Royal Council at Britford
Edward consults leading nobles at Britford as the Northumbrian revolt threatens wider conflict.
Role range: 1042-1066
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Edward the Confessor Biography and Timeline — Page 2
Follow Edward the Confessor through 67 dated historical records for England.
Edward the Confessor, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
67Distinct records
2 of 2Page
1065–1161Years on this page
1065
Political Crisis and Illness
Edward's health deteriorates after the Northumbrian crisis and the collapse of his attempt to restore Tostig.
Role range: 1042-1066
Consecration
Consecrates Westminster Abbey
Role range: 1042-1066
Consecration
Westminster Abbey is consecrated on 28 December, but Edward is too ill to attend the ceremony.
Role range: 1042-1066
Death of Edward the Confessor
Says to Harold on his deathbed, "I commend Edith & all the Kingdom to your protection". Death of Edward the Confessor
Role range: 1042-1066
Dream
Falls into a coma, dreams the Anglo-Saxons will be consumed by fire & sword
Role range: 1042-1066
Succession
Edward tells Harold "I commend Edith & all the Kingdom to your protection"
Role range: 1042-1066
Westminster Abbey
Edward's new Westminster Abbey is consecrated while the king remains gravely ill and unable to attend.
Role range: 1042-1066
Westminster Abbey
Present at the consecration of the new abbey church of Westminster, last public act
Role range: 1042-1066
Consecration of Westminster Abbey
Edward's new abbey church is consecrated on 28 December 1065.
Role range: 1042-1066
Absence from Abbey Consecration
Edward is too ill to attend the consecration of the Westminster church he had built.
Role range: 1042-1066
Health of Edward the Confessor
Falls into a coma, dreams the Anglo-Saxons will be consumed by fire & sword
Role range: 1042-1066
Completion of Westminster Abbey
Edward's great abbey church at Westminster is completed shortly before its consecration.
Role range: 1042-1066
Dream
Edward becomes seriously ill late in the year, and later tradition records a troubling final vision.
Role range: 1042-1066
Westminster at Midwinter
Edward remains at Westminster during midwinter while his new abbey church prepares for consecration.
Role range: 1042-1066
Declining Health
Edward remains seriously ill at Westminster as the year approaches its end.
Role range: 1042-1066
Final Illness
Edward enters the final stage of his illness at Westminster, dying on 5 January 1066.
Role range: 1042-1066
Health of Edward the Confessor
Edward's health deteriorates severely near the end of 1065, preventing him from attending Westminster Abbey's consecration.
Role range: 1042-1066
Rebellion of Northumbrian
Edward sends Harold to negotiate with the Northumbrian rebels as their forces move south.
Role range: 1042-1066
Rebellion of Northumbrian
Harold conveys a message from Edward for Northumbrian rebels to lay down their arms
Role range: 1042-1066
Rebellion of Northumbrian
The Northumbrian revolt challenges Tostig's rule and forces Edward to decide whether to restore his brother-in-law by force.
Role range: 1042-1066
Rebellion of Rebels in Britford
Edward holds council during the Northumbrian crisis while seeking a settlement that will avoid civil war.
Role range: 1042-1066
Rebellion of Rebels in Britford
Holds a royal council to try & avoid civil war
Role range: 1042-1066
Rebellion of Rebels in Northumbria
Rebellion breaks out after Tostig is created Earl of Northumbria
Role range: 1042-1066
1066
Death of Edward the Confessor
The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the death and funeral of Edward the Confessor.
Role range: 1042-1066
Death of Edward the Confessor
Death of Edward the Confessor
Role range: 1042-1066
1161
Canonization
Achieved by Henry II & the monks of Westminster Abbey, where Edward Is buried. A bull of canonization is issued by Alexander III
Role range: 1042-1066
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.