# Outline of the history of the British Isles

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the history of the British Isles:
History of the British Isles – history of the European island group known as the British Isles.

## Political entities

Throughout history, various political entities have inhabited the British Isles, with varying degrees of power and independence over one another.

### Existing political entities

* History of Ireland
* History of the United Kingdom - The United Kingdom is a union of different nations:
** History of England
** History of Northern Ireland
** History of Scotland
** History of Wales
The British Isles also includes three Crown dependencies of the United Kingdom.
* History of Guernsey
* History of Jersey
* History of the Isle of Man

### Former political entities

The following political entities all at one time existed within the British Isles.

#### Anglo-Saxon kingdoms

Anglo-Saxons inhabited England from the 5th Century, and formed their own kingdoms.
* Kingdom of East Anglia
* Kingdom of Essex
* Kingdom of Kent
* Kingdom of Mercia
* Kingdom of Northumbria
* Kingdom of Sussex
* Kingdom of Wessex

#### Irish kingdoms

* List of Irish kingdoms
Prior to the Norman invasion of Ireland many Irish Kingdoms existed. Some of the larger ones were:
* Kingdom of Connacht
* Kingdom of Leinster
* Kingdom of Meath
* Kingdom of Munster
* Kingdom of Ulster

#### Kingdoms in Scotland

The following kingdoms all existed in what is now recognised as Scotland:
* Kingdom of Alba
* Bernicia
* Dál Riata
* Fortriu
* Kingdom of Strathclyde
* Kingdom of the Isles

#### Welsh kingdoms

During the medieval era several kingdoms existed in Wales.
* Brycheiniog
* Kingdom of Ceredigion
* Dogfeiling
* Dunoding
* Kingdom of Dyfed
* Glywysing
* Kingdom of Gwent
* Kingdom of Gwynedd
* Meirionnydd
* Pengwern
* Kingdom of Powys
* Rhos (North Wales)

#### Modern period

During the modern period the following entities have all existed, but no longer do so.
* Kingdom of England
* Kingdom of Ireland
* Kingdom of Scotland
* Confederate Ireland
* Commonwealth of England
* United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

## Time periods
### Prehistoric

* Prehistoric Britain
* Prehistoric Ireland
* Neolithic British Isles

### Classical period

The history of the British Isles in the classical era was characterised by the attempts of the Roman Empire to conquer the islands.
* Roman Britain
* Scotland during the Roman Empire
* Wales in the Roman era

### Medieval period

* England in the Middle Ages
* History of Ireland (800–1169)
* History of Ireland (1169–1536)
* Scotland in the Middle Ages
* Wales in the Middle Ages

### Early modern period

* Early modern Britain
* History of Ireland (1536–1691)
* History of Ireland (1691–1800)

### 19th Century

* United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland - State as it existed from 1801 to 1922.
** Georgian era
** Regency era
** Victorian era

### 20th Century to present

* History of the Republic of Ireland
* History of the United Kingdom

## Major events

Throughout history, there have been several events that had a lasting impact on the British Isles as a whole.

### Conflicts
#### Conflicts within the British Isles

Historically, there have been many conflicts between the people inhabiting the British Isles which led to a lasting impact on the history of the islands.
* Wars of Scottish Independence - A series of conflicts between Scotland and England from 1296 to 1357.
* Wars of the Three Kingdoms - A series of interconnected conflicts within the British Isles from 1639 to 1653.
* Jacobite risings - A series of conflicts over the succession of the British throne from 1689 to 1745.
* Irish War of Independence - A conflict fought between the Irish Republican Army and British forces over the independence of Ireland.

#### Invasions from outside the British Isles

There have been several invasions of the British Isles by outside entities, some of which had a lasting impact on the history of the islands.
* Roman conquest of Britain - Roman invasion of Britain starting in 43 AD and largely completed by 87 AD.
* Norman conquest of England - 1066.
* German occupation of the Channel Islands - Occupation of Jersey and Guernsey by German forces from 1940 to 1945.

### Political events

The following events had a lasting impact on the political shape of the British Isles.
* Union of the Crowns - Led to the union of England and Scotland in 1603.
* Acts of Union 1707 - Formed the Parliament of Great Britain by merging the Parliament of Scotland with the Parliament of England.
* Acts of Union 1800 - Formed the Parliament of the United Kingdom by merging the Parliament of Ireland into the Parliament of Great Britain.
* Anglo-Irish Treaty - Formally created the Irish Free State as an independent dominion of the British Empire.

## Persons influential in the history of the British Isles
### National leaders
#### Monarchs

* List of English monarchs - List of English monarchs before the Acts of Union 1707.
* List of Scottish monarchs - List of Scottish monarchs before the Acts of Union 1707.
* List of British monarchs - List of British monarchs following the Acts of Union 1707.

