve her
and her country well over the
next 44 years.
1558
SHAKESPEARE`S EARLY YEARS
William is born
into a comfortable,
if unspectacular,
village family. His
rise from here to a
life as a London
man of letters has
been cause for
debate ever since.
1564
THE MODERN ENGLISH THEATRE
James Burbidge obtains a theatrical licence.
He would later build a theatre and engage as
an entrepreneur in the business of
entertainment.
His holdings eventually
pass down to his son,
Richard, who employed
and then partnered
with Shakespeare.
Middle-class businessmen across Europe
begin to see the stage as a viable product,
fuelling an explosion of dramatic production
1574
SHAKESPEARE ARRIVES IN THE CITY
OF LONDON
Not much is known about
Shakespeare’s activities at this
time. His motives, route, and
initial plans have been the
subject of a great deal of
speculation. We do know,
however, that within just five
years of his arrival, Shakespeare
would embark upon his career
as a professional playwright.
1585
SHAKESPEARE`S HOME STAGE
The Globe is designed with
performance in mind - a
true actors’ venue. Various
textual clues suggest that
this stage was clear in the
author’s mind during
composition. Perhaps more
important is the innovation
it included: the ticket booth
1485
SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS: PHASE I
Henry VI (1590-92)
Richard III (1592-93)
Comedy of Errors (1592-93)
Taming of the Shrew (1593-94)
Romeo and Juliet (1594-95)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595-96)
The Merchant of Venice (1596-97)
Henry IV (1597-98)
Henry V (1598-99)
Julius Caesar (1599-1600)
As You Like It (1599-1600)
Twelfth Night (1599-1600)
1590-1600
THE SPANISH ARMADA
The Armada remained
history’s largest
invasionary force until
D-Day in WWII. Its
defeat - through a
combination of better
ship design, better
seamanship, and better
luck – was the source
of immense English
pride.
1492
PLAGUE CLOSES THE THEATRES
Shakespeare and his
company experience the
first of its plague-related
closures. It is during this
down time that he is
believed to have composed
many of the sonnets.
1593/1603/1608
THE OLDER ELIZABETH: POWER AND
SUCCESSION
Elizabeth’s later years were
marked by both great
adulation and great anxiety.
The Virgin Queen had failed
her father’s most important
test: she had produced no
heir. Though at the height of
their power in Europe, the
English were again faced
with a domestic crisis.
1600
SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS: PHASE II
Hamlet (1600-01)
All’s Well That Ends Well (1602-03)
Measure for Measure (1604-05)
Othello (1604-05)
King Lear (1605-06)
Macbeth (1605-06)
Anthony and Cleopatra (1606-07)
Coriolanus (1607-08)
Pericles (1608-09)
The Winter’s Tale (1610-11)
The Tempest (1611-1612)
Henry VIII (1612-13)
1600-1613
JAMES I: THE CRISIS OF THE STUART
DYNASTY
James Stuart (Elizabeth’s cousin
and the son of Mary Queen of
Scots) comes to power with few
of his predecessor’s political
skills. His apparent arrogance,
foreignness, and Catholic
leanings all work against him.
The results would later be
catastrophic.
1603
ENGLISH TREATIES WITH SPAIN AND
FRANCE
England’s apparently
non-beneficial treaties
with its rivals drives
yet another wedge
between James and his
subjects. Though
perhaps unwarranted,
it seemed to confirm
suspicions about his
Catholicism.
1604
GUY FAWKES SENTENCED TO DEATH
James finds himself
under attack from all
sides. A group of
disgruntled Catholics
plot to blow up
Parliament during
the throne speech.
They are foiled by the
secret service and
executed for treason.
1606
CHAMPLAIN FOUNDS QUEBEC
France is also active
during this time. It
focuses on expanding
its holdings in the
northern part of the
continent, in what
would eventually
become Canada.
1608
KING’S MEN LEASE THE BLACKFRIARS
THEATRE
Having experienced success
at the Globe, the company
opens a closed-in winter
venue north of the Thames
in London proper - theatre
goers having won out over
city council opposition.
1608
SHAKESPEARE RETIRES TO HIS HOME
IN STRATFORD
Shakespeare retires to his home
town while still a relatively
young man. His successes in
London allow him to return to a
large piece of property as a
country gentleman. It also
facilitates the awarding of a
coat of arms to his family – a
goal his father had tried in vain
to achieve.
1610
KING JAMES BIBLE PUBLISHED
James I is generally more adept
at producing books than sound
policy. His work ranges from
sports to witchcraft. The
greatest of his accomplishments
was the translation of scripture
as the King James Version, a
project he managed, but did not
actively participate in.
