This is a chronology of events in the life of George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824). Each year links to its corresponding "year in poetry" article:

1788

:22 January – Born, 16 Holles Street, London.

1789

:Mother (Catherine Gordon) took lodgings in Queen Street, Aberdeen.

1791

:2 August – Father (John "Mad Jack" Byron) died in France never having seen his son.

:Mother moved to flat in 64 Broad Street, Aberdeen.

1794–1798 – At Aberdeen Grammar School.

1798

:21 May – George Gordon Byron became 6th Baron Byron of Rochdale on death of great-uncle.

:August – With his mother took up residence at ancestral home, Newstead Abbey, near Nottingham.

1799

:Lived with Parkyns family, Nottingham. Tutored by "Dummer" Rogers.

:July – Removed to London by John Hanson, Byron’s lawyer & business agent.

:September – Attended Dr. Glennie's School, Dulwich Grove.

:Spent Christmas holidays with Hanson family at Earl's Court, London.

:Spent summer holiday in Newstead Abbey and fell in love with 1st cousin, Margaret Parker.

1801

:April – Entered Harrow School.

:Spent summer with mother at Mrs Massingberd's, 16 Piccadilly, at Hanson's and in Cheltenham.

:Christmas holidays in Bath with mother.

1803

:February – Newstead Abbey leased to Henry Edward Yelverton, 19th Baron Grey de Ruthyn.

:21 July – Mother rented Burgage Manor, Southwell.

:September – Fell madly in love with neighbour's daughter, Mary Chaworth, of Annesley Hall. Refused to go back to Harrow.

1804

:January – Fell out with Lord Grey and returned to Harrow.

:22 March – Started holiday at Burgage Manor and met the Pigots who lived opposite.

1805

:2 August – Played for Harrow in annual cricket match v Eton at Lord's. Scored 6 notches.

:24 October – Went up to Trinity College, Cambridge University.

:Friendships with E.N.Long & John Edleston began.

1806

:February – Got heavily in debt with moneylenders; dissipation in London.

:April – Returned to Trinity College.

:July – At Burgage Manor writing poems.

:August – After acrimonious quarrel with mother escaped to London.

:November – Collection of poems, Fugitive Pieces, privately printed.

1807

:January Second volume of poetry, Poems on Various Occasions, privately printed.

:June – Hours of Idleness published. Back at Cambridge started friendships with John Cam Hobhouse and Scrope Davies, Matthews and Hodgson.

:December – Came down from Cambridge University for good.

1808

:February – Hours of Idleness ridiculed in the Edinburgh Review.

:March – Poems Original and Translated published.

:July–August – At Brighton with John Hobhouse and Scrope Davies.

1809

:13 March – Took seat in the House of Lords.

:English Bards and Scotch Reviewers published.

:20 June – Travelled to Falmouth with Hobhouse.

:2 July – Set sail with Hobhouse in the Lisbon packet, Princess Elizabeth.

:7 July – Arrived in Lisbon.

:12–16 July – Explored Sintra.

:20 July – Departed for Spain.

:29 July – Arrived Cádiz.

:3 August – Sailed in the frigate, Hyperion.

:4 August – Arrived at the Rock of Gibraltar.

:16 August – Sailed for Malta in packet Townshend.

:31 August – Arrived Malta.

:September – Had romantic affair with Mrs Spencer Smith.

:19 September – Left Malta aboard the brig, Spider, for Greece & Albania.

:26 September – Aboard the Spider, at anchor off Patras, and spent several hours on shore.

:26–28 September – Aboard the Spider, passed by Missolonghi, Ithaca, Cephalonia, and Santa Maura.

:28 September – 19:00. Anchored off Preveza.

:29 September – Landed at Preveza.

:30 September – Visited the ruins of Nicopolis.

:1 October – Left on a large boat for Salaora, the port of Arta, en route for Ioannina.

:1–2 October – Stayed for two nights in customs house at Salaora.

:3 October – Left by horse and arrived in Arta.

:11 October – Left for Tepelenë, Albania, to meet Ali Pasha.

:12 October – First encounter with Ali Pasha of Tepelenë.

:26 October – Returned to Ioannina.

:31 October – At Ioannina. Started poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.

:3 November – Slept the night at St. Dimitrios Chan, south of Ioannina.

:4 November – Arrived at Arta.

:5 November – Arrived at Salaora.

:6 November – Arrived at Preveza.

:7 November – Left Preveza at noon aboard a turkish galleote for Santa Maura.

:8 November – Due to bad weather they finished up at Porto Fanari.

:9 November – Decided to return by horse to Preveza.

:10 November – Visited the ruins of Nicopolis again.

:13 November – Sailed from Preveza to Vonitsa.

:14 November – Travelled towards Missolonghi.

:20 November – Visited Missolonghi.

:25 December – Arrived at Athens.

