Time Line

In this time line I have tried to stick as closely as possible with Zelda.com's theory. Their views are sometimes self-contradictory, or contradictory to the canon, but I have left these kinds of things in. This is, after all, their theory, not mine. Note that, in this time line, there are two Zeldas, but only one Link. The history of Hyrule, according to zelda.com, is as follows:

Key
      - Zelda I (OoT)
      - Zelda II (ALttP, Oracle, LoZ, AoL)

Date Event Source
0 H.R. The Goddesses Din, Nayru and Farore create Hyrule, the Golden Land, the five races, and the Triforce. An unintended side-effect creates many parallel universes, including the land of Termina. The Goddess give the races of Hyrule a code of laws and wisdom and depart for the heavens. OoT and ALttP manuals
3000 H.R. Rauru, the Sage of Light, builds the Temple of Light to house the Triforce, and the Temple of Time, along with the Master Sword, to guard the entrance to the Sacred Realm. OoT
5000 H.R. All the Hyrulian civilizations, except for the Kokiri, declare war on one another and battle for the Triforce for 50 years. By now not even the sages know where the Triforce is. OoT, ALttP manual
5040 H.R. Link and Zelda I are born in Hyrule. -
5050 H.R. A great Hylian King stops the Hyrulian races from fighting, and a time of peace takes effect. Link, a young boy, opens the Portal of Time, the entrance to the Sacred Realm. Ganondorf Dragmire and his band of thieves find the Triforce. Ganondorf becomes Mandrag Ganon, King of the Enchanted Thieves, and starts building his power. By traveling back and forth through time seven years, Link and the Sages are able to seal Ganon in the Dark World, winning the Imprisoning War.OoT
5050 H.R. A few months later, the Link is drawn into the parallel world of Termina and saves that realm from a falling moon. Due to the inter-dimensional passage, many centuries pass in Hyrule while Link is away in Termina. Majora's Mask
6000 H.R. Zelda II, a descendant of Zelda I, is born in Hyrule. -
6008 H.R. Link returns from Termina to discover that hundreds of years have passed in Hyrule. He lives with one of his descendants, whom he calls "uncle." Details about the Imprisoning War have been forgotten, and nobody knows who he really is. Soon, many disasters plague Hyrule. ALttP
6009 H.R. Agahnim appears in Hyrule, stops the disasters, and then secretly overthrows the King. Zelda II contacts Link, the Legendary Hero, telepathically. Link overthrows Agahnim and Ganon, recovering the Triforce. Ganon is still imprisoned in his dark cell. ALttP
6010 H.R. Twinrova plots to break the Seven Sages' Seal and free Ganon. The Triforce sends Link to Holodrum and Labrynna to stop Onox's and Veran's evil plots. Link defeats them, and defeats Twinrova, but she succeeds in breaking the seal. Link faces Ganon and defeats him. Oracle series
6012 H.R. Ganon returns, and his army invades Hyrule and steals the Triforce of Power. Zelda splits the Triforce and hides the pieces in eight Underworld labyrinths, and Ganon kidnaps her. Link saves Impa, and she tells Link about their plight. Link recovers the Triforce of Wisdom, utterly destroys Ganon, recovers the Triforce of Power, and saves Zelda II. LoZ
6014 H.R. Link approaches the age of 16, and one day the Triforce symbol appears on his hand. Going to see Impa, he hears awful news: a wizard has put Zelda II to sleep! Link takes six crystals and begins to set them into statues hidden in six palaces. AoL
6014 H.R. While crossing the sea to eastern Hyrule on his raft, Link is shipwrecked and washes up on the island of Koholint. He awakes the Wind Fish and Koholint disappears. The adventure is dim in his memory, and Link drifts back to Eastern Hyrule. Link's Awakening
6014 H.R. Link finally recovers the Triforce of Courage from the Great Palace in the Valley of Death, and with the united Triforce awakens Zelda II from her ancient sleeping spell and brings peace to Hyrule. AoL