Geoffrey Chaucer Chronology: His Life and Times

Geoffrey Chaucer lived in exciting times and he had an active, varied life. Quite a few informative chronologies of Chaucer's life and times are online but they are largely scattered all over the Web, so I have decided to consolidate them into one master chronology.

Note that I have also created a companion site to this chronology to provide more information about the people, places, and events included here. Both the chronology site and its counterpart are works-in-progress, so if you notice any inconsistencies, omissions, or errors, please contact me.

This chronology owes much to the Harvard Chaucer chronology in its basic structure (indeed, many of the links will take you to material on the Harvard website), but I have added my own supplementary material (e.g., details about Chaucer's involvement in the Scrope-Grosvenor controversy, other historical or literary events).

If you are interested in the original Latin and Anglo-Norman documents that pertain to Chaucer's life, see the voluminous Chaucer Life-Records, edited by Martin M. Crow and Clair C. Olson (Oxford University Press, 1966); this conatins virtually every known reference to Chaucer in the legal record. See the bottom of this page for more recommended readings (all in modern English).

Note: I provide a hyperlink each time a literary figure (other than Chaucer) appears. All other people are linked only once.



Events in Chaucer's Life
Historical and Literary Events



1300
Guillaume de Machaut, French poet-musician, is born (dies in 1377).

1304
Francis Petrarch, great Italian humanist, is born.


1312 or 1313
John Chaucer, Geoffrey Chaucer's father, is born.
1313
Giovanni Boccaccio, Italian poet and admirer of Petrarch, is born.

1321
Dante Alighieri, great Italian poet (born in 1265), dies.

1330
John Gower, trilingual English poet, is born (dies in 1408).


mid 1330's (?)
John Chaucer marries Agnes Copton.
c. 1336
Eustache Deschamps, French poet, is born (dies c. 1406).

1337 - 1453
The Hundred Years' War (a slight misnomer, since it was a series of conflicts extending over one hundred years) begins between England and France.

1338
Boccaccio completes Il Filostrato (major source for Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde).


c. 1340 - 1345
Geoffrey Chaucer is born to John and Agnes Chaucer.
1340
The English defeat the French in the naval Battle of Sluys.



1341
Boccaccio completes Il Teseida delle Nozze d'Emilia (a source for Chaucer's Knight's Tale).

1346
The English are victorious over the French at the Battle of Crecy.

1348-1350
The Black Death wipes out a third of the population.

1351
Boccaccio completes the Decameron.

1356
The English are victorious in the Battle of Poitiers. King Jean (John) of France is taken prisoner.


1357
Chaucer enters into service as a page in the household of Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster.

1359
Chaucer serves in a military expedition under Prince Lionel (son of King Edward III of England) in France.



1360
Chaucer is captured in France. King Edward III pays a ransom of 16 pounds for Chaucer's release.

1360
In October, Prince Lionel pays Chaucer for running diplomatic missions between Calais and England.
1360
The Treaty of Bretigny establishes peace between England and France (until 1369, at least).



1361 - 1367
Jean Froissart, French chronicler/poet (born c. 1337 and died in 1404), attends the household of Queen Philippa, wife of King Edward III.

1364
King John of France dies. Charles V ascends to the French throne.


1366
Chaucer marries Philippa Roet, sister of Katherine Swynford.

1366
John Chaucer (Geoffrey's father) dies. Geoffrey's mother Agnes later remarries Bartholomew Chappel.

1366
Chaucer travels to Spain.

1366
The King grants Chaucer's wife Philippa an annuity of 10 marks for life for her service in the Queen's household.
c. 1366
William Langland, English poet, begins writing his alliterative poem Piers Plowman (A-text).


1367
Chaucer enters service as a valet and later a squire in the household of King Edward III. On June 20, the King grants Chaucer a lifetime annuity of 20 pounds.

Chaucer's son, Thomas, is also born in this year.
1367
In January, the boy who later becomes King Richard II is born. His father is the Black Prince (the eldest son of Edward III).

The Black Prince supports Pedro of Castile in the Battle of Najera.


1368
Chaucer writes The Book of the Duchess, a dream vision/elegy in commemoration of Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster.

c. 1368 - 1370
Chaucer travels to the Continent (France?) "on the King's service."

c. 1368 - 1372
Chaucer begins translating The Romance of the Rose and writes many lyrics, some in English and possibly some in French as well.
1368
In September, Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster, dies. She was the first wife of John of Gaunt (the third son of Edward III.)

