Geoffrey Chaucer died on 25 October 1400 in London, aged about 57. An English poet, Chaucer was also a courtier, diplomat and royal official who served under Edward III and Richard II. He is best known for The Canterbury Tales, an unfinished collection of stories told by pilgrims travelling from London to Canterbury, which presents a lively cross-section of medieval English society. Other major works include Troilus and Criseyde and The Book of the Duchess. By writing in Middle English rather than French or Latin, he helped to establish the vernacular as a language of serious literature. He was the first poet to be buried in what became Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Before and after
- 14th centuryPublication of Water Margin
- from 14th century to 16th centuryRise of Devotio Moderna
- 1400Birth of Johannes Gutenberg
- c. 1400sThe moa are hunted to extinction in New Zealand
- 25 October 1400Death of Geoffrey Chaucer
- 15th centuryConstruction of Santa Maria delle Grazie
- 1402Construction of Charles Bridge
- 1402Construction of Seville Cathedral
- from 1402 to 1976Spanish Empire
More in Art, literature & culture
- 787 CESecond Council of Nicaea
- 803 CELeshan Giant Buddha
- 11th centuryBayeux Tapestry
- 14th centuryPublication of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms
- 1387Publication of The Canterbury Tales
- from 5 November 1414 to 22 April 1418Council of Constance
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 14th century.