Timeline of the Wizarding World

Introduction:
These early years tell the tale of two communities of people who took divergent paths. Wizardkind lived side by side with Muggles over many centuries. In ancient Egypt, wizards were respected members of society, for example. However, the two communities began to separate and Muggles began to mistrust and eventually mistreat their magical brothers and sisters. As this enmity grew, four of the most powerful wizards in the world decided to set up a school where they could train young people of their kind far from interference and persecution from Muggles. Thus, Hogwarts was founded toward the end of the first millenium.

The struggle between the two communities continued to grow worse as the years went by, and by the 1600s and 1700s, wizards took steps to completely remove themselves from Muggle society. These years, then, show that progression from mutual friendship to complete separation of the Muggle and Wizarding worlds.

3000 through 1000 B.C.

Ancient Egypt
Egyptian magic

Magic is integrated into society and wizards are held in esteem. Egyptian wizards put curses on tombs; nowadays curse-breakers for Gringotts try to regain the treasure locked in those tombs. One pyramid has mutant skeletons of Muggles who'd broken in and "grown extra heads and stuff" (as Ron puts it) (PA1).

382 B.C.
Ollivanders opens for business, selling fine wands (PS5)

c. 4 B.C.
Jesus Christ is born

900s
beginning of the annual broom race in Sweden from Kopparberg to Arjeplog, a distance of about 300 miles (QA2)

962
Witches and wizards were using primitive broomsticks for transportation, but these broomsticks were far from perfect; a German illuminated manuscript shows wizards dismounting early flying broomsticks in pain (QA1)

before 993 (c. Y-1000)
Hogwarts founded by Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin

Growing distrust on the part of Muggles for wizards and witches compels the four greatest witches and wizards of the age to found Hogwarts. Salazar Slytherin builds the Chamber of Secrets after his point of view that only pure-blood wizards should be allowed into Hogwarts was dismissed. The Wizarding World begins to withdraw and hide itself from the Muggle World.
The official timeline (CS/DVD) lists this year as "before 993" because it is based on Y0 = 1980. Canon states that this happened "over a thousand years ago." (CS9, GF12)

1000s
the beginnings of Quidditch

Gertie Keddle, living near Queerditch Marsh, writes about some local witches and wizards playing a new game on broomsticks; this game evolves over the next few centuries into the game of Quidditch (QA1)

early 1000s (a few years after the founding of Hogwarts)
Growing friction between Gryffindor and Slytherin erupts into violence, with the result that Slytherin leaves the school after creating the Chamber of Secrets

1014
Fulbert the Fearful born (fw20)

1066
Battle of Hastings; the Norman Conquest of Britain

1097
Fulbert the Fearful dies when a Defensive Charm he cast backfires (fw20)

1105
famous painting Günther der Gewlttätige is der Gewinner shows a game of Stichstock (QA2)

1107
Guthrie Lochrin of Scotland wrote of the discomfort of riding broomsticks (QA1)

1112
Wilfred Elphick is born (fw21)

1163
Puddlemere United is formed, the oldest team in the British and Irish League (QA7)

1199
Wilfred Elphick dies (fw21)

before 1269
Barberus Bragge: Chief of Wizards' Council

1202
Bridget Wenlock is born (fw22)

1203
Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team is formed; they hire only witches (QA7)

1227
Ignatia Wildsmith, inventor of Floo Powder, is born (fw23)

1269
Introduction of the Golden Snidget to the game of Quidditch

At a Quidditch match, Chief Barberus Bragge of the Wizards' Council released a Golden Snidget and offered 150 Galleons to whichever player caught it; this proved so popular that a new position was added to Quidditch teams, the "Hunter," whose sole task was to catch a Golden Snidget released onto the pitch during the game

1285
Bridget Wenlock, famous Arithmancer, dies (fw22)

1289
International Warlock Convention (CS9)
 

1291
Kenmare Kestrals team is founded (QA7)

1292
The Pride of Portree team is founded (QA7)

c. 1294
Triwizard Tournament established between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang schools of wizardry
 

