911 – Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte: Rollo, a Viking leader, is granted lands in Normandy by Charles the Simple, marking the beginning of the Duchy of Normandy.
1002 – Emma of Normandy marries King Æthelred II of England, forging dynastic ties between Normandy and England.
1016–1042 – Under Cnut and his sons, England is ruled by a Danish dynasty. Emma marries Cnut in 1017, linking Norman and Danish dynasties.
1013–1041 – Edward (later the Confessor), son of Æthelred and Emma, spends much of his youth in exile in Normandy, absorbing Norman influences.
1042 – Edward the Confessor becomes King of England, re-establishing the native royal line but strengthening Norman ties.
1066 – William, Duke of Normandy, invades England and defeats Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. The Norman dynasty is established in England.
1066–1154 – Norman kings of England: William I, William II, Henry I, and Stephen. Norman French dominates the royal court, administration, and literature.
1154–1216 – Angevin/Plantagenet rule: Henry II, Richard I, and John. The “Angevin Empire” stretches across England, Normandy, and much of France. Anglo-Norman remains the prestige language.
1204 – King John loses Normandy to the French crown (Philip II), but Anglo-Norman culture remains central in England.
1215 – Magna Carta issued in Latin, but French remains the language of the royal chancery and law.
1258 – Provisions of Oxford: the first official government documents written in English since the conquest appear, showing the gradual decline of Anglo-Norman dominance.
14th century – Anglo-Norman wanes as a spoken language; Middle English rises in literary and administrative use. However, Anglo-Norman remains vital in law and government.
1362 – Statute of Pleading: English is mandated in the courts for the first time, but the technical legal vocabulary continues to be Anglo-Norman French.
15th century – Anglo-Norman effectively ceases as a living spoken language, but survives in law, parliament, and ritual.
17th century – “Law French,” a fossilized descendant of Anglo-Norman, is still in use in English courts.
1731 – The use of Law French is officially abolished in English courts, marking the final end of Anglo-Norman’s legal life.