The following is a timeline of the history of the city of York, North Yorkshire in northern England.
1st-4th centuries 71 – Quintus Petillius Cerialis and the Roman Legio VIIII Hispana establish a fort (castra) above the River Ouse near its junction with the Foss. City walls probably begun; enlarged until 3rd century. 95–104 – Period of first recorded reference to the city as Eboracum. 107-108 – Last dateable reference to the presence of Legio VIIII Hispana at Eboracum. 119 – Legio VI Victrix arrive in Eboracum. 122 – Emperor Hadrian may have visited the city during his visit to the province. 190–212 – Period during which Claudius Hieronymianus is legatus of Legio VI Victrix based in Eboracum and establishes a temple to Serapis here. 208–211 – Septimius Severus and the Imperial family at Eboracum. Severus campaigns in the Roman invasion of Caledonia, but the city is used to overwinter. 211 – 4 February: Roman emperor Septimius Severus dies at Eboracum. c. 214 – Eboracum becomes the administrative centre of Britannia Inferior. 306 – 25 July: Constantine the Great is acclaimed as Roman emperor by the troops in Eboracum on the death here of his father Constantius Chlorus. 383 – Last substantial Roman presence in the north of England.
5th-10th centuries 625 – 21 July?: Paulinus is consecrated as first Bishop of York. 627 – Paulinus establishes the first (temporary wooden) York Minster for the baptism of King Edwin of Northumbria; and also St Peter's School. 637 – Stone-built predecessor of York Minster dedicated to St Peter completed. 735 – Bishop Ecgbert is elevated to become first Archbishop of York. He establishes a library and school. 741 – Minster destroyed by fire; subsequently rebuilt on a larger scale. 866 – November: The "Great Heathen Army" of Vikings led by Ivar the Boneless capture York. 867 – 21 March: Danes defeat a Northumbrian counterattack against York, killing their kings Osberht and Ælla and installing a puppet ruler, Ecgberht. 876 – Danes capture southern Northumbria and found the Kingdom of York perhaps under Halfdan Ragnarsson. c. 897 – Mint re-established in the city. c. 919 – The Norse–Gael leader Ragnall ua Ímair captures York.Annals of Ulster. 927 – Æthelstan, King of the Anglo-Saxons, expels Gofraid ua Ímair from York. 939 – The Norse-Gael King of Dublin Olaf III Guthfrithsson captures York. 944 – King Edmund I of England takes York from the Vikings. 947 – Eric Bloodaxe becomes king of Northumbria for the first time at the invitation of Wulfstan I, Archbishop of York. 954 – Eric Bloodaxe is deposed and subsequently killed.
11th–14th centuries 1055 - Siward, Earl of Northumbria dies and is buried in St Olave's Church. 1065 – 3 October: Northumbrian rebels capture York, outlaw Harold Godwinson's brother Tostig and choose Morcar of Northumbria as their new earl. 1066 – 20 September: Battle of Fulford – Northern Anglo-Saxon Earls Edwin and Morcar are defeated by the Viking invader Harald Hardrada just south of York. 1068 – Morcar leads a revolt in Northumbria, but William the Conqueror defeats the rebels at York and builds a wooden motte-and-bailey castle probably on the later site of York Castle. 1069 – c. 28 January: Northumbrian rebels attack York. Winter of 1069–1070 – Harrying of the North: William quells rebellions in the North of England brutally and builds a second motte-and-bailey castle, probably that on Baile Hill. 1070 – 23 May: The first Norman Archbishop, Thomas of Bayeux, is appointed and begins rebuilding of York Minster. 1088 – January/February: St Mary's Abbey re-established. 1126 – Archbishoprics of Canterbury and of York declared equal. 1137 – 4 June: York Minster and city are severely damaged by a fire, but the Minster is soon rebuilt; St Peter's Hospital is replaced by St Leonard's. 1154 – Ouse Bridge collapses under the weight of a crowd gathered to greet Archbishop William of York on his return from exile. On 8 June William dies, apparently poisoned at Mass. 1182 – Charter granted to citizens. 1190 – 16 March: A mob besieges 150 Jews (including their leader Josce) in Clifford's Tower of York Castle, allowing to be killed by fire those who do not commit suicide. 1212 – 9 July: Royal charter granted allowing citizens to collect their own taxes and appoint a mayor (first known 1217). 1220 – Re-building of York Minster in Gothic style begins under Archbishop Walter de Gray (dies 1255), starting with the south transept (completed about 1240). 1228 – Christmas: During a visit by King Henry III, a gale destroys the wooden keep at York Castle. 1237 – 25 September: Treaty of York signed between Henry III of England and his brother-in-law Alexander II of Scotland. 1244 – Henry III orders rebuilding of the castle in stone, work which is completed about 1272. c. 1260 – In York Minster Construction of the north transept is completed and the Five Sisters window (in grisaille) installed. Construction of the octagonal chapter house in the Decorated style (completed by 1296) begins. 1291 – Construction of the nave of York Minster begins. 1295 - The city returns two members to parliament. 1298–1304 – King Edward houses the national Exchequer (at the castle) and Chancery (at the abbey) in York. 1316 – Lady Row built in Goodramgate. 1319 – 20 September: First War of Scottish Independence: Scottish victory at the Battle of Myton over defenders from York. Many priests and the mayor of York are killed. 1322 – Great Raid of 1322 plagues the north of England with a Scottish victory at the Battle of Old Byland nearby. Suburbs of York are raided. 1328 – King Edward marries Philippa of Hainault in the Minster. A tournament is held in their honour. 1335 – Parliament meets in York; subsequently it will normally meet at Westminster (London). 1337 – c. 8 July: Death of William of Hatfield, second son of Edward III and Queen Philippa, at only a few months old; he is buried in the Minster. 1344 – Mint established at the castle. 1349 – May: Black Death reaches York. 50% of the population die. 1350s – Construction of the nave of York Minster completed. The great west window becomes known as the "Heart of Yorkshire". 1357 – Merchant Adventurers' Hall construction begins. 1361 – Construction of the lady chapel, presbytery and choir of York Minster in Perpendicular style begun, by Archbishop John of Thoresby. 1376 – Corpus Christi (feast): Earliest record of York Mystery Plays, although they probably originate from the 1340s. 1381 – Summer: Peasants’ Revolt. Unrest in York lasts for a year. 1389 – Office of mayor raised to Lord Mayor of York, second in precedence only to the Lord Mayor of London. 1396 – King Richard II grants a charter to the city making it a county corporate.