#### Elected leaders

* List of presidents of Ireland
* List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom

## Timeline

The following is a timeline showing the major nations within the British Isles, or which controlled parts of the islands, over time.
| Date | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | States/Peoples | Relevant events |
| pre-6th c. BC | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | Prehistoric Britain, Prehistoric Ireland | |
| 6th–1st c. BC | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | British Iron Age, Iron Age tribes in Britain, Insular Celtic | |
| 6th–1st c. BC | Gauls | Gauls | Brythons | Brythons | Brythons | Brythons | Picts | Gaels | Gaels | Gaels | Gaels | |
| 51 BC | Gallia Lugdunensis (Roman province) | Gallia Lugdunensis (Roman province) | | | | | | | | | | |
| 43 AD | Gallia Lugdunensis (Roman province) | Gallia Lugdunensis (Roman province) | Britannia (Roman province) | Britannia (Roman province) | Britannia (Roman province) | Britannia (Roman province) | | | | | | Roman conquest of Britain |
| 410 | Brythons | Brythons | Brythons | Anglo-Saxon England | Hen Ogledd | Hen Ogledd | | | | | | |
| 638 | Brythons | Brythons | Brythons | Anglo-Saxon England | | Kingdom of Strathclyde | | | | | | Viking raids |
| 843 | Brythons | Brythons | Brythons | Anglo-Saxon England | | Kingdom of Strathclyde | | | | | | |
| 845 | Kingdom of Brittany | Kingdom of Brittany | | Anglo-Saxon England | | Kingdom of Strathclyde | | | | | | |
| 878 | Kingdom of Brittany | Kingdom of Brittany | | Anglo-Saxon England | Danelaw | Kingdom of Strathclyde | | | | | | |
| 911 | Duchy of Normandy | Duchy of Normandy | | Anglo-Saxon England | Danelaw | Kingdom of Strathclyde | | | | | | |
| 927 | Duchy of Normandy | Duchy of Normandy | | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of Strathclyde | | | | | | |
| 1054 | Duchy of Normandy | Duchy of Normandy | | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of Alba | Kingdom of Alba | Kingdom of Alba | | | | Norman conquest of England |
| 1079 | Duchy of Normandy | Duchy of Normandy | | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of Alba | Kingdom of Alba | Kingdom of Alba | Kingdom of Mann and the Isles | | | |
| 1098 | Duchy of Normandy | Duchy of Normandy | Cymru | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | | Kingdom of Norway | | Kingdom of Mann and the Isles | | | Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland |
| 1171 | Duchy of Normandy | Duchy of Normandy | Cymru | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | | Kingdom of Norway | | Kingdom of Mann and the Isles | Lordship of Ireland | | |
| 1204 | | | Cymru | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | | Kingdom of Norway | | Kingdom of Mann and the Isles | Lordship of Ireland | | Magna Carta Treaty of York |
| 1266 | | | Cymru | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | | Kingdom of Norway | | | Lordship of Ireland | | |
| 1282 | | | | | | | Kingdom of Norway | | | Lordship of Ireland | | Wars of Scottish Independence |
| 1333 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | | | | Kingdom of Norway | | | Lordship of Ireland | | |
| 1469 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | | | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Lordship of Ireland | | Poynings' Law |
| 1541 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | | | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | | | Scottish Reformation Tudor conquest of Ireland Union of the Crowns |
| 1607 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | | | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Ireland | Kingdom of Ireland | Flight of the Earls Plantation of Ulster Wars of the Three Kingdoms |
| 1641 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | | | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | | Confederate Ireland | |
| 1649 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | Commonwealth of England | Commonwealth of England | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | | Confederate Ireland | Cromwellian conquest of Ireland |
| 1653 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | |
| 1660 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of England | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Scotland | Kingdom of Ireland | Kingdom of Ireland | Penal Laws Revolution of 1688 Battle of the Boyne |
| 1707 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | Kingdom of Great Britain | Kingdom of Great Britain | Kingdom of Great Britain | Kingdom of Great Britain | Kingdom of Great Britain | Kingdom of Great Britain | Kingdom of Ireland | Kingdom of Ireland | Acts of Union 1707 Battle of Culloden Irish Rebellion of 1798 |
| 1801 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | | Acts of Union 1800 Catholic emancipation Great Famine of Ireland |
| 1919 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | Irish Republic | Irish War of Independence Partition of Ireland |
| 1921/1922 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | (Northern Ireland) | Irish Free State | |
| 1937 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | (Northern Ireland) | Ireland | The Emergency Battle of Britain The Troubles Celtic Tiger |
| 1999 | Bailiwick of Guernsey | Bailiwick of Jersey | Isle of Man | (Wales) | (England) | (Scotland) | (Scotland) | (Scotland) | (Scotland) | (Northern Ireland) | Ireland | Devolution Good Friday Agreement |

## Miscellaneous

* Early music of the British Isles
* Genetic history of the British Isles