Sir Walter Raleigh was accused of treason as part of a plot to remove King James I from the English throne and replace him with Arbella Stuart. Lord Cobham was the supposed ringleader and was planning to use Spanish money to put the plans into reality. Once the plot was discovered, both Cobham and Raleigh were arrested and found guilty. They were both transferred to the Tower of London.

After many years imprisoned in the Tower of London, Sir Walter Raleigh was pardoned by the King and released. During this time locked up in the Tower of London he had keep abreast of events and had been working on a book entitled 'The History of the World'.

The North Welsh Cistercian Abbey was colonised by monks from the Norman house called Savigny and was possibly founded by the Earl of Chester at the time, Ranulf de Gernon. ^[1]

Ranulf, the Earl of Chester witnessed the foundation of the new Savigny abbey in the Midlands. ^[1]

He died. ^[2]

Led by Richard Earl of Cambridge, Henry's cousin, a plot to assassinate the King and replace him with the Earl of March who was the true heir to the throne was hatched. The revolt brought together all the old enemies of Henry including Lord Scrope (Archbishop Scrope's nephew) and the Lollards. The Earl of March whose loyalties were with the king informed Henry of the plot the night before and the rebels were arrested. Several were executed.

During a violent storm at sea, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, vowed to build a Religious house if he survived. He did survive and as a result Hailes Abbey was built.

The King and Queen, with Richard, Earl of Cornwall (the King's brother) were at Hailes Abbey for its dedication ceremony.

A phial containing the blood of Jesus was presented to abbey of Hailes by the son of Richard, Earl of Cornwall. The phial had been guaranteed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and had been bought from the Count of Flanders in 1267. A section of the abbey was rebuilt to hold the relic, and it was held in a purpose built shrine. A similar relic had been presented to the King Henry III several years before in 1247.

Aethelred paid the Vikings a sum of £24,000 to try and stop further invasions. In an attempt to strengthen his position against the Vikings he married Emma, the daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy. Aethelred also ordered the murder of all Danes in England but some escaped to report back. Not surprisingly the Viking attacks started again. ^[3]

The peasants in Normandy rose up against their masters including the Count of Evreux, the uncle of Richard II, the Duke of Normandy. The revolt failed when the leaders were captured and executed.  ^[2]

Robert, the Earl of Gloucester announces that he will assist Matilda, his step-sister in her claim for the English throne. ^[4]

The city of Nottingham was attacked and set on fire by an army commanded by the Earl of Gloucester who was a supporter of Matilda and opposing King Stephen's right to the throne.

Matilda's forces were besieging a royalist held castle at Wolvesey near Winchester and were attacked and defeated by a royalist relief army. King Stephen who was being held captive at the time was exchanged for Robert, earl of Gloucester one of Matilda's supporters who was captured in the defeat.

Robert, Earl of Gloucester was held captive at Rochester Castle before being exchanged for King Stephen who had been captured earlier in the year at Lincoln.

Henry of Anjou, the future King of England landed on the south coast of England with his uncle Earl Robert of Gloucester and several knights, Henry spent a year in England at Bristol being taught by Master Matthew. Soon after landing in England Earl Robert captured Lulworth Castle, Rufus Castle on Portland and Wareham Castle.  ^[5]

Built by Robert, Earl of Gloucester. The castle soon came under siege by King Stephen who after four days took the castle and destroyed it. ^[6]

This Cistercian abbey was founded by Robert, Earl of Gloucester.

The death of Robert was a blow to Matilda's attempts to fight for the English throne. Matilda was to leave England shortly afterwards.

Many Norman barons held land both in England and Normandy. With two opposing lords, William in England and Robert in Normandy, the barons were finding it difficult to know who to support. A revolt led by Odo sprung up in England with the aim of removing William from the throne. Odo's revolt in Kent and Sussex was supported by barons across the country. Roger Bigod from Norwich and Geoffrey of Coutances and Robert Mowbray from Bristol supported Odo. In Worcestershire Roger de Lacy captured Hereford and attacked Worcester. In the south-east Roger Montgomery at Arundel Robert of Mortain at Pevensey and Gilbert de Clare at Tonbridge also prepared to fight the King. Robert of Belleme, a Norman baron, who was able to bring support from Normandy. Robert also controlled castles in the Welsh Marches where the revolt also took place.

Henry I brought several charges against Robert of Belleme. Robert resisted Henry but finally surrendered at Shrewsbury Castle. Robert was exiled. ^[7]

A rebellion began early in the year started by a mysterious person calling himself Robin of Redesdale. The motivation for the uprising against the king was his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville and the influence the Woodvilles were having. The rebels were supported by the Earl of Warwick.

Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick returned from France to England with an army, passing through Canterbury and London. His plan was to take the army north and join up with the Rebels led by Robin of Redesdale.

Edward's army was insufficient to deal with the rebels alone and he had moved them to Nottingham to wait for a larger army to join them led by Sir William Herbert, the Earl of Pembroke. Pembroke's army was attacked and defeated by a combined rebel army led by Robin of Redesdale and the Earl of Warwick who had returned from France. The battle took place at Edgecote near Banbury. Sir William Herbert and his brother Richard were captured and executed.

John elects Peter Des Roches, the Bishop of Winchester as his Justiciar. Des Roches had supported John through the years of Interdict and was repaid for his loyalty, but he was not popular with the other Barons. ^[8]

King John's eldest son Henry was crowned King Henry III at the abbey church of Gloucester by Peter des Roches the Bishop of Winchester. The Earl of Pembroke, Earl Marshal of England (William Marshal), was declared Regent.

William Marshal is succeeded by Peter de Roches, Bishop of Winchester and Hubert de Burgh who was Justiciary.

Peter des Rievaulx, the nephew of the Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, is made treasurer of the King Henry III's household and keeper of the king's wardrobe. This moved him into an extremely important position for controlling the king's affairs. ^[9]

With the introduction of Peter de Roches as justiciar and the removal of Hubert de Burgh, control of the Exchequer came under Poitevin control and possibly reversed the gains created by the Magna Carta in 1215. King Henry III was given control of central administration. This angered the Barons and a group led by Richard Marshall, Earl of Pembroke opposed the changes. ^[10]

Peter des Roches and Cistercian monks founded the abbey in 1239 which was late for a medieval foundation. The monks provided assistance to the many travellers who passed through the local port and required their help.

Roger, bishop of Salisbury, was granted land in south Wales and started construction of a wooden castle called Kidwelly Castle on the banks of the river Gwendraeth.

King Stephen arrested Roger, the Bishop of Salisbury. Bishop Roger was a powerful landowner and had several castles. Stephen also arrested Alexander, the bishop of Lincoln and had him imprisoned. Stephen wanted to take control to bishop Roger's castles and the bishop was taken to his castle at Devizes where he was held captive outside the walls and starved until the castle surrendered. Roger's son was also captured and tortured until the castle finally fell to the King. Roger's castle at Sherborne was also captured by Stephen. The castles at Newark and Sleaford in Lincolnshire belonging to bishop Alexander were forced to surrender to the King using the same underhand tactics.