1296
A manticore savaged someone but was let off because no one dared go near it (PA11).

1300s

the German broom game Stichstock dies out (QA2)

the population of Golden Snidgets in Britain is falling due to hunting and Quidditch

Burdock Muldoon: Chief of the Wizards' Council

Elfrida Clagg becomes Chief of the Wizards' Council

she declares the Golden Snidget to be an endangered species and forbids its use in Quidditch; she also tries to establish a standard by which creatures will be given legal rights as "beings," but her attempt fails

Bowman Wright invents the Golden Snitch as a replacement for the banned Golden Snidget in Quidditch

This date is given in Quidditch Through the Ages, although the Famous Wizard Cards give Bowman Wright's date of birth as 1492.

the Modesty Rabnott Snidget Reservation is established in Somerset

Witch Persecution

Witch burnings; Muggles were particularly afraid of magic but not very good at recognizing it, Wendelin the Weird burned at the stake 47 times in various disguises (Flame-Freezing Charm)

1312
The Wimbourne Wasps team is formed (QA7)

1320
Ignatia Wildsmith, inventor of Floo Powder, dies (fw23)

c. 1326
Nicolas Flamel born (PS13)

c. 1333
Perenelle Flamel born (PS13)

1342
Chauncey Oldridge born (fw25)

1357
Cyprian Youdle, Norfolk Quidditch referee, was killed by a curse from a spectator during a match (FB, CS/g)

1362
Wizards' Council banned all Quidditch within 50 miles of a town or village

1368
an irritated Wizards' Council banned all Quidditch within 100 miles of a town or village

1379
Chauncey Oldridge, first victim of Dragon Pox, dies. (fw25)

1385
a Quidditch match occurs between Irish warlocks and a team from Lancashire. Zacharias Mumps writes of this match, by which we know that Quidditch was played in Ireland by the late 1300s (QA8).

1390
Gifford Ollerton, the famous giant slayer, is born (fw26)

1391
Alberta Toothill, famous Wizarding Duellist, is born (fw27)

1398
Zacharias Mumps wrote a description of Quidditch which closely matches the current form of the game

early 1400s
Ingolfr the Iambic from Norway and Malecrit from France write of Quidditch matches taking place in their countries, by which we see that Quidditch was spreading across Europe in the early 1400s (QA8)

1400s
Beater bats are enchanted, making the Bludgers of the day, which were rocks cut into the shape of balls, a danger. When smashed by the magical bats, the Bludgers became flying gravel (QA6)

1402
The Caerphilly Catapults team is formed (QA7)

before 1441
Gifford Ollerton kills the giant Hengist of Upper Barnton (fw26)

1419
the Wizards' Council declares that Quidditch should not be played "anywhere near anyplace where there is the slightest chance that a Muggle might be watching or we'll see how well you can play whilst chained to a dungeon wall."

1422
The Wigtown Wanderers team is formed by the seven children of a butcher, Walter Parkin (QA7)

1429
Burdock Muldoon born (fw28)

1430
All-England Wizarding Duelling Competition is won by Alberta Toothill, defeating the favorite, Samson Wiblin, by using a Blasting Curse (fw27)

1441
Gifford Ollerton, the famous giant slayer, dies (fw26)

1443
Quong Po of China is born (fw29)

1447
Yardley Platt, famous serial goblin-killer, is born (fw30)
Felix Summerbee, inventor of Cheering Charms, is born (fw31)

1448-1450
Burdock Muldoon is Chief of the Wizards' Council (fw28)

1467
Daisy Dodderidge, witch who built the Leaky Cauldron, is born (fw32)

1473
first ever Quidditch World Cup Match game during which occurred every one of the seven hundred ways to commit a Quidditch foul
The final match was between Transylvania and Flanders, a game which has gone down in history as one of the most violent of all time (QA8).

