A timeline of New Virginia

Here is a combined timeline of the two alternative worlds described in S. M. Stirling's novel Conquistador (2003). The timeline is intended as a summary for people who have read the book, and therefore omits explanatory notes.

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't read the book yet, and would like to be surprised by it, leave this page immediately!

356 BC: Birth of Alexander the Great (as in our history)

323 BC: Alexander the Great recovers from illness (died in our history)

280 BC: Death of Alexander the Great

000 AD: Alexandrian Empire starts to decline

300 AD: Alexandrian Empire no longer exists

1585: Birth of John Rolfe I (as in our history)

1622: Death of John Rolfe I and his wife Matoaka, also known as Pocahontas and Lady Rebecca

1862: Colonel John Rolfe III, Stonewall Brigade, loses a leg in battle

1922: Birth of John Rolfe VI

1942: John Rolfe leaves the Virginia Military Institute

1944: John Rolfe is seriously wounded in the Battle of Okinawa (1945 in our history)

1946-04-17: The Gate opens

1946-12-31: New Virginian population less than 200

1947: Birth of Charles Rolfe

1949: Import of animals begins via San Diego Zoo

1950-01-01: Settler population over 15,000

1950-06-07: John Rolfe first visits Sierra Consultants

1955: Import of animals stops

1962: Sorenson retires, Sierra Consultants closes

1962: Arrival of the Chumley and Devereaux families (29th and 30th)

1968: Hawaii added to New Virginia

1971: Kidnapping of Ralph Barnes

1990s: Arrival of the Batyushkov and Versfeld families (31st and 32nd)

1998: Kidnapping of Henry Villers

2001: Adrienne joins the Gate Security Force

2003: Arrival of Sergei Lermontov

2007: Secret recruitment begins for revolution

2009-06: Capture of condor, Tom meets Adrienne

2009-06: Kidnapping of Tom and Roy

2009-06: 150,000 Settlers, 3,000 in Families, 50,000 nahua

2009-07: Start of Owens Valley expedition

2009-08: Revolution; the Gate closes

2009-12: The Gate reopens, but there's a problem

The birth date of Adrienne Rolfe is indeterminate. In Chapter 3 she says she inherited Seven Oaks in 2001 at the age of 18, but in Chapter 9 the author himself locates that event in 1996. So, either she's lying about her age in Chapter 3, or the author made a mistake in Chapter 9; both possibilities seem rather uncharacteristic; take your pick.