Late Medieval Britain (4/11)
Summary
TLDRThe script narrates the pivotal Norman Conquest of England in 1066, highlighting King Harold II's defeat and Duke William of Normandy's crowning. It delves into the subsequent feudal system, the Magna Carta's significance, and the Hundred Years' War. It also touches on the cultural and social shifts, including the Black Death's impact, the rise of nationalism, and the eventual establishment of the Tudor dynasty.
Takeaways
- 🏰 In 1066, King Harold II of England was defeated by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings, marking the beginning of the Norman Conquest and a new era in British history.
- 👑 William the Conqueror's crowning on Christmas Day 1066 initiated a shift in the monarchy, with historians often starting the count of English kings from him.
- 🛡 The Normans introduced new architectural styles and refined the feudal system in England, which was characterized by the granting of land to the king's supporters in exchange for loyalty.
- 📚 The Domesday Book was a comprehensive survey of England's resources, valuing the entire country and serving as a basis for taxation and governance.
- 🌾 The Normans faced resistance and rebellions, particularly in the north of England, where the 'Harrying of the North' in 1069 led to significant destruction and loss of life.
- 🏛 The power dynamics between the monarchy and the church were a significant issue, exemplified by the conflict between Henry II and Thomas Becket, which resulted in Becket's death.
- 🏰 The civil war in the 1130s saw barons building castles and supporting rival claimants, highlighting the inherent problems of the feudal system, including the balance of power.
- 📜 The Magna Carta of 1215 was a significant document that limited the power of the monarchy and established principles that are still relevant today, such as fair trials and representation in taxation.
- 🏴 The Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 was a key document in asserting Scottish independence and helped to define a Scottish national identity.
- 🤝 The Hundred Years' War with France was a major conflict that defined England's foreign relations and saw significant English victories, such as at the battles of Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt.
- 👩🌾 The majority of the medieval British population were peasants, with women playing a crucial role in agricultural work, household management, and local economies.
Q & A
What significant event occurred in late September 1066 that impacted King Harold II of England?
-In late September 1066, King Harold II of England was interrupted during a feast celebrating a victory over a Viking invasion when news arrived of a second invader, the Normans, having landed at the other end of the country.
Where did the Battle of Hastings take place and what was its outcome?
-The Battle of Hastings took place on the south coast of England and resulted in the death of King Harold II. This led to the Norman Duke, William, being crowned William I of England on Christmas Day later that year.
What was the 'Doomsday Book' and why was it created?
-The 'Doomsday Book' was a survey of everything in England, created by William the Conqueror to value and tax the land. It was called so because it was supposed to last forever until the Day of Doom.
How did the Normans change the architectural landscape of Britain?
-The Normans introduced a new architectural style when building their castles and churches in Britain, which had a significant impact on the architectural landscape of the country.
What were the inherent problems with the feudal system as described in the script?
-The feudal system had three inherent problems: the problem of balance, the problem of the church, and the problem of being a bad king. These issues often led to conflicts and instability.
What event in 1170 highlighted the power struggle between the king and the church?
-The death of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, in 1170 was a significant event that highlighted the power struggle between King Henry II and the church.
Why was King John vilified in history?
-King John was vilified in history due to his inability to conduct successful wars in France, resulting in the loss of ancestral lands and a heavy financial burden on the English taxpayer.
What were the two items in the Magna Carta that remain important today?
-Two items in the Magna Carta that remain important today are the principles that no one can be punished without a fair trial and that no one can be taxed without the consent of their representatives.
How did the Black Death impact the population of Britain and the status of peasants?
-The Black Death, which reached Britain in the late 1340s, reduced the population by as much as 50 percent. This allowed surviving peasants to gain more leverage in demanding higher wages or finding more favorable lords.
What was the significance of the Battle of Granickburn in 1314 for Scotland?
-The Battle of Granickburn in 1314 marked Scotland's assertion of complete independence from England, ending English influence and solidifying Scottish identity.
How did the Hundred Years War between England and France affect relations with Scotland?
-The Hundred Years War created a natural alliance between France and Scotland as enemies of England, further polarizing English and Scottish relations.
Outlines
🏰 Norman Conquest and Aftermath
The first paragraph details the events of late 1066 when King Harold II of England was celebrating a victory over the Vikings when news of William the Conqueror's invasion reached him. Harold's swift march to Hastings and the ensuing battle resulted in his death and the Norman conquest of England. The paragraph also discusses the impact of the conquest on Britain, including the creation of the Domesday Book, the challenges of feudalism, and the struggles of King John with the Magna Carta. It highlights the shift in British history's focus towards Western Europe and the difficulties faced in subduing Wales and Scotland.
🏹 Feudal Struggles and National Identity
The second paragraph delves into the complexities of feudalism, the power dynamics between the monarchy and the nobility, and the influence of the church. It recounts the civil war of the 1130s, the rise of national sentiment in Scotland with figures like William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, and the Hundred Years' War between England and France. The paragraph also touches on the lives of peasants and the economic importance of wool, the growth of trade and literacy, and the cultural developments like the founding of Oxford and Cambridge universities and the publication of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. It concludes with the demographic impact of the Black Death and the subsequent Peasants' Revolt.