1483
Alberta Toothill, famous Wizarding Duellist, dies (fw27)

1486
Cornelius Agrippa born. (fw33)

1490
Burdock Muldoon dies (fw28)

1492
October 31 - Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington beheaded (nearly)

Bowman Wright is born (fw34)
Although the Famous Wizard Card indicates that Wright was born in 1492, the book Quidditch Through the Ages tells us that he invented the Golden Snitch in the 1300s. Both can't be correct, of course, but both dates are given on this timeline.

early 1500s
Quidditch Beaters experiment with metal Bludgers, first trying lead, then progress to iron (QA6)

1506
Montague Knightley, Wizard Chess champion, is born (fw)

1508
Felix Summerbee dies (fw31)

1520
Musidora Barkwith is born (fw)
The Tutshill Tornados team is formed (QA7)

1533
Elizabeth Tudor (later Elizabeth I, Queen of England), is born on 7 September

1535
Cornelius Agrippa dies. (fw33)

1538
A ban is imposed on using a wand against opposing players in Quidditch (QA6)

1539
Quong Po, expert on Liondragons, dies (fw28)

1555
Daisy Dodderidge, witch who built the Leaky Cauldron, dies (fw32)

1556
Gunhilda of Gorsemoor, famous healer who developed the cure for Dragon Pox, is born (fw)

1557
Yardley Platt dies (fw28)

1558
Elizabeth Tudor becomes Elizabeth I, Queen of England on 17 November upon the death of her half-sister Mary

1560
Bowman Wright dies (fw34)
Mungo Bonham, the founder of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Ailments and Injuries, is born (fw)

1564
William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet, is born

1566
Balfour Bane, who established the Committee on Experimental Charms, is born (fw)

1568
Archibald Alderton is born (fw)

1588
Montague Knightley dies (fw)

July
The Spanish Armada attempts to convey an invasion force to England, but is destroyed at sea

late 1500s or early 1600s
St. Mungo's Hospital is founded by Mungo Bonham (fw41)

---

early 1600s
The game of Quidditch is introduced to North America, along with a lot of anti-wizard sentiment, unfortunately (QA8)

1600s
The game of Quidditch is introduced to New Zealand by a team of British herbologists who were studying native plants. They played Quidditch for recreation and the game caught on (QA8).

1602
Almerick Sawbridge, famous troll conqueror, born (fw41)

1603
Elizabeth Tudor (Elizabeth I), Queen of England, dies; James Stuart, King of Scotland, becomes James I of England

1612
Goblin Rebellion - the inn at Hogsmeade served as headquarters (PA5)
Elfrida Clagg, Chieftainess of the Warlock's Council, is born (fw42)

Dymphna Furmage, famous pixie hater, is born (fw43)
Appleby Arrows are founded (QA7)

1616
William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet, dies

1620
Quintius Umfraville writes The Noble Sport of Warlocks (QA6)

1623
Archibald Alderton dies (fw40)

1629
Balfour Blane, who established the Committee on Experimental Charms, dies (fw39)

1632
Thaddeus Thurkell, father of seven Squib sons, is born (fw44)

1634
Havelock Sweeting, unicorn expert, is born (fw45)

1637
The Werewolf Code of Conduct is written (PS16)

1639
Gunhilda of Gorsemoor dies and is mourned by the Wizarding community (fw37)

1642
Lord Stoddard Withers, breeder of flying horses, is born (fw48)

1652
The European Cup is established, now that non-European teams are competing in the World Cup (QA8).

1656
Elladora Ketteridge, discoverer of the properties of Gillyweed, is born (fw46)

1659
Mungo Bonham, the founder of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Ailments and Injuries, dies (fw38)

1665
Honoria Nutcombe, founder of the Society for the Reformation of Hags, is born (fw47)

1666
Musidora Barkwith dies (fw36)

1674
The British and Irish Quidditch League is formed, with 13 teams being asked to join. All other teams are asked to disband (QA7)

1677
Glanmore Peakes, slayer of the Sea Serpent of Cromer, is born (fw49)

1687
Elfrida Clagg dies (fw42)

1692
International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy goes into effect
A summit meeting of the International Confederation of Wizards takes place. The discussion about magical creatures lasts seven weeks and includes delegations of goblins, centaurs, and merpeople. The result of this summit is the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, which effectively hid the Wizarding community away from the Muggles.

