Petroglyphs from Scandinavia

A reconstructed Viking ship

Scandinavian settlements and voyages

The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings and the events leading to it.

Death of Harold in the Battle of Hastings, as shown on the Bayeux Tapestry

The Battle of Hastings

Harold's plaque (2006)

Plaque at Battle Abbey commemorating the fusing of the Anglo-Saxon and Norman peoples

England, 1066: Events in the Norman Conquest.

The Norman Conquest

Basic Middle English Word List for London Dialect
al, al be, al be that: although, even if
als, also: also, as
anon: at once, immediately
aventure: chance
bet: better
but, but if: unless
can, kan, conne, con, konne: to be able, to know, to know how; to learn, to understand.
cas, caas: case, situation, event; chance, accident; fate
certes: certainly
clepe(n): call, name, mention
conseil: council; to counsel or advise; secret(s), confidence(s)
corage: heart; spirit; courage; desire
curious: careful, diligent; skillful; eager; skillfully made
daunger: lordship, power, control; ungraciousness, disdain

Chaucer: Illustration from Cassell's History of England, circa 1902.
Born c. 1343
Died October 25, 1400 (Aged c.57)
Occupation Author, poet, philosopher, bureaucrat, diplomat
Influences Ovid

Chaucer as a pilgrim from the Ellesmere manuscript DB

A 19th century depiction of Chaucer.

Portrait of Chaucer from Thomas Hoccleve, who personally knew Chaucer, so it is probably an accurate depiction

John Gower shooting the world, a sphere of earth, air, and water (from an edition of his works c.1400)

The tomb of John Gower in Southwark Cathedral.

William Langland

The printer's device of William Caxton, 1478.

Facsimile of page 1 of Godefrey of Boloyne, printed by Caxton, London, 1481.

Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg

Movable metal type, and composing stick, descended from Gutenberg's invention

Sculpture commemorating Gutenberg as the inventor of modern printing on the occasion of 2006 World Cup in Germany

Gutenberg Bible, Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

Gutenberg statue by Bertel Thorvaldsen in Mainz, Germany

Canterbury Tales Woodcut 1484

The opening folio of the Hengwrt manuscript contains the beginning of the General Prologue.

Canterbury Tales by G.Chaucer (late 14-th c.)
The Opening Lines of the Prologue
Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote
/хwan 'Tat ap'rillq 'wiT his 'Su:rqs 'so:tq/
the droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
/Tq 'druхt of 'martS haT 'persqd 'to: Tq 'ro:tq/
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
/and 'ba:ðqd 'evri 'vein in 'switS li'ku:r/
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
/of 'witS ver'tju: en‘dZendrqd 'is Tq 'flu:r/