Fireballs of the Dark Ages
(476 A.D.-1066 A.D.)
523- Near Kent, in England, wild beasts and dragons were seen fighting in the sky. Afterwards it rained blood and wheat.
540- Roger of Wendover records that in this year a great comet was seen in Gaul. It was so large that the sky seemed to be on fire.
580- According to Gregory of Tours in the fifth year of the reign of King Childebert, a great fireball was seen in the sky over Touraine France. It was in the morning, just before sunrise, when a bright light shot across the sky disappearing in the east. This was followed by a loud sound as if trees came crashing to the ground.
583- In France, a ball of fire fell from the sky and moved a great distance through the air before it disappeared behind a cloud.
589- Gregory of Tours mentions a a number of fiery globes traveling through the sky.
596- At Surrey England strange things were seen in the sky with loud noises and flashes like lightning.
655- It is recorded in England that fire fell from heaven and great fear came upon men.
661- A globe of fire fell onto St.Paul's church in London and burnt the roof. (This could be a case of Ball Lightning.)
675- At a cloister and monastery in Barking England, Bede writes "a light from heaven like a great sheet suddenly appeared..." The light lingered for a moment before shooting upward and out of sight.
685- There was a bloody rain that fell in Britain.
715- In England many strange and frightening sights appeared in the sky including monstrous creatures and armies battling. Afterwards a great storm caused houses to overturn and great oaks to uproot.
719- Hail burnt ships, and the sea was said to boil on the coast of Britain.
735- A great fireball was seen in England near the end of autumn.
745- (January 01) In Britain fiery strokes were seen in the heavens and dragons and ships seen in the air.
773- In Britain, after sunset, a red cross appeared in the heavens.
785- At Clonmacnoise in Ireland "a dreadful vision" was seen in the sky.
793- Dragons and fire were seen shooting through the heavens in Britain.
796- Globes of fire were seen around the sun.
810- Einhard, in his Vita Caroli writes about a bright fireball that was seen during the emperor Charlemagne's campaign into Saxony. Shortly before sunrise the army set out on the days march. The Emperor was riding along on his horse near the front of his army when the fireball struck. Einhard says that "Charlemagne saw a meteor flash down from the heavens and pass along the clear sky from right to left with a great blaze of light." This must have caused quite a fright for his horse for it lowered its head and fell. This caused Charlemagne to tumble to the ground. The force of the fall was so violent that it broke the buckle on his cloak, and his sword and belt were torn off. At the time he was thrown he had been holding a javelin. This weapon was found more than 20 feet away. The Emperor in no way believed that this fireball was a bad omen. Although it would have shaken the resolve of many figures of his Era, he merely went on with business as usual.
813- Alfred of Beverley records meteors seen in the sky over Britain.
861- At Nogata, in Japan, a fireball blazed through the sky. A stone was later recovered by the towns residents, and is kept at the Shinto shrine of Suga Jinja. This is the oldest recorded fall of a meteorite in which the stone still exists.
867- The eighteenth century historian Thomas Short mentions a cloud that was seen hanging over England which was half blood and half fire. He adds that this was followed by a Danish invasion.
912- In Scotland fiery torches were seen in the air along with 4 rainbows.
917- Burning comets were seen in the sky over Ireland.
921- A large fireball plunged into a river at Narni in Italy.
932 or 934- In Ireland, it is said the mountins near Connaught were burnt with celestial fire. The lakes and rivers dried up and people were burnt.
945- (October 25) In Ireland, 2 fiery columns were seen a week before Halloween. It is said that these brilliant lights "illuminated the whole world."
979- Simeon of Durham, an English monk writes about a bloody cloud that changes later to fire.
991- On Christmas day the Annals of Ulster mentions a bright light seen in the sky over Ireland that resembled a burning hand.
