Approx. 4000 B.C. Earliest depictions of shoes in ancient Egyptian murals on tombs.

 

Approx. 200 B.C. Platform sandals called kothorni, become popular among Roman actors.

 

Approx. 1000 A.D. At Saxon weddings, father of the bride customarily presents the groom with one of the bride's shoes, symbolizing transfer of his authority over her. The bride's shoe is thrown to the bridesmaids; the one who catches it will be next to marry.

 

1154-1189 King Henry II of England popularizes shoes with narrow, pointed toes. Legend says they hid his deformed toes.

 

1215 A law passed in Paris bans university professors from wearing shoes with long, pointed toes.

 

1533  Short-statured Italian bride Catherine d'Medici, married at 14 to the Duke of Orleans, wears shoes with two-inch heels to exaggerate her height. The high heel may have been invented by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).

 

1553-1558 Mary Tudor ("Bloody Mary"), another vertically challenged monarch, wears heels as high as possible.

 

1660 French shoemaker Nicholas Lestage, so clever at his trade that some accuse him of sorcery, becomes shoemaker to Louis XIV. The heels of Louis's shoes, some decorated with miniature battle scenes, are as tall as five inches. High "Louis" heels are also fashionable for ladies.

 

See http://www.heels2die4.com/History for more details.