1611
GALILEO FACES THE INQUISITION
Galileo’s telescope
allows him to see
what Copernicus
had only been able
to theorize. The
result is the same
for both of these
science pioneers.
1615
DEATH OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
1616
MAYFLOWER SAILS FOR AMERICA
Puritan dissidents, fearing
religious persecution, leave
England for America. The
arrival of the Pilgrims
remains a significant moment
in American history.
Ironically, the Puritans would
seize power at home less than
3 decades later.
1620
THE FIRST FOLIO
Recognizing the
popularity of the
plays, a pair of
actors from the
company edit and
publish a quality
collection. This
version would
become the standard
for later editions.
1623 (1632/1663/1686)
CHARLES I AND THE CAVALIER
ESTABLISHMENT
The Stuarts experience a
growing division within the
kingdom. The Royalist
“Cavaliers” - a landed class
- represent traditional,
agricultural-based interests.
They are aligned, too, with
the Church of England,
which saw the country
from a similar perspective.
1625
OLIVER CROMWELL & THE PURITAN
PARLIAMENT
The Parliamentarian
“Roundheads” have their
powerbase in the cities,
where a new, wealthy
business class is emerging.
The discontent over a
shifting balance of
authority, perhaps even
more than theirPuritan
beliefs, fuels armed revolt.
1628
THE ENGLISH CIVIL WARS
1642-1649
THE ENGLISH COMMONWEALTH
Established by a single-party
faction within Parliament, the
Commonwealth is essentially a
theocratic dictatorship held
together by the personal
strength of Cromwell. Strict
Puritan lifestyle laws are
predictably unpopular, and the
Commonwealth is unable to
survive the loss of its leader.
1642-1649
HOBBES’ LEVIATHAN PUBLISHED
Thomas Hobbes neatly
sidesteps the Royalist vs
Republican debate by
focusing solely on the nature
of power within the state
rather than on the sovereign
holding that power. His
work forms the basis for
theories of a social contract.
1651
CHARLES II: THE RESTORATION
Upon the collapse of the
republican Commonwealth,
England returns to more
familiar social/political
territory. Charles is invited to
return to occupy the throne
his father earlier “vacated.”
Charles II enjoys a much
more successful reign.
1660
NEWTON DEVELOPS DIFFERENTIAL
CALCULUS
The explosion in science
and technology, begun by
the European Humanist
movement, continues.
Many of the advances
made during this time
would form the basis of
scientific thought for
centuries to come.
1665
GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
Con: burned down a
large section of
historic London.
Pro: helped to end
the Plague epidemic
and spark urban
renewal
1666
MILTON’S PARADISE LOST PUBLISHED
Despite a crushing
political defeat, loss of
sight, and advancing
age, Milton completes
his epic poem,
generally regarded as
one of the greatest
works of literature.
1667
APHRA BEHN PUBLISHES “NOVEL”
OROONOKO
Behn’s Oroonoko is often
seen as the first English
novel. In it, we see a
significant achievement,
but also evidence of
technical composition
problems that would take a
century to fully solve.
1668
HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY FOUNDED
A growing
interest in
business and
economic
development
spills over into
the colonies.
1670
WREN BEGINS REBUILDING OF SAINT
PAUL’S CATHEDRAL
Mathematician Christopher
Wren is commissioned to
design a new cathedral to
replace St. Paul’s, which was
destroyed in the Great Fire. His
church, marking the shift to
Neoclassical aesthetics, remains
one of London’s defining
modern landmarks.
1675
PENNY POST EST’D IN LONDON
The appearance of a
postal service is just
another indication of a
new, faster pace of life
– one where “staying
connected” was not
just convenient, but
essential.
1680
STREET LIGHTING ATTEMPTED IN
LONDON
Although it would take
more many years to
accomplish, there is
already an obvious
desire to defeat the
natural cycles of time
and transform cities
into centres of 24/7
activity.
1684
CORONATION OF JAMES II
James’s attempts to assert a
French-style absolutism
and to restore Catholicism
provoked resistance and
finally a revolt that
produced a new form of
national government in
England and, ultimately, in
Canada.
1685
WILLIAM & MARY: THE GLORIOUS
REVOLUTION
The religious crisis provoked
by James II was defused by
inviting his Dutch Protestant
son in law to “invade” and
assume the throne with his
wife, James’s daughter, Mary,
as co-regent. Their role and
authority of the sovereign is
also now contractually defined
: a constitutional monarchy.
1689-1690