The World of Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales

1340- 1345	Geoffrey Chaucer is born in London, the son of John Chaucer, a prominent wine importer, and his wife, Agnes.
1346	The English triumph at Crecy, one of many bloody battles fought between England and France during the Hundred Years’ War.
1348 1349	The Black Death (the plague) sweeps through England, reportedly killing one-third of the population.
1349 1351	Giovanni Boccaccio writes the Decameron.
1356	The English are victorious at the battle of Poitiers; Edward III captures the French king, John II.
1357	The first known mention of Chaucer is a record of a pur chase of clothing, possibly suggesting he was a page in the household of Elizabeth, countess of Ulster and wife of Li onel, the second son of Edward III.
1359 - 1360	Chaucer serves in the English army and travels to the battle fields of France with Edward III and his sons, including the eldest, known as the Black Prince.
1360	Chaucer is captured by the French and held for ransom until he is released for the sum of £16; Edward III provides the sum. With the Treaty of Brétigny, England establishes peace with France that will last nine years.
1361- 1362	The plague returns, again devastating the population. Wages for laborers increase, as there are more jobs available than workers to perform them. The use of English in courts of law is formalized.
1366	Chaucer marries Philippa Roet. His father dies.
1367	Chaucer is given a lifetime annuity of £20 per year by Ed ward III. Chaucer will serve the royal household in various capacities until his death. His son, Thomas, is born. Richard II, the son of the Black Prince, is born.
c.1367 - 1370	William Langland’s Piers Plowman appears.
1368	Chaucer travels overseas on royal missions, perhaps to France or Italy.
1369- 1372	Chaucer writes The Book of the Duchess, an elegy for Blanche of Lancaster, who died in 1368. Edward III’s wife, Queen Philippa, dies. A third major plague spreads throughout England.
1370	John Lydgate, a writer remembered as an imitator of Chaucer, is born.
1371	John of Gaunt, another son of Edward III and Blanche of Lancaster’s widower, marries Constance of Castile. Philippa Chaucer serves in their household.
1372	Chaucer makes his first known journey to Italy on a diplo matic mission.
1374	Chaucer moves to Aldgate and is appointed the port of Lon don’s controller of customs for wool, skins, and hides. King Edward awards Chaucer a gallon pitcher of wine daily for life for loyal service. Petrarch dies.
1375	Boccaccio dies.
1376	The Black Prince dies.
1377	Edward III dies, and Richard II becomes king. Chaucer makes several top-secret journeys to France on behalf of Richard II to negotiate for peace. The first poll tax is insti tuted.
1378	Chaucer travels to Milan on a diplomatic mission to see the Lord of Milan, Bernabo Visconti. Their meeting inspires Chaucer to include Visconti as a tragic figure in “The Monk’s Tale.”
1378- 1381	Chaucer’s comic poem The House of Fame appears. He also writes Palamon and Arcita, a poem based on Boccac’s Teseida that is later adapted to become “The Knight’s Tale.”
1380	Cecily Champain accuses Chaucer of rape, then settles with him out of court. Chaucer begins writing Troilus and Criseyde, a tragic love story set against the backdrop of the Trojan War.
1381	In honor of the King’s upcoming marriage, Chaucer writes The Parliament of Fowls, a dream-vision poem in which a group of birds choose their mates. He begins to write Boece, a translation of Roman philosopher Boethius’ The
	Consolation of Philosophy. Workers of various economic and social strata gather in London to protest the poll tax; this civilian rebellion, known as the Great Rising or the Peasants’ Revolution, causes extensive damage and upheaval.
1382	Richard II marries Anne of Bohemia. John Wycliffe trans lates the Bible into English.
1385	French poet Eustache Deschamps praises Chaucer for his skill as a translator. Chaucer becomes justice of the peace for the county of Kent.
1386	He resigns from his customs duties and serves as a member of Parliament for Kent. He begins writing The Legend of Good Women, a collection of stories that will remain unfin ished.
1387	Around this time, Chaucer begins writing The Canterbury Tales. Opponents of Richard II, known as the Lords Appel lant, curtail the King’s authority. Several of the King’s sup porters, including poet Thomas Usk, are executed.
1389	Richard II appoints Chaucer clerk of the King’s Works.
1390	Chaucer supervises the building of the scaffolding to be used for the Smithfield jousts.
1394	Richard II awards Chaucer an annuity of £20 per year.
1396	John of Gaunt marries his longtime mistress, Katherine Swynford, Philippa Chaucer’s sister.
139999	Richard II is deposed, and Henry Bolingbroke accedes to the throne as Henry IV. John of Gaunt dies.
1400	Geoffrey Chaucer dies, leaving The Canterbury Tales unfin ished, and is buried at Westminster Abbey.