Chaucer Tells the Canterbury Tales at Court for the First Time
A poet named Chaucer didn't just read to King Richard II; he gambled his reputation on a ragtag group of pilgrims in 1397. While the court dined, Chaucer introduced a miller who stole dough and a prioress who cared more for her lapdogs than her vows. These were real people with real flaws, not saints. That bold choice turned English from a language of kings into a language of neighbors. We still argue about that pilgrim's wine today.
April 17, 1397
629 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on April 17
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