1368
Thomas Hoccleve, a self-proclaimed disciple of Chaucer, is born (dies 1450).


1369
Chaucer receives mourning clothes following the death of Queen Philippa.

1369
Chaucer serves in John of Gaunt's army in France.
1369
Queen Philippa, wife of King Edward III, dies.


1370
Chaucer serves in the army (once again) in France.
1370
John Lydgate, poet/monk and admirer of Chaucer, is born (dies 1450).

c. 1370
Katherine Swynford, Chaucer's sister-in-law, becomes the mistress of John of Gaunt.

1371
John of Gaunt marries Constanza (Constance) of Castile (daughter of Pedro of Castile).


1372
Chaucer travels to Italy (Genoa and Florence) on a diplomatic mission. In Genoa, he establishes a English port for trade. In Florence, he negotiates a loan for the King.

1372
Chaucer's wife Philippa enters into service in the household of John of Gaunt's new wife Constance.

c. 1372 - 1377
Chaucer (possibly) writes the parts of the poems that later become known as The Monk's Tale and The Second Nun's Tale.

1373
In August, Chaucer is sent to Dartmouth to deliver a Genoese tarit (ship) back to its master, a Genoese merchant.



1374
Chaucer is appointed the Controller of Customs (hides, skins, and wool) for the Port of London. He is also granted a lease to a residence in Aldgate, London.

1374
The King grants Chaucer pitcher of wine daily. John of Gaunt grants Chaucer a lifetime annuity of 10 pounds.
1374
Petrarch dies.


1375
John of Gaunt gives grants to Chaucer and to French knight/poet Otho de Graunson.
1375
Boccaccio dies.

1376
In June, the Black Prince dies.


1377 - 1381
Chaucer makes several trips to the Continent (France and Flanders) to negotate peace and a marriage between Richard and a French princess.

c. 1377 - 1381
Chaucer (possibly) writes The House of Fame and Anelida and Arcite.
1377
In June, King Edward III dies. The ten-year-old Richard II ascends to the throne.

1377
Pope Gregory XI condemns the doctrines of John Wycliffe, but the Lollard movement continues.


1378
Chaucer leaves on a diplomatic mission to Lombardy (in Italy), where he meets with the Milan tyrant Bernabo Visconti and the English captain of mercenaries operating in Italy, Sir John Hawkwood. While he is away, Chaucer gives power of attorney to John Gower and Richard Forester.

1378
Richard II confirms the 20 pound annuity granted to Chaucer by Edward III. Richard also establishes an additional 20 pound annuity.

1380
Cecily Chaumpaigne releases Chaucer from all actions in the case of her raptus.

1380
Chaucer's second son, Lewis, is born.

1380
Chaucer writes The Parliament of Fowls.
1378 - 1409
The Great Schism: There are two rival Popes--Pope Urban in Rome, and Pope Clement in Avignon.

c. 1378 - 1380
Langland revises Piers Plowman (B-text).


1381
Chaucer's mother Agnes dies.

1381
Chaucer's daughter Elizabeth becomes a nun of Barking Abbey, London.
1381
In June, the Peasants' Revolt occurs.

c. 1381
Langland revises Piers Plowman again (the C-Text).


1382
The King renews Chaucer's position as Controller of Customs and gives him permission to have a deputy.

c. 1382 - 1386
Chaucer writes Troilus and Criseyde.
1382
Richard II marries Anne of Bohemia.

1382

The Wycliffite Bible (first Bible in English) appears. The Church officially condemns Wycliffe's views as heretical.


1385
The King grants Chaucer a permanent deputy in the Customs.

1385
Chaucer receives mourning clothing upon the death of the King's mother, Joan of Kent.

1385 - 1389
Chaucer serves as Justice of the Peace for Kent.
1385
Deschamps sends Chaucer a ballade that calls him a "grand translateur" of the Romance of the Rose.

1385
Joan of Kent, mother of Richard II, dies.


1386
Chaucer gives a deposition in the Court of Chivalry regarding the Scrope-Grosvenor controversy (a dispute between two gentlemen over the right to use a certain coat of arms).

1386

Chaucer gives up his residence in Aldgate and resigns from Customs (and possibly moves to Kent).

