The Lion in Winter

Historical background

Every play had a yesterday and will have a tomorrow. Here are some timeline references to give you a sense of what came before and after this Christmas of 1183. Particular references to characters and events mentioned in The Lion in Winter and events that directly affected England are shown in brown. Significant events not directly related to the story are shown in gray.

Sources: The Timetables of History, Based on Werner Stein's Kulturfahrplan Bernard Grun, Simon & Schuster, 1975 ISBN 0-671-74271-X; BBC; Women in World History Curriculum's Website

1120
Peace between Henry I of England and Louis VI of France.
Disaster of the "white Ship" the only legitimate son of Henry I of England drowned off Harfleur.
1122
Henry I creates earldom of Gloucester for his illegitimate son Robert of Caen.
Eleanor of Aquitaine is born. (assumed)
1126
The English Barons accept Matilda, widow of Emperor Henry V of Germany and daughter of Henry I of England as successor to Henry I.
1128
Empress Matilda marries Geoffrey Plantagenet of Anjou.
1133
Matilda gives birth to Henry who will later become King Henry II of England.
1135
Henry I dies; succeeded by his nephew Stephen of Boulogne, a grandson of William the Conqueror.
1136
Matilda asserts her right to the English throne.
1137
Louis VI of France dies; succeeded by Louis VII (-1180)
Louis VII marries Eleanor of Aquitaine.
1138
David I of Scotland invades England on behalf of Matilda and is defeated at the Battle of Standards.
1139
Matilda lands at Arundel; civil war in England.
1141
Matilda proclaimed queen at Winchester.
1144
Geoffrey of Anjou made Duke of Normandy.
Eleanor accompanies Louis VII on the Crusade.
1145
Pope Eugene III (-1153) proclaims Second Crusade.
1147
Matilda leaves England.
Crusaders perish in Asia Minor; failure of the Second Crusade.
1151
Geoffrey Plantagenet of Anjou dies; succeeded by Henry, his son by Matilda of England.
1152
Marriage of Louis VII and Eleanor is annulled.
Henry of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine.
1154
Stephen of Boulogne dies; Henry II crowned King of England (-1189) from now until 1485 the House of Plantagenet rules England.
Thomas á Becket becomes Henry's chancellor.
1155
Pope Hadrian IV bestows Ireland on Henry II.
Henry abolishes fiscal earldoms and restores royal desmesne.
1170
Murder of Thomas á Becket.
1172
Queen Eleanor raises Aquitaine against Henry II.
Reconciliation between Henry II and the Pope.
1173
Queen Eleanor imprisoned (-1185)
Canonization of Thomas á Becket.
1174
Henry II does penance at Canterbury for the murder of Becket.
(In this same year the tower at Pisa was built.)
1177
Treaty of Ivry between Henry Ii and Louis VII.
(Glass windows appear in English private houses.)
1180
Louis VII of France dies; succeeded by his son Philip II Augustus (-1223)
(Henry Fitzailwin becomes first mayor of London.)
1183
Henry, the Young King, successor to Henry II, dies on June 11 of dysentery.
1189
Henry II of England dies. Succeeded by Richard I Coeur-de-Lion (-1199).
Third Crusade (-1193).
1191
Richard I conquers Cyprus and sells it to the Templars.
1192
Richard I returns from the Crusade and is captured by Leopold, Duke of Austria.
1194
Richard I is released and is crowned for the second time.
1199
Richard I, Coeur-de-Lion, killed at a seige in France; succeeded by John (Lackland) the youngest son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine (-1216).
1200
Peace of Le Goulet between England and France.
Llywelyn the Great siezes Anglesey.
Art note: Early Gothic in England.
Elsewhere:
Development of Jewish cabalistic philosophy in southern Europe.
Islam begins to replace Indian religions.
1203
Arthur, Duke of Brittany, son of Geoffrey, murdered by order of his uncle, King John of England.
1208
Pope Innocent III places England under interdict.
1209
King John invades Scotland and is excommunicated.
Francis of Assisi issues first rules of his brotherhood, the Franciscans.
1213
King John submits to the Pope, making England and Ireland papal fiefs.
1215
King John seals the Magna Carta at Runnymede.
1216
King John dies; succeeded by Henry III (-1272).
A French force lands in England.
1217
French, defeated at Lincoln and Sandwich, leave England.
Map of England and France in 1183

Related Articles

Men From Early Middle Ages Were Nearly As Tall As Modern People - Science Daily, 2004
The castle at Chinon

Costumes from the 1968 film.

Women's Clothing in the Time of Henry II
More medieval clothing links.

Lion in Winter as History

Study Guides
Study Guide from the Portland Stage Company
Study Guide from the Timeline Theatre Company

More about Henry II (March 25, 1133 - July 6, 1189)

More about Eleanor of Aquitaine (Month unknown, 1121/1122 - March 31, 1204)

More about Richard, Coeur-de-Lion (September 9, 1157 - April 6, 1199)

More about Geoffrey (September 23, 1158 - August 19, 1186

More about John (December 24, 1166 - October 19, 1216)

More about the Capets Philip II and Alais



About the playwright, James Goldman here and here.

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