| Portsmouth is commonly regarded as having | | | | to build a permanent fortification in |
| been founded in 1180 by John of Gisors, | | | | Portsmouth. He ordered a wooden Round tower |
| although there had been settlements in the | | | | to be built at the mouth of the harbour, this |
| area since before Roman times, mostly being | | | | was finished in 1426. |
| offshoots of Portchester. John of Gisors | | | | |
| purchased the manor of Buckland, whilst the | | | | It was not until Henry VIII that defence was |
| protected harbour gave safe haven to his | | | | seriously delt with. He ordered the round |
| merchant ships and an ideal location to trade | | | | tower to be rebuilt of stone and a square |
| with Normandy. | | | | tower built. At this time building also |
| | | | commenced on the first dry dock in the |
| In 1194, King Richard I returned from being | | | | country. In 1527 with money from the |
| held captive by Duke Leopold V of Austria and | | | | dissolution of the monasteries Henry VIII |
| set about summoning a fleet and an army to | | | | built the fort of Southsea Castle. |
| Portsmouth, which he had taken over from John | | | | |
| of Gisors. | | | | In 1545, Henry VIII saw his flagship Maryrose |
| | | | founder off Southsea Castle whilst going into |
| On May 2 1194, King Richard I gave Portsmouth | | | | action against the French Fleet, with the |
| its first Royal Charter granting permission | | | | loss of over 500 lives. |
| to hold an annual fifteen day market and | | | | |
| exemption from paying the annual tax of | | | | In the 18th century regular wars, principally |
| £18 a year that could now be spent on | | | | with the French, meant the dockyard |
| local matters. | | | | flourished. Homes were built outside the town |
| | | | walls in Portsea to house the growing |
| In 1200 another Charter was issued by King | | | | population. Trade in Portsmouth quickly |
| John, reaffirming the rights and privileges | | | | increased and with it the cities prosperity. |
| awarded by King Richard. Portsmouth was | | | | |
| established as a permanent naval base as a | | | | At the beginning of the 19th century |
| result of King John's desire to invade | | | | Portsmouth and Portsea became increasingly |
| Normandy. 1212 saw the start of construction | | | | overcrowded and housing spread across more of |
| on the first docks in Portsmouth. | | | | the island including the more fashionable |
| | | | suburbs of Southsea in the south. |
| During the 13th century Portsmouth was | | | | |
| commonly used by Henry III and Edward I as a | | | | In 1805 Admiral Lord Nelson left Portsmouth |
| base for attacks on France. | | | | for the final time to command the fleet that |
| | | | would defeat the larger Franco - Spanish |
| In the 14th Century Portsmouth was invaded by | | | | fleet at Trafalgar. From 1808 the Royal |
| the French four times. The first in 1338 when | | | | Navy's West African Squadron operated out of |
| they sailed into the docks under English | | | | Portsmouth as they were tasked with stopping |
| flags, no one noticing until it was to late. | | | | the slave trade. |
| Ten years later the city was struck by the | | | | |
| plague known as Black Death. The French then | | | | As always, the presence of the dockyard made |
| sacked the city in 1369,1377 and 1380 to | | | | Portsmouth a prime target for attack and in |
| prevent it recovering. | | | | 1916 the city experienced its first aerial |
| | | | bombardment when a zeppelin airship bombed it |
| In 1418, Henry V was the first king to decide | | | | during World War 1. |