1. Medieval Era Medieval Era starts at the year 1066 to 1485
England goes from turmoil to stability in a relatively short amount of time

2. Invasion and Conquest 1066 Harold II was the chosen ruler of England
Battle of Hastings
William of Normandy took power on October 14th 1066
William the Conqueror was crowned king on Christmas Day of 1066 and the Medieval Era came into being

3. Results of the Norman Conquest
When the Normans took over they inherited a nation of 2million Anglo-Saxons
They had a relatively well organized social and political structure
Norman Conquest changed the social structure and ushered in feudalism

4. Results of the Norman Conquest
The Anglo-Saxons lost all their land (it was given over to the king)
Peasants were forced into unpaid labor
Women lost any of the previous status that they once had (now seen as property)

5. Results of the Norman Conquest
To their credit the Normans improved farming
Put an end to Viking Raids
Began to build stone cathedrals and churches
Also began to build castles

6. Results of the Norman Conquest
Feudalism- complicated system of landholding where no one actually owns any land except the king
King grants land to lords to hold until the king needs the land for a purpose
Nobles are the kings vassals, or servants

7. Results of the Norman Conquest
Knights were young men of noble birth who were trained and committed to fighting for the lord
Knights were the heart of the feudal system
Serfs were the backbone of the feudal system: the produced all of the things that made the political system work

8. Results of the Norman Conquest
As soon as lords occupied their lands the started a castle building program
A castle was for family living, defense, and most importantly a secure base for the lords and vassals to control all their lands
A castle tower and it surroundings were built in 10ft per year. Clearly taking a long time.

9. Results of the Norman Conquest
Resented by lower classes
Symbol of the substance and wealth of the ruling class.
Were taxes were collected and grievances were settled

10. Establishment of Law and Order
Normans began to codify their social and political structures
DOOMSDAY BOOK In William decided to find out how much land and who owned what assets
Sent out commissioners to find out and they were collected in what is known as the Doomsday Book

11. Establishment of Law and Order
“Dom” is the Anglo Saxon word for “judgment” and the assessment was a judgment that was used to asses taxes

12. Primogeniture Primogeniture: an inheritance system
Keeping large landholdings in tact was key to the Norman social-political system
Primo means first
First born son inherits the title and the estate
Any other children do not have any legal claim to any property that their family owned

13. Primogeniture
Second son would become a high ranking member of the clergy
Third son would become a knight
This system is still intact in England today

14. Magna Carta Document signed by King John in 1215
King John’s lords made him sign the document stating that they would have a say in what money the king would get from his people and how it would be used
This document planted the seeds for a representative government in England

15. Magna Carta
Because of this document, King John was completely abhorred by future monarchs and there were not any other kings named King John after that year

16. Catholic Church The Church was a unifying element in England
All believed in the Church’s importance on earth, and looked forward in confidence, or fear, to the afterlife it promised
The Church was the chief educator, historian, and librarian for the Church
Because of monks we are now able to know what was going on in that time period

17. Bubonic Plague
Between 1346 and 1349 the plague took one-third of the population of England
No one knew that the disease was spread by fleas so the population could not protect itself
Killed quickly and painfully: often with raised lumps called buboes and within hours or days the victim succumbed to death

18. Bubonic Plague
Ring around the Rosies was a song that originated from this time period due to the plague
The plague loosened the feudal system enough so that other classes began to develop

19. End of an Era
The Medieval Era ended on 1485 with the coronation of King Hennery VII
With the crowning of Henry VII the Renaissance was ushered into being