This is Kohaku's theory on the Legend of Zelda timeline. Much of the information seems a bit disorganized but I did that intentionally to seperate things so they could be talked about in terms of placement. Feel free to add on or dispute with your own theories. I do ask that you at least provide something back it up though. If you want me to try to get more proof feel free to ask.

We will start with what I believe is the start of the timeline:

The Minish Cap – Four Swords – Four Swords Adventures

Eiji Aonuma has stated that these games are supposed to be the oldest games in the series, preceding Ocarina of Time.’

Minish Cap is accepted as first as it explains the backstory of Vaati. Four Swords is stated to come after with Four Swords Adventures being a sequel which takes place after Four Swords. It also shows the main races of Hyrule and has no mention of the Triforce. Also, Link's Hat.

Four Swords Adventures also explains where Ganondorf acquired the Trident weapon which acts as the complete opposite of the Master Sword. The Trident is the ultimate Dark Weapon and a weapon that he would wield for a majority of the series. Ganondorf was also behind the scenes of Vaati’s revival in Four Swords Adventures.

Ocarina of Time < (See below for the split)

- (Child off of OoT) Majora’s Mask – Twilight Princess – A Link to The Past – Link’s Awakening - Legend of Zelda – Adventure of Link - Oracle of Ages <----> Oracle of Seasons

- (Adult off of OoT)- The Wind Waker – Phantom Hourglass – Spirit Tracks

Twilight Princess’s placement in the timeline has also been confirmed by Aonuma.

–When does Twilight Princess take place?

 

Aonuma: In the world of Ocarina of Time, a hundred and something years later.

 

–And the Wind Waker?

 

Aonuma: The Wind Waker is parallel. In Ocarina of Time, Link flew seven years in time, he beat Ganon and went back to being a kid, remember? Twilight Princess takes place in the world of Ocarina of Time, a hundred and something years after the peace returned to kid Link’s time. In the last scene of Ocarina of Time, kids Link and Zelda have a little talk, and as a consequence of that talk, their relationship with Ganon takes a whole new direction. In the middle of this game [Twilight Princess], there's a scene showing Ganon's execution. It was decided that Ganon be executed because he'd do something outrageous if they left him be. That scene takes place several years after Ocarina of Time. Ganon was sent to another world and now he wants to obtain the power...

Majora’s Mask does tend to happen in the child timeline; however I believe that it doesn’t happen in the standard Zelda Universe as it is a different dimension, therefore the standard Laws of Hyrule don’t full apply. However it is still connected to Hyrule due to areas where the Triforce does appear. It has been suggested that the Stone Tower Temple was intended to directly blaspheme Din, Nayru, Farore, and their Triforce. Also Skull Kid from Majora’s Mask is the one that you teach Saria’s Song to as well as sell a mask too in Ocarina of Time. I also believe that it is the same Skull Kid that appears in Twilight Princess due to the facts that the horn it uses is similar to Deku Link’s instrument in Majora’s Mask and once again he is playing Saria’s Song.

The towns in Adventure of Link are named after the sages in Ocarina of Time; this cements it as a game that comes after Ocarina. With The original Legend of Zelda coming before it, essentially Adventure of Link is a part two for the original game which details why the Triforce of courage was not in the original.

The resting place of the Master Sword in A Link to the Past is accounted for in Twilight Princess, and Twilight Princess appears to bridge Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past's Master Sword locations.

Link to the Past also has a back story referring to the Imprisoning War. The Imprisoning War also known as the Seal War was a conflict that ensued after Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm and laid claim to the Triforce, becoming Ganon. Ganondorf's seizure of the Triforce tainted the Golden Land, transforming it into the Dark World and Ganondorf himself into the beast named Ganon. He launched an invasion against Hyrule with his new army of monsters, made up of people from Hyrule that came seeking the Golden Power for themselves. This invasion was repelled by the Knights of Hyrule, who gave their lives almost to the last to protect the Seven Sages as they cast a seal on the Dark World, trapping Ganon and his army inside and restoring peace to Hyrule.

The problem this causes in placement is that it was stated that there was no Hero to wield the Master Sword. Even though there are a few games which have events that mirror it. However, I personally believe that it isn’t featured in a game or the Legends of it have changed as they were passed from generation to generation. It is hard to say where it fits in put personally I would say the most likely amount of time would be AFTER Ocarina ends and Link is transported to Termina in Majora’s Mask. At the end of Ocarina of Time (Child) Link and Zelda make sure Ganondorf is caught. However he nearly escapes imprisonment and it is possible that he managed to throw Hyrule into a war before being imprisoned. The reason there was no Hero worth of wielding the Master sword was because Link was no longer in the dimension and therefore they were unable to get Link to help them. This is just my theory.

Oracle of Ages <----> Oracle of Seasons

These two games are interchangeable,however they also relate to Ocarina of Time in the form of Twinrova beings who were trying to resurrect Ganon. They in fact served as the surrogate mother for Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time. In the Oracle games they attempted to revive Ganon and sacrificed themselves to do so. This implys that the Oracle games would happen at some point after Ocarina of Time and this would be after Ganon has been killed. The best place for it then is after Adventure of Link where Ganon is dead and they would want to revive him.

Also of note Wind Waker takes place about one thousand years after Ocarina of Time. Phantom Hourglass takes place no more than about a year after Wind Waker. Spirit Tracks takes place about 100 years after Phantom Hourglass. I haven't finished Spirit Tracks yet so it could still completely blow my theory out of the water.

This brings the timeline at least in my mind to look something like this:

The Minish Cap – Four Swords – Four Swords Adventures - Ocarina of Time < (Split occurs, see below)

- (Child off of OoT) Majora’s Mask – Twilight Princess – A Link to The Past – Link’s Awakening - Legend of Zelda – Adventure of Link - Oracle of Ages <----> Oracle of Seasons

- (Adult off of OoT)- The Wind Waker – Phantom Hourglass – Spirit Tracks

And there you have it!

Comments, criticism, etc. is welcome.

Kohaku