1480s in England

Updated on Dec 07, 2024

Edit

Comment

Events from the 1480s in England.

Incumbents

Monarch - Edward IV (to 9 April 1483), Edward V (9 April to 26 June 1483), Richard III (to 22 August 1485), Henry VII

Events

1480

1 August - Treaty of Perpetual Friendship between England and Burgundy.

Magdalen College School, Oxford, established by William Waynflete.

1481

William Caxton publishes The Historie of Reynart the Foxe, the first English edition of the tale, and also his 1480 translation of Mirrour of the Worlde, the first book printed in England to include woodcut illustrations.

1481 or 1482 - Thomas de Littleton's Treatise on Tenures published posthumously, the first ever printed text on English law.

1482

1 August - Richard, Duke of Gloucester invades Scotland and captures Edinburgh.

24 August - Capture of Berwick: Scots surrender Berwick-upon-Tweed to Richard, ending his campaign; the town remains permanently English hereafter.

1483

9 April - Following the death of Edward IV, the 12-year-old Edward V becomes king with his uncle the Duke of Gloucester acting as regent.

13 June - Summary execution at the Tower of London of William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings for allegedly conspiring against the new king's life.

20 June - Richard becomes Richard III after Edward V is declared to be illegitimate by Parliament.

6 July - Coronation of Richard III at Westminster Abbey following a procession on the Thames.

August - Disappearance of the Princes in the Tower, Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York.

8 September - Edward of Middleham is invested as Prince of Wales by his father the king at the Archbishop's Palace in York.

October - A rebellion by Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham is crushed by Richard III.

2 November - Henry Stafford executed at Salisbury.

Parliament passes the act Titulus Regius.

William Caxton publishes his English translation of the Golden Legend, his most popular publication.

1484

2 March - A royal charter is granted to the College of Arms, the official English heraldic authority, established in London.

26 March - William Caxton publishes his English translation of Aesop's Fables.

July - Richard III establishes a judicial Council of the North.

21 September - Treaty of Nottingham: Three-year truce between England and Scotland signed.

1485

31 July - Thomas Malory's 1470 book Le Morte d'Arthur published by Caxton.

August - Start of serious outbreak of sweating sickness.

22 August

Wars of the Roses: Battle of Bosworth Field is fought between the armies of King Richard III and rival claimant to the throne Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond. Richard dies in battle and Henry becomes King Henry VII of England, beginning the Tudor dynasty.

Creation of the Yeomen of the Guard.

30 October - Coronation of Henry VII at Westminster Abbey.

1486

18 January - Marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York uniting the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

April - Henry defeats the Stafford and Lovell Rebellion.

20 September - Birth of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York's eldest son Arthur at Winchester.

6 October - John Morton enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Book of Saint Albans is published.

First recorded use of the word 'football' to describe a game in which the ball is kicked.

1487

24 May - Lambert Simnel is crowned King "Edward VI of England" in Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland. He claims to be Edward, Earl of Warwick and on 5 June lands in Furness with an army to challenge Henry VII for the throne.

16 June - Wars of the Roses: At the Battle of Stoke Field, the final battle of the conflict, the rebellion of pretender Lambert Simnel, led by John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln and Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell, is crushed by troops loyal to Henry VII.

1488

25 November - Coronation of Elizabeth of York as Queen consort of England.

The price of knitted woollen hats is fixed by law.

1489

14 February - Treaty of Redon: England allies with Brittany against France.

26 March - The Treaty of Medina del Campo between England and Spain includes provision for a marriage between Arthur, the son of King Henry VII, and Princess Catherine of Aragon.

28 April - Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland murdered by protesters against new war tax; revolt quickly suppressed.

13 June - Battle of Dixmude: Anglo-Habsburg victory over France.

29 November - Arthur Tudor is named Prince of Wales.

The Gold Sovereign is first issued.

King Henry VII gives a city charter to Southwold.