The Geoffrey Chaucer Homepage

Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Fast Facts

Advertisements:

He was born between 1339 and 1446. The date of his birth is not completely known, but the relative year is because when he was older, he appeared in court where they asked him his birth date. He said that he was about forty years old, so they were able to make an estimate of his age.
Geoffrey Chaucer grew up on Thames Street in London, England in the medieval English age.
His school is unknown, but he probably went to a school attached to one of his local city churches.
When he was about eight to ten years old, he served as a junior page for Edward III. He got this job because his father had served as a wine purchaser for him along with Chaucer’s mother.
In 1357, he served as a courtier to the Countess of Ulster.
Chaucer served in the Hundred Year’s War between England and France from 1359 to 1360. While he was serving in the military, he was captured by France and ransomed for 16 pounds. (The position, which Chaucer served as, was a Valletus.)
From about 1360 to the 1370’s, Chaucer went on many diplomatic missions to Europe. The reason of why Chaucer was chosen to go on the missions was because he had parents who were wine merchants, so he had picked up a small bit of Italian from them; he also had been serving the royal family for many years since his childhood.
Was accused of raping Cecily Chaumpaigne in 1380, but she dropped the charges, "releasing him of all of his actions."
In 1386, while he was a courtier, he married a fellow courtier named Phillipa Pan. However, she died in 1387.
Chaucer had two children while he was married to Phillipa. Their names were Thomas, who was the first born, and Lewis, who was born second.
Before Chaucer wrote his main and most famous works, he wrote a few short poems. Lack of Steadfastness and The Former Age were to show his bitterness toward Richard II; The Complaint of Mars shows his love for Mars and Venus; The Treatise on the Astrolabe was a poem for his second son, Lewis.
The Book of The Duchesse was an elegy for John of Gaunt’s wife, who had died during the Bubonic Plague.
The House of Fame and The Parliament of Fowls were written to try to arrange a suitable marriage for Richard II.
Troilus and Criseyde showed his experience in the Hundred Year’s War because it’s setting was in the backdrop of the Trojan War.
The Legend of Good Women was an unfinished work by Chaucer, which helped him experiment with putting a bunch of stories into one main work.
The Canterbury Tales is Chaucer’s most famous work. It was going to have thirty pilgrims tell four stories each about their trips to and from Canterbury, but he died when he had told the stories of 23 pilgrims
Went to a school attached to a city church.
Became a junior page in his childhood (about 8 years old) for Edward III in Westminster Abbey.
Became a servant for the Countess of Ulster.
Received a fine gown of scarlet from the Earl of Derby in 1395 because of all of his work for the royal families, including many diplomatic and military related trips to Florence, Italy.
Had his pension renewed with Henry IV in the month of June, 1400.
Earned a townhouse from John of Gaunt after going on many diplomatic and military related trips to Florence, Italy.
Was a servant for Edward III, Richard II, and also Henry IV.
Served as a clerk to the King’s works from 1389 to 1391.
Served one year in the Parliament of England in 1386.
Served in the Hundred Year’s War between England and France from 1359 to 1360.
Was a valettus in the Hundred Year’s War.
Chosen to go to Italy because he was a wine dealer, had been a servant to the royal family for many years, and had picked up a little bit of the Italian Language from having his parents be wine dealers, and from being a wine dealer for himself for a few years.
Became a customs official of London after serving the King by going on trips to Italy for a few years.
Granted a keg of wine a day for the rest of his life as a result of working for the King for so long.
Wrote a few short poems: "The Complaint of Mars," to show his love for Mars and Venus; "Lack of Steadfastness" and "The Former Age" to show his bitterness for Richard II; "The Treatise on the Astrolabe," for his second son, Lewis Chaucer.
Was knighted for his translation of Le Roman de la Rose, which in English is Romance of the Rose.
Started a poem called "The Legend of Good Women," but did not finish it in order to start the "Canterbury Tales."
Wrote "Troilus and Criseyde," from his experience from The Hundred Year’s War.
Wrote "The Parliament of Fowls," which showed his imagination.
Wrote "The House of Fame."
Wrote "The Book of the Duchesse" to show his sorrow for John of Gaunt’s wife. It is considered as an elegy.
Wrote "The Canterbury Tales," which is his most famous work, but he was not able to complete it because of his death.