19.II.1473	Nicolaus Copernicus born at Torun, Poland
1483	Copernicus’ father dies
1489	Lukasz Watzenrode, Copernicus’ maternal uncle and guardian, elected Bishop of Warmia.
1491	Nicolaus Copernicus leaves the parish school of St. John, Torun for the University in Kraków.
1491-1495	Period of studies at the University in Krakow.
1496	Copernicus begins Law studies at Bologna.
1497	Copernicus join the Chapter of Warmia, holding the post of Canon of Frombork in absentia through his vicars. His name is entered into the students’ corporation book.
1500	Copernicus articled in the Pontifical Chancelleria at Rome. Delivers a public lecture on mathematics.
1501	Copernicus completes his fourth year of studies; his three year leave of absence from duties as Canon to the Chapter House expires; he goes to Frombork and requests two year extension of his leave to complete his studies. The Chapter approves his request. He begins the study of Medicine at Padua while continuing to read Law.
1503	Copernicus receives another appointment as Canon-Scholar at the Holy Cross Church in Wroclaw.  his post is also held in absentia through vicars. Awarded Doctor of Canon Law degree at Ferrara. Completes second and final year of Medicine at Padua. Receives a licence to practice medicine.
1504-1507	Copernicus and his uncle, the Bishop of Warmia, attend local congresses of the Estates, i.e. conventions for the election and instruction of local deputies to the lower house of the Polish Parliament (Sejm) in Royal Prussia, at Malbork. Elblag, and Torun
1507	Chapter appoints Copernicus private physician to the Bishop. Works on his Commentariolus which presents theories on motions of celestial bodies containing the first synopsis of his heliocentric theory. This treatise is sent to various persons via a series of letters.
1509-1510	Leaves Bishop’s Court at Lidzbark Warmiński and moves to Frombork.
1510-1512	Copernicus draws up a map of Warmia and the western borders of Royal Prussia for the Poznan convention of the King’s Council. Copernicus continues to hold both the office of Chancellor as well as Visitor in the Chapter House.  1511  Appointed Chief Bursar in the Chapter.
1512	Copernicus and the other members of the Chapter of Frombork swear allegiance to King Sigismundus I of  Poland.
1512-1513	Reappointed Chancellor of the Chapter.
1513	In response to an appeal by Lateran Council, Copernicus compiles a proposal for the reform of the calendar and sends it to Rome.
1514-1516	Frombork Chapter relieves Copernicus of his administrative duties. Copernicus purchases a house convenient for his astronomical observations; he has an observation platform built in the back for his astronomical instruments.
1516-1519	Copernicus is promoted to Administrator for the Chapter property, performing his duties from Olsztyn.
1517	Copernicus carries out 29 rural inspections, and arranges to have unpopulated areas in the Chapter’s estates settled.
1518	Copernicus carries out 16 rural inspections; returns to work on the observation of the planets after on intermission of several years.
1519	Copernicus draws up a map of the western part of the Vistula delta; completes the first draft of his treatise on the minting of money and submits it to the convention of the Prussian Estates. Carries out 18 rural inspections. Resigns as Chapter Administrator and resumes his former position as Chancellor of the Frombork Chapter.
1519-1520	Outbreak of war between Poland and the Teutonic Knights.
1520	Copernicus is part of the Polish embassy to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights requesting restoration of Braniewo, captured by the Teutonic Knights. Reappointed Administrator of the Chapter property. Copernicus organises the defence of Olsztyn against the Teutonic Knights.
1521	Appointed Commissioner for Warmia with the task of negotiating for the Warmian territories seized by the Teutonic Knights; resigns as Administrator and moves back to Frombork, accepting appointment as Visitor.
1522	Copernicus delivers his treatise on the minting of coinage at the Congress of the Estates of Royal Prussia at Grudziadz.
1523	Appointed General Administrator for the See of Warmia.
1523-1524	Appointed to serve dually as the Chapter’s Envoy and Chancellor.
1524	Publishes De Octava Sphoaera, a treatise addressed to Bernard Wapowski, Canon of the Church at Kraków and Secretary to the King of Poland in which Copernicus’ refutes the calculations of Joannes Werner, an astronomer of Nuremberg, regarding the“Motion of the Eigth Sphere”.
1524-1525	Reappointed Chancellor as well as Envoy of the Chapter.
1526	Assists Bernard Wapowski, the King’s Secretary, with mapping the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
1528	Works on the final draft of the treatise on the minting of money.
1528-1529	Reappointed Chancellor of the Chapter.
1530-1532	Appointed Purveyor to the Chapter of Frombork.
1531-1537	Reappointed Visitor for the Chapter.
1537	Receives royal confirmation of his candidacy as one of four contenders for appointment to the See of Warmia.
1537-1538	Appointed inspector of arms and defences in the fortress of Frombork as well as supervisor of wills.
1538	Resigns as Cannon of the Church of the Holy Cross on Wroclaw. Copernicus had never been to Wroclaw but carried out his duties through a local vicar. Appointed Deputy for the Chapter.
1538-1539	Bishop Joannes Dantiscus (Dantyszek) suspects Copernicus of living in concubinage, orders him to send away his housekeeper, and instigates canon law proceedings against him. While Coppernicus complies with the request, nothing came of the charges which were eventually dropped.
1539	Georg Joachim von Lauchen (Rheticus), Professor of Mathematics from Wittenberg, visits Copernicus to learn more about his theory and to assist Copernicus in getting De Revolutionibus published.
1540	Appointed Chief Treasurer of the Chapter’s building fund.
1541	After much work on revisions, Copernicus gives Rheticus the manuscript of De Revolutionibus for publication.
1542	Copernicus’ book on Trigonometry, an extract from certain chapters of De Revolutionibus, published at Wittenberg.
1543	De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium published in Nuremberg.
21.V.1543	Copernicus dies at Frombork

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