15th–16th centuries c. 1400 – Lantern tower of All Saints’ Church, Pavement, built. 1405 – 8 June: Following the collapse of a revolt in the north begun in April by the House of Percy in which they participated and trial by a special commission, Richard Scrope, Archbishop of York, and others are beheaded at York. 1407 – York Minster’s central tower collapses due to poor foundations; it is rebuilt from 1420 in Perpendicular style. 1408 – York Minster east window, the world's largest expanse of medieval glass (begun c. 1405), is completed by glass painter John Thornton of Coventry. 1434 – Mulberry Hall built. c. 1450 – Choir of York Minster completed. 1453 – York Guildhall opens. 1460 – St William's College founded. 1464 – 1 June: Treaty of York signed between England and Scotland. 1471 – 14 March: Wars of the Roses: The deposed Edward IV of England lands with a small force at Ravenspur, moving on speedily to secure York. 1472 – York Minster consecrated following completion of its west towers. 1476 – 13 March: Richard of Gloucester addresses civic officials within Bootham Bar proclaiming he is present to keep his brother the king's peace. 1483 – 8 September: The infant Edward of Middleham is invested as Prince of Wales by his father the new king Richard III of England at the Archbishop's Palace. 1486 & 1487 – King Henry VII visits. c. 1500 – Rose window installed in York Minster commemorating the end of the Wars of the Roses in 1487. 1525–36 – New church of St Michael le Belfrey built (John Forman, master mason). 1536 – 10 October: Leadership of the Pilgrimage of Grace (northern rebels against the English Reformation) is assumed by Robert Aske, a Catholic London barrister of Yorkshire family. 9,000 strong, they march to York. 1538 – Dissolution of the Monasteries: York Franciscan Friary dissolved. 1539 – Dissolution of the Monasteries: St Mary's Abbey and the adjacent St Leonard's Hospital are dissolved. King's Manor becomes the headquarter of the Council of the North. 1541 – King Henry VIII visits. 1569 – York Mystery Plays suppressed. 1586 – 25 March: Margaret Clitherow martyred by peine forte et dure for refusing to plead to a charge of harbouring Catholic priests. 1596 – 29 November: George Errington, William Gibson and William Knight martyred by hanging, drawing and quartering for professing their Catholic faith.
17th century 1616 – June: First waterworks and piped water supply. 1617 – King James I visits. 1633 – King Charles I visits. 1642 – 19 March–3 July: Charles I holds court at York. The Great Seal of the Realm is sent to him here on 17 May. 1644 16 July: First English Civil War: Parliamentary forces capture York; Thomas Fairfax prevents damage to the Minster and churches. Ye Olde Starre Inne licensed. 1653 – 18 April: London–York stagecoach first recorded. 1673 – 18 April: Viscount Fairfax throws a party to mark his remodelling of Fairfax House. 1674 – Friargate Quaker Meeting House first built. 1676 – Highwayman John Nevison rides from Kent to York in a day to establish an alibi. On 4 May 1684 he will be hanged on the Knavesmire for another offence. 1677 – York Waterworks re-established. 1679 – 7 August: Nicholas Postgate is hanged, drawn and quartered on the Knavesmire for being a Roman Catholic priest. 1684 – 23 April: A gunpowder explosion guts Clifford's Tower at York Castle, leading to the city being abandoned as a military garrison. 1686 – 5 November: Bar Convent established, making it the oldest surviving active Catholic convent in England. 1694 – First corporation fire engine purchased. 1695 – Grays, solicitors, established.
18th century 1705 Debtor's Prison completed at York Castle. Blue Coat School, York & The Grey Coat School founded. 1709 – Earliest record of horse racing on Clifton Ings. 1719 – 23 February: Publication of the city's first newspaper, the York Mercury, by Grace White. 1726 – Judges' Lodgings completed as a townhouse for physician Clifton Wintringham senior. 1730 – New Walk laid out. c. 1731 – First horse races at York Racecourse on the Knavesmire. 1732 August: York Assembly Rooms (designed in Palladian style by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington) opened. Mansion House (begun 1725) completed as an official residence for the Lord Mayor. 1739 – 7 April: Essex highwayman and murderer Dick Turpin hanged at the "York Tyburn" on the Knavesmire for horse stealing following imprisonment in York Castle and trial at York Assizes there. 1740 – April: York County Hospital established. 1744 – New Theatre opened. 1759 – December: Laurence Sterne has the first two volumes of his comic metafictional novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman printed at York in the shop owned by Ann Ward. 1767 – Establishment of the confectionery business which would later become Terry's. 1769 – 8 April: The Theatre Royal reopens under this title having been granted a Royal Patent under its manager Tate Wilkinson. 1770 – Holgate Windmill built. 1774 – Inclosure act for Acomb and Holgate, the Acomb and Holgate Inclosure Act 1774 (14 Geo. 3. c. 81 ) 1777 In the courtyard of York Castle Assize Courts (designed by John Carr) are completed.