Thaddeus Thurkell, father of seven Squib sons, dies (fw44)

1698
Dymphna Furmage dies (fw43)

1699
Almerick Sawbridge dies (fw41)

1700s
The game of Quidditch is introduced to Australia, possibly from New Zealand and possibly from European influences (QA8).
The game of Quodpot is created by American wizard Abraham Peasegood (QA8).

1703
Edgar Strougler, inventor of the Sneakoscope, is born (fw50)

1709
Warlocks' Convention outlaws dragon breeding (PS14)

1710
Havelock Sweeting dies (fw45)

1711
Quaffles are first colored red during a particularly muddy winter (QA6)

1720
Gondoline Oliphant, troll expert, is born (fw52)

1729
Elladora Ketteridge, discoverer of the properties of Gillyweed, dies (fw46)

1742
Grover Hipworth, inventor of Pepperup Potion, is born (fw53)
Beaumont Marjoribanks, Herbology Specialist, is born (fw54)

1743
Honoria Nutcombe, founder of the Society for the Reformation of Hags, dies (fw47)

1749
The Statute of Secrecy was breached in an incident involving vampires. Legislation followed to make another such breach less likely (OP31)

1750
Department of Magical Games and Sports established

Clause 73 added to International Code of Wizarding Secrecy, making it the responsibility of each nation's Ministry of Magic to work to conceal the magical creatures living within their borders.

Gulliver Pokeby, expert on magical birds, is born (fw55)
Xavier Rastrick, famous wizard entertainer, is born (fw56)

1754
Artemisia Lufkin, first witch to become Minister for Magic, is born (fw57)

1761
Glanmore Peakes, slayer of the Sea Serpent of Cromer, dies (fw49)

1762
the extremely dangerous Scottish game of Creaothceann is outlawed

1769
Lord Stoddard Withers, breeder of flying horses, dies (fw48)

1770
Grogan Stump, very popular Minister for Magic, is born (fw58)

1782
Flavius Belby survives a Lethifold attack while holidaying in Papua New Guinea (FB)

1791
Flavius Belby, only known survivor of a Lethifold attack, dies (fw51)

1792
Triwizard Tournament - heads of the schools were injured when a cockatrice went on a rampage (GF)

1794
Beatrix Bloxam, author of Toadstool Tales, is born (fw59)
First reported sighting of an Acromantula, presumably in Borneo (FB)

1795
Crispin Cronk, keeper of illegal sphinxes, is born (fw60)

1798
Edgar Strougler, inventor of the Sneakoscope, dies (fw50)

1799
Gondoline Oliphant is clubbed to death by trolls while sketching in the Cotswolds (fw52)
a Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon carries off a sailing ship; fortunately there was no one aboard at the time (FB).

early 1800s
after being insulted by a group of Muggle fisherfolk, a group of wizards create a new magical fish, the Shrake, which is entirely covered with spines, intended to rip the nets of the Muggles (FB)

1802
according to an unsubstantiated report, a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon carried off a whale calf off the coast of Norway (FB)

1803
Alberic Grunnion, inventor of the Dungbomb, is born (fw61)

1805
Grover Hipworth, inventor of Pepperup Potion, dies (fw53)

1810
Beatrix Bloxam, author of Toadstool Tales, dies at the young age of 16 (fw59)

1812
Dorcas Wellbeloved, founder of the Society for Distressed Witches, is born (fw62)

1811
Grogan Stump is appointed Minister of Magic
He comes up with several important improvements to the governance of the Wizarding World, including a workable definition of "Beast" and "Being" and a special division for ghosts in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

1820
Elliot Smethwyk invents the Cushioning Charm for flying broomsticks

1823
Laverne de Montmorency, inventor of love potions, is born (fw63)

1824
Why I Didn't Die When the Augurey Cried, by Gulliver Pokeby, is published by Little Red Books (FB)

1825
Artemisia Lufkin, first witch to become Minister for Magic, dies (fw57)

1829
Leopoldina Smethwyck, first British witch to referee a Quidditch match, is born (fw64)
the similarity of names and the year of her birth suggests that Leopoldina may be Elliot's daughter

