The Middle The Middle AgesAges

By David Adams LeemingBy David Adams LeemingInstructed by Instructed by

BJ RogersBJ Rogers

The Norman ConquestThe Norman ConquestOctober 1066, William, October 1066, William,

Duke of Normandy, France, Duke of Normandy, France, defeated and killed King defeated and killed King Harold of England, the last Harold of England, the last Anglo-Saxon king.Anglo-Saxon king.

William the ConquerorWilliam the ConquerorIllegitimate son of the previous Illegitimate son of the previous

duke of Normandy who was duke of Normandy who was cousin to King Edward the cousin to King Edward the Confessor.Confessor.

Edward died childless and Edward died childless and Harold, earl of Wessex, was Harold, earl of Wessex, was crowned king the next day.crowned king the next day.

William’s ReignWilliam’s ReignWilliam claimed that King William claimed that King

Edward had promised him the Edward had promised him the throne and attacked with a throne and attacked with a large army.large army.

He wanted to rule the Anglo-He wanted to rule the Anglo-Saxons, not eliminate them.Saxons, not eliminate them.

Because of WilliamBecause of WilliamHe combined the Norman and He combined the Norman and

Anglo-Saxon elements of Anglo-Saxon elements of culture where the language culture where the language was Anglo-Saxon but the law was Anglo-Saxon but the law and order, cultural unity, and and order, cultural unity, and administrative abilities of the administrative abilities of the Normans were present.Normans were present.

The Domesday BookThe Domesday BookOne of William’s great One of William’s great

administrative feats was an administrative feats was an inventory of nearly every piece inventory of nearly every piece of property in England– land, of property in England– land, cattle, buildings– in the cattle, buildings– in the Domesday Book.Domesday Book.

He considered it a judgment of He considered it a judgment of his subjects’ financial worth his subjects’ financial worth and God’s final judgment of and God’s final judgment of their moral worth.their moral worth.

For the first time in European For the first time in European history, people could be taxed history, people could be taxed based on what they owned.based on what they owned.

What the French brought What the French brought to Englandto England

French languageFrench languageFeudalismFeudalism

A social, caste, property, and A social, caste, property, and military system based on a military system based on a religious concept of hierarchy, religious concept of hierarchy, with God as the supreme with God as the supreme overlord and the king held land overlord and the king held land as a vassal by “divine right”.as a vassal by “divine right”.

King WilliamKing WilliamBarons (as his vassals)Barons (as his vassals)

Who were given land in return for Who were given land in return for their economic and military their economic and military

allegianceallegiance

Landless knightsLandless knightsSerfsSerfs

who were not free to leave the land who were not free to leave the land they tilled.they tilled.

Did the Feudal System Did the Feudal System Always Work?Always Work?

NoNoVassals did not always Vassals did not always obey, especially if the obey, especially if the overlord was weak.overlord was weak.

ChivalryChivalryFrom the French word From the French word

chevalcheval which means “horse” which means “horse” Means a knight on a horseMeans a knight on a horse

Defined as a complete code Defined as a complete code of conduct…of conduct…

Where the knight’s first Where the knight’s first obligation was to defend his obligation was to defend his lord, the king and the Christian lord, the king and the Christian faith, but the code also faith, but the code also covered how to treat a lady, covered how to treat a lady, how to help others, and how to how to help others, and how to resist the urge to run away if resist the urge to run away if captured.captured.

Chivalry also defined as…Chivalry also defined as…

A system of ideals and A system of ideals and social codes governing the social codes governing the behavior of knights and behavior of knights and gentlewomen.gentlewomen.

Chivalry demandedChivalry demandedThat one’s oath of loyalty to the That one’s oath of loyalty to the

overlord and observing certain overlord and observing certain rules of warfare, such as never rules of warfare, such as never attacking an unarmed opponent attacking an unarmed opponent and adoring a particular lady was and adoring a particular lady was seen as a means of achieving seen as a means of achieving self-improvement.self-improvement.

Courtly loveCourtly loveRevering and acting in the name Revering and acting in the name

of a lady would make a knight of a lady would make a knight braver and better.braver and better.

Nonsexual ideallyNonsexual ideallyKnight might wear his lady’s Knight might wear his lady’s

colors in battlecolors in battle

Might glorify her in words and Might glorify her in words and be inspired by her.be inspired by her.

Lady always remained pure Lady always remained pure and out of reach. She was “set and out of reach. She was “set above” her admirerabove” her admirer

Provided built in dramaProvided built in dramaBrought about an idealized Brought about an idealized

attitude toward women.attitude toward women.

KnightsKnights

Primary duty of males Primary duty of males above the serf class was above the serf class was military service to their military service to their lords, boys were trained lords, boys were trained from an early age to from an early age to become warriors.become warriors.

When training was complete, When training was complete, the boys were “dubbed” or the boys were “dubbed” or ceremonially tapped on the ceremonially tapped on the shoulder (originally a hard shoulder (originally a hard testing blow). testing blow).

Once knighted, the youth Once knighted, the youth became a man with the title became a man with the title “sir” and the full rights of the “sir” and the full rights of the warrior caste.warrior caste.

Women in Medieval SocietyWomen in Medieval SocietyHad no political rightsHad no political rightsAlways subservient to a man, Always subservient to a man,

whether husband, father, or whether husband, father, or brother. brother.

Her husband’s or father’s Her husband’s or father’s social standing determined the social standing determined the degree of respect she degree of respect she commanded. commanded.

Peasant women led a life of Peasant women led a life of ceaseless childbearing, ceaseless childbearing, housework, and hard housework, and hard fieldwork.fieldwork.

