Narnian timeline

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The events of the Narnian timeline, listed side-by-side against relevant Earth events. (Click for larger version.)
The events of the Narnian timeline, listed side-by-side against relevant Earth events. (Click for larger version.)

C. S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, provided a timeline to map out the events that occur or are mentioned in his books. He gave an "Outline of Narnian History" in manuscript form to Walter Hooper, who included it in his essay Past Watchful Dragons: The Fairy Tales of C. S. Lewis (Schakel 1979, p. 143). In the series proper, Lewis never explicitly stated the year or years in which events in the novels took place, so the outline is the only source for this information. Kathryn Lindskoog, along with other Lewis scholars, has challenged the authenticity of some posthumous works attributed to Lewis and edited by Hooper, (Lindskoog 1988) but the validity of the outline in particular has not been questioned. The outline is accepted by Lewis experts and has been included in works by Paul Ford, Martha Sammons and others. However, a detail of the outline is questioned by many, who believe that the serious railway accident takes place in 1943 rather than in 1949 and Hooper only interpreted Lewis' handwriting wrong[citation needed]. This claim is supported by people who knew Lewis reporting his "9" and "3" in handwriting looked very similar. Also for many it is considered as being an error, as it would be highly probable as the Pevensie children all were told being "too old to get to Narnia" again after spending 2 or three years of Narnian adventures and not after 8 or 9.[citation needed]

In the series, Narnian time is not in sync with time on Earth; when Lucy Pevensie enters Narnia for the first time via the wardrobe, she spends hours there and returns to find mere seconds have passed since she entered the wardrobe. Because of this time difference, the entire 2555 years of Narnian history takes place within the span of the lifetime of Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer. In Earth year 1888, Digory was born, and Polly was born in 1889. When they are twelve and eleven, respectively, they are present at the birthing of Narnia. The serious railway accident of British Rail, as described in The Last Battle, causes the death of Digory and Polly in Earth year 1949. While they die on Earth, they are transported to Narnia where they witness its destruction in Narnian year 2555.

Contents

[edit] Timeline in Narnia

See also: Narnia (world)#History

[edit] First millennium

1
Aslan, the great Lion, creates Narnia. He gives beasts the ability to speak. Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, humans, visit Narnia, and Digory plants the Tree of Protection. The White Witch (Jadis) enters Narnia, fleeing to the North. Frank I, formerly a London cabbie, is crowned the first King of Narnia, and his wife Helen, formerly named Nellie, becomes Narnia's first Queen.
180
Prince Col, son of Frank V, leads followers into uninhabited lands south of Narnia, where the kingdom of Archenland is created. He becomes the first king there.
204
Outlaws from Archenland travel across the Great Desert to the South and establish the kingdom of Calormen.
300
Certain Calormenes settle in a new land, Telmar, to the west of Narnia.
302
Aslan turns the Calormenes of Telmar, who disobey his principles, into non-speaking beasts. Telmar then remains uninhabited by humans. After he kills a dragon terrorizing the Lone Islands, King Gale of Narnia is made Emperor.
407
Olvin of Archenland kills the Giant Pire; he is the namesake of Mount Pire, seen in The Horse and His Boy.
460
Pirates from Earth take over Telmar.
570
Moonwood the Hare lived around now. Nothing further is known of it besides Lewis' timeline.
898
The White Witch Jadis returns to Narnia from the Far North after 897 years of self-imposed exile or hiding.
Before 900
When Queen Swanwhite of Narnia lived. (This date was mentioned in The Last Battle, but contradicts information Lewis provided for the timeline; see the year 1502. It is possible that there were two Queen Swanwhites, but there is no evidence for this beyond the timeline discrepancy.)
900
The White Witch begins the Hundred-Year Winter, where all of Narnia is frozen without the coming of Christmas. A prophecy is made that two boys and two girls will rid the nation of this winter.

