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Published byLorin Watts Modified over 9 years ago
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“a place for everything and everything in its place.”
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October 14, 1066 - William of Normandy defeated King Harold of England – last Anglo- Saxon king William: Illegitimate son of previous duke of Normandy Cousin to Edward the Confessor - previous childless king of England Edward promised him he could be king
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William crossed the English Channel to take his kingdom Preserved the culture Domesday Book – taxed people based on what they owned Anglo – Norman culture – mainstream European culture Divided English holdings among followers New social system - feudalism
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Increasing violence and lawless countryside Weak turn to the strong for protection, strong want something from the weak Feudalism= relationship between those ranked in a chain of association (kings, vassals, lords, knights, serfs) Feudalism worked because of the notion of mutual obligation, or voluntary co-operation from serf to noble A man’s word was the cornerstone of social life - loyalty
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Caste system Property system Military system Based on religious concept of hierarchy – God supreme overlord “divine right” of kings Sense of form and manners permeated the life, art, and literature
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All males above the class of serf became warriors Boys sent away to be trained Completion of training – dubbed – called “sir” Full rights of the warrior caste Grounded in loyalty and strict social codes Code of honor – very strict
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No political rights Standing depends on husband’s or father’s status Peasant women – childbearing, housework, hard fieldwork Ladies – childbearing, housework supervision, manage the estate
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Idealized attitude toward women New form of literature – romance System of ideals & social codes ruling the behavior of knights and gentle women Courtly love – nonsexual Knight – wear his lady’s colors in battle; glorify her in words; be inspired; lady remained pure and out of reach
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People moved to towns and cities Lived and worked outside the feudal system New classes: low, middle, upper- middle Chaucer’s characters typify this change “people’s art” Mystery and miracle plays
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The Crusades (1095 – 1270) - Christians against Muslims for the Holy Land -Europeans benefit from contact with the East - Eastern mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and crafts - responsible for changes in literature – Canterbury Tales
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Murder in the Cathedral - Weakened the power of the king - Strengthened the power of the Pope - King Henry II was angry with Thomas a’ Becket - Mistakenly 3 knights thought the king wanted him dead - So they killed him
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The Magna Carta - 1215 - signed at Runnymede by King John - reduced papal power -basis for English constitutional law - trial by jury and legislative taxation
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The Hundred Years’ War (1337- 1453) - between England and France - yeomen replaced knights as England’s army – using the longbow - emergence of the yeoman class – democratic England - ideals of chivalry died - England lost the war
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The Black Death - 1348 -1349 - reduced population by 1/3 - labor shortage - serfs’ freedom - end of feudalism
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Norman Conquest brought England into the mainstream of European civilization Feudal system centralized military, political, and economic power in the Crown The Roman Church crossed national boundaries and fostered cultural unity across Europe Towns and cities freed people to pursue their own commercial and artistic interests The Magna Carta weakened the political power of the Church and paved the way for democracy
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Exposure to Eastern civilization as a result of the Crusades broadened European’s intellectual horizons The ideals of chivalry improved attitudes toward, but not rights of, women The rise of the yeoman class paved the way for democracy in England The bubonic plague created a labor shortage that contributed to the end of feudalism and to the passing of the Middle Ages
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