1810

:Mar–Apr – Toured Turkey, visited Smyrna, Ephesus, Troy.

:5 March – Arrived Smyrna aboard the brig Pylades.

:3 May – Swam Hellespont from Sestos to Abydos.

:13 May – Arrived Constantinople.

:18 July – Arrived Athens.

:21 July – Left for the Morea.

:26 July – Arrived Patras.

:19 August(?) – At Athens: stayed in Capuchin monastery.

:18 October – Returned Athens.

1811

:March – Wrote Hints from Horace & The Curse of Minerva

:22 April – Sailed in the Hydra

:30 April–2 June – At Malta. Sailed for England in frigate Volage

:14 July – Landed Sheerness; at Reddish’s Hotel, St James' Street.

:1 August – Mother died.

:3 August – At Newstead Abbey; Matthews drowned at Cambridge.

:16 October – Visited Cambridge University with Scrope Berdmore Davies.

:28 October – Took up residence at 8 St James Street's, London.

:4 November – Dinner with Samuel Rogers to meet the poet Thomas Moore.

:19 December – After further visit to Cambridge left for Newstead, where Byron had an affair with Welsh maid, Susan Vaughan.

1812

:27 February – Maiden speech in House of Lords – opposing the Framework Bill 1812

:10 March – Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage Cantos I & II published, which made Byron famous overnight.

:25 March – First saw Annabella Milbanke.

:April – Affair with Lady Caroline Lamb started.

:21 April – Second speech in the House of Lords – in favor of Catholic emancipation.

:15 August – Thomas Claughton offered £140,000 for Newstead but delayed payment.

:September – Wrote Drury Lane Theatre Address at request of Lord Holland.

:October – Proposal of marriage to Annabella Milbanke rejected; Wrote The Waltz.

:24 October – Left for Eywood, Presteign, to visit the Oxfords.

:21 November – Left Eywood to stay with Jerseys at Middleton.

:30 November – At Batt's Hotel, Dover Street, London.

:14 December(?) – Back at Eywood.

1813

:19 January – Took lodgings at 4 Bennet Street, St James'.

:29 May – Accompanied Moore to visit Leigh Hunt in prison.

:1 June – Last speech in House of Lords.

:8 June – First edition of The Giaour published.

:20 June – Met Madame de Stael for first time.

:26 June – Augusta Leigh arrives in London, and is met by her half-brother, Byron.

:1 July – Third (and final) speech in the House of Lords – Debate on Major Cartwright’s Petition

:August – Correspondence with Miss Milbanke begun.

:September – Visit to James Wedderburn Webster and dallied with Lady Frances Webster.

:19 October – "Spared" Lady Frances and returned to London.

:14 November – Began Journal (continued to 19 April 1814).

:2 December – Bride of Abydos published.

1814

:1 February – Corsair published. 10,000 copies sold on day of publication.

:March – Sat to Phillips for portrait.

:28 March – Rented apartment in Albany, Piccadilly.

:2 April – With Augusta at her home at Six Mile Bottom, Cambs [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CAM/SixMileBottom/].

:16 April – Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte published anonymously.

:1 July – At Duke of Wellington's Ball.

:22 July – At Hastings with Augusta.

:6 August – Lara published with Samuel Rogers' Jacqueline.

:9 September – Tentative proposal to Annabella Milbanke.

:15 September – Received Annabelle's acceptance of proposal of marriage.

:29 October – Left for Seaham, near Durham, Annabella’s home.

:30–31 October – At Six-Mile-Bottom with Augusta.

:2 November – Arrived Seaham.

:16 November – Left for London.

:18 November – At Cambridge.

:19–22 November – At Six Mile Bottom.

:23 November – Applauded by undergraduates at Cambridge University.

:24 November – London.

:24 December – Left with Hobhouse for Seaham.

:25 December – Christmas at Six Mile Bottom.

:30 December – Arrived Seaham.

1815

:2 January – Married to Miss Annabella Milbanke at Seaham.

:2–21 January – Treaclemoon at Halnaby, Yorkshire.

:21 January – 9 March – At Seaham.

:12–28 March – At Six Mile Bottom.

:29 March – Settled at 13 Piccadilly Terrace, London.

:7 April – Met Sir Walter Scott at John Murray, Albemarle Street.

:17 April – Death of Lord Wentworth; Milbankes took name of Noel.

:April – Hebrew Melodies published with musical score by Nathan.

:May – Became member of Management Sub-Committee, Drury Lane Theatre.

:June–July – Visited Leigh Hunt at Maida Vale, London.

:29 July – Signed new will leaving estate residue to Augusta Leigh.

:October – Wrote Siege of Corinth.

:November – Wrote Parisina.

:10 December – Birth of Ada Lovelace, poet’s only legitimate daughter.

1824

:19 April – Died of Malaria in Missolonghi, Greece.

  • The Byron Chronology