[edit] Second millennium

1000
The Pevensies—Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy—arrive in Narnia. Edmund betrays the others by following the White Witch. The other three begin a quest to find Edmund, resulting in their meeting Aslan and a war against the White Witch, who sacrifices Aslan in exchange for Edmund's freedom. Aslan is resurrected by the "ancient magic" laid out before the creation of Narnia. The White Witch is defeated in the First Battle of Beruna and the Long Winter ends. Peter becomes High King of Narnia, and his siblings become King and Queens of Narnia.
1014
King Peter carries out a successful raid on the Northern Giants. Susan, Edmund and Tumnus the Faun visit Calormen. Prince Rabadash courts Susan. She turns him down, prompting the Prince to wage a war upon Narnia and its ally Archenland. King Lune of Archenland discovers his long-lost son Prince Cor after the Battle of Anvard.
1015
The Pevensies, while hunting the White Stag, vanish from Narnia and back into England, where they discover no time has passed.
1050
Ram the Great succeeds Cor as King of Archenland.
1502
Queen Swanwhite of Narnia lived around now. (This date was provided by Lewis for the timeline, but contradicts information in The Last Battle, see the year Before 900. It is possible that there were two Queen Swanwhites, but there is no evidence for this beyond the timeline discrepancy.)
1998
The Telmarines, led by Caspian I, invade and conquer Narnia.

[edit] Third millennium

2290
Prince Caspian, son of Caspian IX, is born. Caspian IX is murdered by his brother Miraz, who usurps the throne.
2303
Prince Caspian, fearing his life, flees after Uncle Miraz's wife bears a male heir. Civil war begins in Narnia (Called the War of Deliverance in LB); the battle is thenceforth named the Second Battle of Beruna. With the aid of Aslan and of the Pevensies, Miraz is defeated and killed. Caspian becomes Caspian X of Narnia.
2304
Caspian X defeats the Northern Giants.
2306-2307
Caspian X sails to the end of the World with Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace Scrubb, as well as Reepicheep, a talking mouse.
2310
Caspian X marries the (unnamed) daughter of Ramandu, whom he met on one of the islands he encountered during his voyage.
2325
Caspian's son Prince Rilian is born.
2345
Caspian's Queen is killed by the Lady of the Green Kirtle, disguised as a serpent. Rilian disappears at the same time, though he is thought dead.
2356
Eustace and his schoolfriend Jill Pole appear in Narnia and rescue Prince Rilian, who had been captured and enchanted by the Lady of the Green Kirtle. Caspian X, after being reunited with his son, dies.
2534
An outbreak of outlaws occurs in Lantern Waste. The king orders towers be built to guard the region.
2555
Shift the Ape rebels, uniting forces with the Calormenes and defying the image of Aslan. The last king of Narnia, Tirian, is rescued by Eustace and Jill. The Last Battle takes place, and Narnia is conquered by the Calormenes. Though Narnia and the World are destroyed, the "perfect" image of Narnia, and all other worlds, a sort of Heaven which is the home of Aslan, still exist, and all those who are good live forever in this world.

[edit] Timeline in England

1888
Digory Kirke is born.
1889
Polly Plummer is born.
1900
Jadis causes a commotion in London. She, Digory, Polly, Uncle Andrew, the cabbie, his wife, and Strawberry, his horse enter Narnia. (This corresponds with Narnian year 0 and the events in The Magician's Nephew.)
1927
Peter Pevensie is born.
1928
Susan Pevensie is born.
1930
Edmund Pevensie is born.
1932
Lucy Pevensie is born.
1933
Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole are born.
1940
The Pevensies stay with Professor Kirke during the air raids. They enter Narnia for the first time. (This corresponds with Narnian years 1000-14 and the events in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Horse and His Boy.) Almost immediately in Earth time, they return from Narnia. (This corresponds with Narnian year 1014.)
1941
The Pevensies, while waiting to board the train to their school, are called to Narnia. (This corresponds with Narnian year 2303 and the events in Prince Caspian.)
Summer 1942
Edmund, Lucy and Eustace enter Narnia through a picture in Eustace's house. (This corresponds with Narnian years 2306-7 and the events in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.)
Autumn 1942
Eustace and Jill enter Narnia behind the gym at their school, Experiment House. (This corresponds with Narnian year 2356 and the events in The Silver Chair.)
1949
Digory, Polly, Peter, Edmund and Lucy, while riding a British Rail train that derails, die. Just before the crash Eustace and Jill are called to Narnia by Aslan. Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie also die in this train accident, and are later transported to Aslan's Country. (This corresponds with Narnian year 2555 and the events in The Last Battle.)

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

  • Ford, Paul (2005), written at San Francisco, Companion to Narnia, Revised Edition, Harper, ISBN 0-06-079127-6
  • Sammons, Martha (1979), written at Wheaton, Illinois, A Guide Through Narnia, Shaw, ISBN 0-87788-325-4
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