Political and Social Highlights King Alfred and his descendants unite Anglo- Saxon England in the late ninth century. William the Conqueror defeats the Anglo-Saxons in 1066 and introduces feudalism to Britain. The Middle Ages Fast Facts English barons force King John to sign the Magna Carta in In 1348 and 1349, the Black Death reduces England’s population by a third.

Literary Highlights The bards ensure stories have an important position in early British culture. [End of Section] The Anglo-Saxon Period and the Middle Ages Fast Facts Chivalry gives rise to a new form of literature, the romance.

By establishing a social structure called feudalism, William created a hierarchy of rulers under one lord and a network of thousands of knights sworn to serve him. feudalism knights History of the Times To squash revolts, William divided the land among his loyal barons and built castles around the country.divided the land In the Norman invasion of 1066, William the Conqueror defeats the Anglo-Saxons. William the Conqueror Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain

a duke from Normandy, France, claimed the English throne had been promised to him William the Conqueror crosses the English Channel with a huge army defeats King Harold and the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain

The Normans Change England kept Anglo-Saxon government systems but centralized power replaced English nobility with Normans and created class divisions that oppressed Anglo-Saxons replaced English with French as language of the ruling class added law and order to Anglo-Saxons’ democratic and artistic achievements Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain

lords (powerful vassals) appoint their own vassals some vassals appointed by king in return for loyalty Feudalism social, economic, political, and military system based on a religious concept of rank King Lords powerful landowners Vassals did work or military service for feudal lords in exchange for land Serfs servants to lords and vassals, bound to their master’s land Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain

Knights provided military service to lords often the sons of nobles began training at an early age wore very heavy armor into battle followed a code of chivalry Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain

Bibles and gospels created in monasteries are celebrated for their brilliant illuminated manuscripts, all created by hand. Literature of the Times Literature is written in Norman French —or in Latin in the monasteries. Old English disappears from laws and literature after William makes French the language of the state. Key Concept: The Normans Invade Britain Other literature includes poems, religious allegories, morality plays, and biographies.

History of the Times The contributions of each group affected how well villages and towns prospered.villages Medieval society was dependent on strictly defined social classes—nobility, knights, priests, merchants, and peasants and serfs.peasants and serfs Villages, built around castles, were the fundamental center of medieval society. Social mobility was nearly impossible in the Middle Ages. Social status remained fixed.Social status Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society

Peasants and Serfs This illustration from the Golf Book of Hours shows peasants taking a break from their work in the fields. The bulk of society consisted of laborers. Peasants owned their land; serfs did not. Serfs were little more than slaves to their overlords. Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society

most merchants and artisans lived in villages townspeople’s tastes influenced arts, ballads, plays, and so on Growth of Cities and Towns merchant class—people earned their own money Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society villagers viewed themselves as having more freedom for art

Regardless of how hard a merchant worked or how much money an artisan earned, social status was fixed. Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society Social Status A family’s only hope was to apprentice a son to a higher vocation or marry a daughter “up” to a husband from a higher class.

Works written in English, such as ballads and romances, help to define England’s identity. Some medieval writers begin to use the vernacular, or language of the people. Literature of the Times A new literary form—the romance narrative— reflects the ideals of courtly love and chivalry.romancechivalry Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society Scholarly works from monasteries and universities reflect society’s interest in moral instruction and morality plays.

The Romance new genre of literature inspired by legends of chivalrous knights hero goes on quest to conquer evil enemy includes stories of distant, idealized courtly lovecourtly love hero often has magical help Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur (from a 14 th c manuscript)

Courtly Love The knight glorified the lady in words adored the lady and was inspired by her The lady was set above her admirer remained pure and out of reach Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society

how to resist the urge to run away if captured Code of Chivalry A code of conduct that covered whom to defend — knight’s lord, the king, and the Christian faith how to treat a lady— courtly love how to help others Key Concept: Life in Medieval Society

Medieval Narrative Influences on the Medieval Narrative Popular legends from the early Middle Ages that were embellished over time Religious literature that passed along the ideals and beliefs of an era Urban growth, cultural development, and widespread disease that altered social structures

Despite the challenges of war, plague, and oppression, the Middle Ages were hardly “dark.” We are indebted to the Middle Ages for many modern ideas and institutions, including universities governmental forms concepts of the world concepts of God The Dark Ages? Medieval Narrative

Many stories from the period contain the same passion, humor, and sense of wonder that we see today. The medieval narratives that have survived reflect much of the time’s positive outlook. The Dark Ages? Medieval Narrative

The term medieval often conjures up images of knights riding off into battle or on magical quests. Adventure, Morality, Life These heroic adventures were the foundation for the popular romance literature of the era. Much of this narrative tradition emerged from earlier stories, such as the King Arthur legends. Medieval Narrative

The same themes and subjects that consume us today are found throughout medieval stories: Love BetrayalHope Conquest Desire Adventure, Morality, Life Medieval Narrative

Religious narratives were also a significant part of medieval culture. These texts combined entertaining travel adventures with morally instructive religious stories. The Golden Legend, by Jacobus da Varagine, is a thirteenth-century collection of stories about saints’ lives. Adventure, Morality, Life Medieval Narrative

Religious narratives were often allegories, stories in which literal elements represent abstract or moral concepts. Through the use of allegory, medieval literature explored cultural ideals confirmed values amused audiences Adventure, Morality, Life Medieval Narrative

As the Middle Ages progressed, elements of daily life found their way into stories. reality of city living fear of the plague Adventure, Morality, Life Medieval Narrative

Two pieces of literature from the Middle Ages stand out as vital links to the modern world. a collection of stories set during the time of the Black Death The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio explores diverse characters The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer includes romance, faith, humor, alongside darker, humanistic themes 1 2 Adventure, Morality, Life Medieval Narrative

The medieval romance narrative features an idealized hero who Medieval Romance undertakes a quest in the service of a lady or a high ideal faces a series of tests meets dragons or supernatural beings The romance narrative can be prose or poetry.

Medieval Romance These Arthurian romances were made popular by Chrétien de Troyes, a French court poet, during the second half of the twelfth century. Many medieval romances are about Camelot and King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table.CamelotRound Table

Medieval Romance Camelot—the town from which the legendary King Arthur ruled England. Camelot was a perfect world inhabited by imperfect people. Arthur’s kingdom fell, but the idea of chivalry lived on. The Round Table—had no head or foot, symbolizing the equality among those who were seated there.

Love can play a role in the Arthurian romance, but the focus is the hero. Medieval Romance Not Just a Love Story Because the hero is bound by the code of chivalry, many romances are about seeking justice and helping people in need. Today, romance describes any story that presents a happier, more perfect, or more heroic world.