1386
Chaucer serves as a Member of Parliament for Kent.

c. 1386
Chaucer begins The Legend of Good Women, which includes some previously-written works. He revises the Prologue later.
c. 1386
Thomas Usk (1350-1388), English poet, writes The Testament of Love, in which he praises Chaucer as a poet of Love and Philosophy.

c. 1386
Gower begins Confessio Amantis, a poem that also includes praise for Chaucer.

1386
A group of noblemen reduce the power of Richard II.


c. 1387 - 1392
Chaucer begins The Canterbury Tales.
1387
The Lords Appellant remove and execute some of Richard's closest supporters. Among those excuted is Usk.


1389
On July 12, the King appoints Chaucer Clerk of the King's Works. In this position, Chaucer is in charge of large construction projects, including works at Westminster, the Tower of London, and other royal estates.
1389
Richard II regains power.


1390
As Clerk of the King's Works, Chaucer oversees the building of scaffolds for jousts in Smithfield.

1390
Highwaymen rob Chaucer of his horse, assorted goods, and over 20 pounds at Hacham, Surrey. The thieves are caught, tried, and convicted.

1391
Chaucer is (possibly) robbed again.

1391
Chaucer retires from his position as the Clerk of the King's Works. In June, he becomes the Deputy Forester of the Royal Forest of North Petherton, Somerset.

1391 - 1392
Chaucer writes A Treatise on the Astrolabe (making additions in 1393 and later).

c. 1392 - 1395
Chaucer writes most of The Canterbury Tales, including (probably) the so-called "Marriage Group."

1393
The King awards Chaucer 10 pounds for "services rendered."



1394
The King grants Chaucer an annuity of 20 pounds for life.

1395
Chaucer's son Thomas marries the heiress Maud Burghersh.
1394
In June, Queen Anne dies.


c. 1396
Chaucer writes "The Envoy to Bukton," in which he addresses the reader to read The Wife of Bath's Prologue.

c. 1396 - 1400
Chaucer writes the latest of The Canterbury Tales, including (probably) The Nun's Priest's Tale, The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, The Parson's Tale, and other short poems.

1398
The King grants Chaucer a tun (252 gallons) of wine a year.
1396
John of Gaunt marries Katherine Swynford, Chaucer's sister-in-law.

1396
Richard II marries Isabel (the daughter of King Philip IV of France) in order to end the wars between England and France.


1399
Chaucer leases a tenament in the garden of the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey (for 53 years).

1399
King Henry IV confirms and increases Chaucer's royal annuities.
1399
In February, John of Gaunt dies. Richard II is deposed and Henry IV ascends to the throne.


1400
Chaucer writes "The Complaint of Chaucer to his Purse," which makes an appeal to the new King Henry.

1400
On October 25 (according to tradition), Chaucer dies. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.





Other Recommended Readings


There are many books about Chaucer, but I list some of the most important ones here (in chronological order):
  • Derek Brewer, Chaucer and His World (Dodd, Mead, and Co., 1978). Contains an impressive array of images.
  • Donald R. Howard, Chaucer: His Life, His Works, His World (Ballantine, 1987).
  • Derek Pearsall, The Life of Geoffrey Chaucer: A Critical Biography (Blackwell, 1992).
  • David Wallace, Chaucerian Polity (Stanford University Press, 1997). Interweaves social history and insightful close reading.
Some recent book-length studies offer new perspectives on Chaucer's life and works:
  • Terry Jones et al. Who Murdered Chaucer? A Medieval Mystery (Methuen, 2003). An entertaning, provocative book; posits that Chaucer was killed.
  • David Carlson. Chaucer's Jobs (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004). Chaucer's literary output through the lens of his professional careers.
  • Ardis Butterfield, ed. Chaucer and the City (Oxford, 2006). Collection of essays on the relationship between the poet and the city of London.
Other Chaucer guides (collections of essays addressing social, historical, literary, or theoretical topics):
  • Piero Boitani and Jill Mann, eds. The Cambridge Chaucer Companion (Cambridge, 2000).
  • Peter Brown, ed. A Companion to Chaucer (Blackwell, 2002).
  • Steve Ellis, ed. Chaucer: An Oxford Guide (Oxford, 2005).



See the chronology companion site!


Last updated: 22 December 2007

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