1836
Xavier Rastrick, famous wizard entertainer, vanishes unexpectedly while tap dancing to a crowd of 300 in Painswick and is never seen again (fw56)

1839
Gulliver Pokeby, expert on magical birds, dies (fw55)
Mirabella Plunkett is born. She is famous for falling in love with a merman while vacationing near Loch Lomond (fw65)

c. 1844 (c. Y-135)  D=0
Albus Dumbledore born (Sch2).
This is the first date on our timeline which is not stated specifically in canon. JKR said in an interview that Dumbledore was 150 years old. Using that information, we can determine the year in which he was born by subtracting 150 years. The trick, of course, is knowing what year to subtract 150 from. If we assume that Rowling was saying that Dumbledore was 150 years old at that point in the stories, which was summer of Y15 (1994), then he was born in 1994-150, which is 1844, according to the official timeline (BFT).

 

1845  D=1
Beaumont Marjoribanks, Herbology Specialist, dies (fw54)
Sirius Black, older sibling of Phineas Nigellus, is born (BFT)

1847 D=3
Phineas Nigellus is born (BFT)

1850  D=6
Oswald Beamish, pioneer of Goblin rights, is born (fw66)
Elladora Black, sister of Phineas Nigellus, is born (BFT)

1853  D=9
Sirius Black, older sibling of Phineas Nigellus, dies very young (BFT)

c. Y-124 through Y-117 (1855 through June, 1862)D=11
Albus Dumbledore attends Hogwarts as a member of Gryffindor House
Determined by adding eleven years to Dumbledore's birthyear.

1862
Justus Pelliwickle, celebrated head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, is born (fw67)

c. 1862 (c. Y-117)  D=18
Albus Dumbledore sits his NEWTs
He is examined by Griselda Marchbanks who says later that he did things with a wand she'd never seen before (OP31)
Determined from Dumbledore's birthyear.

1872  D=28
Crispin Cronk, keeper of illegal sphinxes, dies (fw60)

1874  D=30
Sacharissa Tugwood, inventor of Beautifying Potions, is born (fw68)

1875  D=31
Gripping Charms are discovered, which revolutionize the design of the Quaffle (QA6).

1877  D=33
Sirius Black, son of Phineas Nigellus, is born (BFT)

1879  D=35
the Oakshaft 79 broom is produced by Elias Grimstone of Portsmouth (QA9)

1881  D=37
Hesper Starkey, who studied the use of moon phases in potion making, is born (fw69)

1882  D=38
Alberic Grunnion, inventor of the Dungbomb, dies (fw61)

1883  D=39
Hoops replace baskets as Quidditch goals (QA6)

1884  D=40
Grogan Stump, very popular Minister for Magic, dies (fw58)
a Snitch escapes a Quidditch game and evades capture on Bodmin Moor; some say it is still out there somewhere, living wild on the moor (QA6)
Stooging is outlawed in Quidditch with the introduction of the rule that only one Chaser at a time may be within the scoring area (QA6)

1888  D=44
Norvel Twonk, famous for saving a Muggle child from a manticore, is born (fw70)

1889  D=45
Roderick Plumpton, famous Quidditch Seeker, is born (fw71)
Cygnus Black, son of Phineas Nigellus, is born (BFT)

1892  D=48
the last year that the Chudley Cannons won the Cup (fw71)

1893  D=49
Laverne de Montmorency, inventor of love potions, dies (fw63)

1894  D=50
Cassandra Vablatsky, celebrated Seer, is born (fw72)
Shooting arrows into the air to celebrate an Appleby Arrows goal is banned after Nugent Potts, a referee, is pierced through the nose by an arrow (QA7)

1897  D=53
Newt Scamander is born (fw73, FBvi)

1899  D=55
Adalbert Waffling, magical theoretician, is born (fw74)