Women of a higher station Women of a higher station took charge of managing the took charge of managing the entire estate while the entire estate while the husband was gone, but husband was gone, but relinquished all power once he relinquished all power once he returned.returned.

A woman’s perceived value A woman’s perceived value was tied to the value of the was tied to the value of the lands she brought to a lands she brought to a marriage.marriage.

Chivalry gave rise to a new Chivalry gave rise to a new form of literature, the romance.form of literature, the romance.The greatest English example The greatest English example

of a romance is of a romance is Sir Gawain Sir Gawain and the Green Knightand the Green Knight

Medieval society centered Medieval society centered around the feudal castle, but around the feudal castle, but the population grew, causing the population grew, causing many to live in towns and cities.many to live in towns and cities.

The development of the city The development of the city classes – lower, middle and classes – lower, middle and upper-middle form because of upper-middle form because of the increase in population.the increase in population.

The merchant class formed The merchant class formed when people of the cities who when people of the cities who were free (not tied to the land or were free (not tied to the land or to knighthood and chivalry) to knighthood and chivalry) moved away from the castle.moved away from the castle.

The merchant class had a The merchant class had a distinct style of art and their distinct style of art and their point of view was expressed in point of view was expressed in ballads and mystery plays (or ballads and mystery plays (or miracle plays).miracle plays).

The CrusadesThe CrusadesA series of wars waged by A series of wars waged by

European Christians against the European Christians against the Muslims, with Jerusalem and the Muslims, with Jerusalem and the Holy Land as the prize.Holy Land as the prize.

Though they did not win, they Though they did not win, they benefited from contact with benefited from contact with Eastern mathematics, astronomy, Eastern mathematics, astronomy, architecture, and craftsarchitecture, and crafts

St. Thomas a BecketSt. Thomas a BecketThomas, a Norman, was prime Thomas, a Norman, was prime

minister under his friend King minister under his friend King Henry IIHenry II

All Christians belonged to the All Christians belonged to the Catholic ChurchCatholic Church

King Henry was a vassal to the King Henry was a vassal to the pope, who was very powerful and pope, who was very powerful and controlled most of the crowned controlled most of the crowned heads of Europe.heads of Europe.

King Henry appointed Thomas King Henry appointed Thomas as Archbishop of Canterbury as Archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Catholic Church (head of the Catholic Church in England), hoping to gain an in England), hoping to gain an upper hand in disputes with upper hand in disputes with the Church.the Church.

Thomas took the pope’s side Thomas took the pope’s side more and this angered Henry.more and this angered Henry.

In 1170, King Henry said, In 1170, King Henry said, “Will no one rid me of this “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest.”turbulent priest.”Four of Henry’s knights took Four of Henry’s knights took him literally and killed him literally and killed Thomas in his own Thomas in his own cathedral.cathedral.

This created a backlash This created a backlash against Henry.against Henry.

Clergymen began to take advantage Clergymen began to take advantage of the situation and corruption ran of the situation and corruption ran unchecked.unchecked.

The positive effects of the church The positive effects of the church were:were:Fostered cultural unityFostered cultural unityWas the center of learningWas the center of learningIts monasteries were libraries and Its monasteries were libraries and

publishers of the timepublishers of the timeIts language, Latin, remained the Its language, Latin, remained the

international language of educated international language of educated Europeans.Europeans.

The Magna CartaThe Magna CartaIn 1215, King John was forced by In 1215, King John was forced by

the barons to sign the Magna the barons to sign the Magna Carta which safeguarded the Carta which safeguarded the nobles rights, thus keeping papal nobles rights, thus keeping papal power from unjust actions.power from unjust actions.

It became the basis for English It became the basis for English constitutional law where trial by constitutional law where trial by jury and legislative taxation were jury and legislative taxation were established.established.

The Hundred Years’ WarThe Hundred Years’ WarFrom 1337-1453 was waged From 1337-1453 was waged

by England against France.by England against France.Two English Kings made false Two English Kings made false

claims to the French throne claims to the French throne (Edward III & Henry V)(Edward III & Henry V)

English lost English lost

English yeomanEnglish yeoman

After the war, the English were After the war, the English were no longer best represented by no longer best represented by the knight in shining armor, but the knight in shining armor, but rather by the green-clad rather by the green-clad yeoman (small- landowner) with yeoman (small- landowner) with his longbow who formed the his longbow who formed the nucleus of the English armies in nucleus of the English armies in France.France.

The Black DeathThe Black DeathAlso called the bubonic Also called the bubonic

plague, struck England in plague, struck England in 1348-1349.1348-1349.

Spread by fleas from infected Spread by fleas from infected rats, the disease reduced the rats, the disease reduced the nation’s population by a third.nation’s population by a third.

Decrease in Population Decrease in Population due to the Plaguedue to the Plague

Caused a labor shortageCaused a labor shortageGave the lower classes more Gave the lower classes more

leverage than ever before leverage than ever before against their overlordsagainst their overlords

The freedom of the serfs was The freedom of the serfs was one long-term result which one long-term result which knocked out feudalism’s last knocked out feudalism’s last support.support.

The end is in sightThe end is in sightKing Henry VII’s 1486 King Henry VII’s 1486

marriage which reconciled the marriage which reconciled the Houses of York and Houses of York and Lancaster (and began the Lancaster (and began the Tudor line) brought the Middle Tudor line) brought the Middle Ages to an end. Thus began Ages to an end. Thus began the Renaissance in England.the Renaissance in England.