The middle ages

THE MIDDLE AGES

THE NORMAN CONQUEST:

1) The Normans belonged to the stock of Scandinavian peoples, whose development was mainly due to the use of the large iron axe. About 700 A.D. they spread along the coast of Norway and began to clear forests and build ships, which enabled them to make considerable voyages. They reached France and obtained by the Frankish kings the concession of the land, now known as Nor-mandy.

2) They came to Britain because the English King Edward the Confessor (1042-1066) had promised William Duke of Normandy, his distant cousin, to recognize him as his lawful heir.

But, on Edward's death, the witan proclaimed king of England Harold of Wessex. William assembled an army and invaded England. The unfortunate king Harold was defeated and killed at Hastings (October 1066). Then W. found a week opposition and the last bulk of resistance, assembled in London, was easily won by the troops. On Christmas day of 1066 he was crowned king of England in Westminster Abbey.

3) The Normans brought with them Feudalism. It consisted in a downward delegation of power: the king was the only owner of land, granted part of it to his followers in return for services in war of other dues. The Vassals received the lands and the political right of governing them. In their turn they subdivided them among other on similar terms and that formed a sort of pyramid. As Feudalism was imposed in England from above, it developed in a more complete and regular way than in other European countries. For the first time a strong central power was created which afterwards met oppositions above all from the barons.

4) W. the Conqueror is regarded as one of the most outstanding figures of the Middle Ages for his military genius and his wise policy. During his reign the Domesday Book was drawn up, a survey of the economic resources of the country and their distribution.

WILLIAM'S SUCCESSORS:

1) The Norman conquest put an and to a series of invasions and laid the basis for a stable national unity. William's successors William II and Henry I continued to strengthen the state's power.

2) At Henry's death the country plunged into civil war: a group of barons refused to recognize the right to the throne of Henry's daughter Matilda and supported his nephew Stephen of Blois. A compromise between the apposed parties was reached in 1152: S. was to reign during his life and Matilda's son H. of Anjouwas to succeed him.

HENRY II:

1) Stephen died the next year and Henry II was the first Plantagenet king. The Nickname Plantagenet comes from the Latin word planta genetica because of the habit of Henry's father of wearing a sprig of broom in his hat.

2)He married Eleanor of Aquitaine and was one of the most powerful kings of the time. His kingdom extended from the Scottish borders to the south of France even if his continental possessions were held by the king of France in a feudal asset.

3) He improved the state machinery created by his predecessors by establishing the Curia Regis to deal with the day to day affairs. Special affairs were dealt with by the council from which Parliament developed later on.

4) H. carried important financial and judicial reforms. When he attempted to try members of the clergy in the royal courts, the Church claimed the right to try them in its ecclesiastic courts.

5) The Church which had gained great power aimed at being recognized as independent. It was part of a wider movement investing all European countries known as the Investiture Struggle.

6) In order to extend his influence over the Church, Henry favoured the election of his Chancellor Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury. But Becket, who as Chancellor had helped the king to carry on his plans, now opposed him as Archbishop.

RICHARD I LIONHEARTED:

1) Son of Henry II, succeeded him. He was an adventurous king who preferred the pursuit of fame and glory to the affairs of the state. Together with other European monarchs he took an active share in the Crusade to recapture the Holy Places from the Moslem invaders. It was the first time that English ships afforded so long a voyage. Richard adopted St. George as his patron. The Crusade in itself proved a failure, as it cost a lot of lives and money, but had the advantage of establishing important trade connections between England and other countries.

2) The binational characters of kings and barons had favoured trade between England and France: iron, tin, salt, spices, wine and above all clothes were imported from Flanders and Gascony.

With the flourishing of trade, money became the normal system of paryment and replaced the old duties in king and services; a process which was called communication.

3) Moreover Richard's need of money to equip his army induced him to extend the selling of Charter to town: through paying a sum of money they freed themselves from their obligations. This brought out the rise of chartered towns freed from personal relations and services and contributed to the formation of new classes.