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  • Episodes
    Episode Index
    Key Dates Timelines
    By Category
    This day in history
  • People
    A..Z List of Medieval People
    Kings and Queens of England Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emperors of Byzantine Popes and Antipopes Crusader States and their Rulers
    Family Trees
  • Life
    Life in Medieval Times
    The Feudal System Life in a Castle Life in a Medieval Village Life in a Medieval Town Life in a Religious Community The Black Death
  • Castles
    Castle Index Page Castle Development
    Early Fortifications Motte and Bailey Castles Square Keeps Castles of William the Conqueror Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle
    Locations of over 300 Castles UK Castles by County
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings 3D Virtual Reconstructions Maps Photographs
    Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
  • 3D/VR
    3D Virtual Reconstructions VR Experiences
    Virtual Motte and Bailey Castle Virtual Norman Keep Virtual Siege Engines
    Virtual Bodiam Castle Virtual Skenfrith Castle Virtual Middleham Castle Virtual White Tower Virtual Etal Castle
  • More
    Test your Knowledge
    Glossary of Terms Glossary of Heraldic Terms Scriptorium
    Games Early Access
    Copyright / About TimeRef.com Contact the Author
  1. Home
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  3. Timeline of Eclipses
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Timeline of Eclipses

This list of eclipses comes from contemporary reports made by medieval people who experienced them and modern people who can calculations when they should have taken place.

1033

Jun
Eclipse over France
An eclipse of the sun was seen from France.

1124

Aug 11
Eclipse of the Sun
A potential eclipse took place, although the area of totality is not known.

1133

Aug 2
Eclipse seen across England
There was an eclipse of the Sun over Scotland and the north of England. Accounts detailed by Florence of Worcester report strange events happening including ships moving on their own accord and churches as if by a profuse pirspiration. The partial eclipse also being seen by King Henry when waiting to cross the Channel for Normandy. This may have happened in 1132.
Aug 4
Earthquake
An eye-witness account from William of Malmesbury tells of an earthquake affecting many parts of England. (Symeon of Durham's Historia Regum, by John of Hexham.) This is interesting as it occurred just after an eclipse. See year 1185 when another eclipse and earthquake occurred.

1140

Mar 20
Eclipse
The Anglo Saxon Chronicles reported that an eclipse of the sun occurred.

1185

May 1
Eclipse
There was an eclipse of the Sun over the north of Europe. Interestingly, there was an earthquake that damaged Lincoln Cathedral in 1185. Did the earthquake happen before or after the eclipse? Are the two events related?

1200

Jan 2
Annular Eclipse of the moon
An eclipse of the moon occurred at around midnight. (Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA's GSFC)

1453

May 22
Partial Eclipse
A partial eclipse of the sun occurred several days before the Turks captured Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

1485

Mar 16
Eclipse
A total eclipse of the sun occurred on the same day as the death of Queen Anne. This was seen as a bad omen for King Richard. The track of total eclipse being in Scoctland and the north of England.

1504

Feb 29
A Lunar Eclipse saves Columbus
Columbus had a book written by a German astronomer that predicted eclipses and he was able to use this information to trick the native Jamaicans. Columbus informed the leaders of the natives that God was not happy because they had stopped supplying the Spaniards with food and to prove this God would turn the moon blood red. This happens when the moon goes behind the Earth. When this event took place the natives were so afraid that they began supplying all the food that the Spaniards needed.

1520

Apr 17
Eclipse of the Sun
Magellan observed a solar eclipse while anchored off the east coast of current-day Argentina.

A Medieval Mystery

There appear to be some strange connections between the fourteenth century Old Wardour Castle and ancient stone circle Stonehenge.

1: Location

Old Wardour Castle appears to be aligned to ancient sites in the Stonehenge landscape.

2: Alignment

Stonehenge is aligned to the Summer Solstice. Old Wardour has a very similar alignment.

3: Size

Could the builders of Old Wardour used mesaurements from Stonehenge to layout the geometrical keep?

Learn More

Medieval Heraldry

Learn about medieval shield design.

Design your own medieval Coat of Arms.

Explore the White Tower

Explore four floors of the keep at the Tower of London.

 

Adventure Game - Early Access

Early Access to the TimeRef card-based Adventure Game.

 

Medieval Town - Early Access

Explore the medieval town.

 

Medieval Village - Early Access

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Medieval Abbey - Early Access

Explore the medieval abbey.

 

Medieval Theatre - Early Access

Explore the medieval theatre.

 

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