1. The Middle Ages

2. Essential Questions
What effects did the Norman invasion have on the way the English were governed?
What were the main features of feudalism? How did this change the social structure of Anglo-Saxon England?
What developments in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries began to undermine the feudal system?

3. 1066
Battle of Hastings; William the Conqueror-Duke of Normandy; William defeated the last Anglo-Saxon King, Harold of England
French became the language of the court in England
William wished to govern the Anglo-Norman English; not conquer them
William and his barons combined the more democratic Anglo-Saxon traditions with the new social system of the Normans: feudalism

4. The Norman Conquest
Radically affected English history, language, and culture
William the Conqueror
William’s cousin was the English king called Edward the Confessor.
Edward died childless earlier in 1066; Harold was crowned the following day.
Claiming that the throne was promised to him, William crossed the English Channel to claim the throne.

5. The Norman Conquest
The Normans combined some of the more democratic Anglo-Saxon practices (not democratic in the way we think of today) with their own administrative abilities.
The Normans stressed cultural unity.
The Domesday Book: a complete inventory of all of England’s property
Taxes, for the first time, were based on what people owned.

6. The Norman Conquest
William, and his successors, maintained their French titles in addition to new English ones.
William divided the property of fallen English landowners between his own followers.
Feudalism replaced the social structure we read about in Beowulf.

7. Feudalism

8. Feudalism
A social system, a caste system, a property system, and a military system.
Based on “religious” concept of rank; God was supreme overlord.
Vassal-dependent tenant (even the king was a vassal to God)
The king appointed barons and granted them land. These barons then supported the king monetarily and militarily. Barons were then allowed to appoint their own barons.
Serfs were bound to the land and could not leave it.

9. Feudalism
Because of so many disagreements, knights were always riding into battle to serve their lord.
Different lords were constantly fighting.

10. Manorialism
A component of the feudal system, the system by which the Lord of the Manor exploited the serfs or tenants who worked his estate.
Economic portion of feudalism
People paid taxes to the lord of the manor who then paid the King.

11. Knights
Boys were trained from an early age to be soldiers for their lord.
Complex code for knighthood
Swore loyalty to the feudal lord

12. The Role of Women
Women, even wealthy women, had little control over their own lives.
Marriages were arranged to benefit the families as a whole.
Women could marry as early as 12 with parental consent.
A dowry was awarded to the husband’s family.
Women answered to men their entire lives.
Most women died young (life expectancy was about 40) because of constant child bearing and malnutrition.

13. The Role of Women
Women were seen as inherently sinful; this has a biblical origin.
Because of Eve’s original sin, many people viewed women as an instrument of evil.
This was just a way for women to be treated as subservient property…
Men were allowed to beat their wives physically.
Married women could own and maintain property in the absence of their husbands.

14. Courtly Love/Chivalry
Chivalry: system of ideals and social codes governing the behavior of knights and gentlewomen
Knights had to adhere to certain rules of combat.
The idea existed that a knight should adore a lady because it made him more brave in battle.
The knight could never act on his admiration; it was all from afar so the lady could stay pure.

15. Romance
Romance: a term applied to a verse narrative that traces the adventures of a brave hero who has to overcome danger for the love of a noble lady
The Lord of the Rings is considered a modern romance.
Romance is a term that can be applied to several different literary devices and genres.

16. Cities and City Classes
As the population grew, people began to settle in cities. This made the feudal system obsolete.
There were three basic city classes: lower, middle, and upper middle.
There was an emerging merchant class.
This new middle class was not bound to the land and was able to fund new emerging art forms: ballads and mystery/miracle plays.

17. The Crusades 1095-1270; a series of holy wars waged against Muslims
Pope Urban II sent out a plea to Christians in Europe stating that it was their Christian duty to take back holy lands from Muslims.
Ultimately the only thing that European Christians gained was exposure to Middle Eastern mathematics, architecture, and astronomy.

18. St. Thomas a Becket
Thomas, a Norman, had risen to great power under his friend King Henry II (reigned ).
All Christians were Catholic; this was before the Protestant Reformation.
King Henry was a vassal of the pope.
The pope controlled most all of the crowns of Europe.
Henry appointed Thomas to Archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Catholic Church in England).
Thomas sided with the pope; this infuriated Henry.
Thomas a Becket was killed after Henry said “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”
Thomas’s martyrdom encouraged such outrage that it caused the crown to have even less control over clergy members, leading to a great deal of corruption in the church. Chaucer points this out in through his characters.
The Pope had no boundaries.

19. The Magna Carta “Great Charter” Signed by King John in 1215
Limited the control the monarchs had over subjects

20. The Hundred Years’ War 1337-1453
War waged by England against France
Based on weak claims to the throne of France by two English Kings (Edward III and Henry V)
Militarily unsuccessful for the English, but it did help foster a sense of consciousness for Britain
Most importantly: the yeoman (small landowner) class came into power-replacing the knight
The bows used by the yeoman class could penetrate the knight’s armor
Chivalry faded; knighthood faded

21. The Black Death Bubonic plague Struck England from 1348-1349
Spread from the fleas that infested infected rats
Lowered population by a third-giving lower classes more bargaining rights
The workforce was cut (see above)
plague

22. The Canterbury Tales Knight Manciple Squire Miller Yeoman Summoner
Prioress; another nun and three priests
Pardoner
Monk
Reeve
Friar
Plowman
Merchant
The Host
Clerk
The Narrator
Sergeant of Law
Franklin-
Dyer, haberdasher, weaver, carpenter, carpet maker (guildsmen)
Cook
Shipman
Doctor of Physic
Wife of Bath
Parson

23. The Canterbury Tales Chaucer- the father of English poetry
Made the English language respectable
Before Chaucer, serious poets did not write in English
Chaucer was educated; was important enough to receive ransom money from the king when captured in France
Government servant
The tales completed by 1400
There were supposed to be 116 tales (plus four from the host); only 24 were finished

24. The Canterbury Tales Meet at the Tabard Inn in Southward near London
55 miles to Canterbury
Three Estates
First Estate: Those Who Prayed (Ecclesiastical Characters)
Second Estate: Those Who Fought (Nobility)
Third Estate: Those Who Worked (Peasantry)