A historical record arranged by year. Often used for formal or academic historical accounts.
This chronicle records the events of the 12th century in detail.
年代記 is a formal term for a chronicle of a region or era, whereas 年譜 is more often used for the chronology of an individual's life or works.
Compound of 年代 (ねんだい, 'era, years') and 記 (き, 'record, chronicle'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common Sino-Japanese pattern for historical records.