🌹 The War of the Roses and the Tudor Dynasty
The final paragraph briefly mentions the War of the Roses, a civil war that led to the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the establishment of the Tudor dynasty in England. It signifies a transition in English history from the medieval period to the early modern era, marking a shift in power and the beginning of a new chapter in British monarchy.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Norman Conquest
💡Feudalism
💡Magna Carta
💡Hundred Years' War
💡Black Death
💡Peasants Revolt
💡Wool Trade
💡Canterbury Tales
💡War of the Roses
💡Robert the Bruce
💡Geographic Diversity
Highlights
In late September 1066, King Harold II of England was interrupted during a feast celebrating victory over a Viking invasion by news of another invader landing, prompting a rapid march to the south coast for the Battle of Hastings.
The Battle of Hastings was unusually long, lasting eight hours, with the Anglo-Saxon loss being sealed by King Harold's death.
William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy, was crowned King of England on Christmas Day 1066, marking the beginning of a new phase in British history with the Norman Conquest.
English resistance did not end in 1066, with rebellions continuing for nine years and William using savage methods to subdue them, including the destruction of all animals and crops in northern England in 1069.
The Doomsday Book was created as a survey of everything in England, valuing the entire kingdom at 73,000 pounds and making it the richest in Northern Europe.
England's relatively recent unification as a country facilitated a quicker conquest, unlike the more difficult conquests of Wales and Scotland with their hilly terrain and lack of a single political unit.
The Normans introduced a new architectural style for castles and churches in Britain and refined the feudal system, where wealth was measured in land ownership and granted to the king's supporters in return for loyalty.
Feudalism faced inherent problems such as the balance of power, the influence of the church, and the consequences of having a bad king.
During the 1130s civil war, barons built castles, kept soldiers, and supported rival claimants to the throne, highlighting the challenges of maintaining loyalty in the feudal system.
Henry II's reign saw the restoration of royal authority and struggles with the power of the church, leading to the death of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170.
King John's reign was marked by failures in war and government, leading to the Magna Carta in 1215, which demanded reforms and limited the king's power.
The Magna Carta included provisions that remain important today, such as the right to a fair trial and the requirement for representatives' agreement on taxation.
The Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 defended Scottish independence and helped define Scottish identity, later inspiring the American Declaration of Independence.
Nationalist sentiment grew in England following victories against the French, such as at the battles of Cressy, Poitiers, and Agincourt.
The Hundred Years' War between England and France highlighted the fluctuating control of territories and the alliances formed, such as between France and Scotland.
The majority of the medieval British population were peasants living in small villages, with women playing significant roles in farming, household chores, and local trade.
The Black Death in the 1340s led to a significant population decline and the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, which in turn resulted in increased freedom for peasants from serfdom.
The War of the Roses, the final civil war of this period, led to the establishment of the Tudor dynasty, marking a significant shift in English history.
Transcripts
late september 1066
king harold ii of england was in
mid-feast celebrating a definitive
victory over a viking invasion
when the news arrived that a second
invader had landed at the other end of
the country
with his typical energy harold marched
his exhausted army over 240 miles in
less than two weeks to hastings on the
south coast
the battle was unusually long a
gruelling eight hours of hard fighting
but the anglo-saxon loss was sealed when
towards the end of the day
harold was killed later that year on
christmas day
the bastard duke of normandy was crowned
william king of england
sadly for the likes of ethelstan knut
and harold william tends to be the
monarch where we start counting the
kings of england from as unfair as this
perhaps is
historians didn't choose 1066
arbitrarily a new phase in british
history began with the norman conquest
the late middle ages saw a change in
outlook away from scandinavia towards
france western europe and beyond
english resistance did not end in 1066
it was another nine years before william
was secure on his throne
as more rebellions kept cropping up more
savage methods were used to put them
down
in 1069 he ordered the destruction of
all animals and crops in northern
england
leading to as many as 150 000
deaths when england was more safely
subdued william set about valuing and
taxing it
a survey of everything was created the
doomsday book
so called because it was supposed to
last forever until the day of doom
it valued the whole of england at 73 000
pounds
which made it the richest kingdom in
northern europe the fact that england
had been unified as a country only a
century earlier allowed for a quicker
conquest than had there been many
smaller kingdoms but neither wales nor
scotland were a single political unit
and their terrain was hilly making
conquest more difficult at times through
this period welsh and scottish kings
acknowledged the overlordship of english
kings but this was not always sustained
the normans brought a new architectural
style when building their castles and
churches in britain and if they didn't
introduce feudalism they certainly
refined it
wealth was measured in the amount of
land owned and through the feudal system
land was given to the king's supporters
in return for loyalty it could be an
effective system of governing but there
were three inherent problems with
feudalism the problem of the balance the
problem of the church
and the problem of being a bad king
barons were high-ranking members of the
nobility
some were almost like kings themselves
during a civil war in the 1130s barons
built castles
kept their own soldiers and supported
rival claimants to the throne switching
sides as it suited them
it wasn't until after the coronation of
a new king henry ii
that royal authority was restored henry
ii also suffered under feudalism's
second inherent problem the power of the
church
religion played a huge role in medieval
people's lives
it was present at all major life
occasions from baptism through to the
grave
the church was the focal point of
community life and churchmen answered
not to the king in england but the pope
in rome
henry's attempts to exercise greater
control led to the death of the
archbishop of canterbury thomas beckett
in 1170.
as penance for his involvement henry ii
one of the most powerful men in western
europe
agreed to be flogged despite this henry
ii was an effective king he did not
experience the third inherent problem
with feudalism
his son john however did vilified for
his part in the mythical stories of
robin hood
king john has had a rough time of it
historically and whilst he may have had
victories in battle against the irish he
was unable to conduct the wars in france
with any success
he lost nearly all his ancestral lands
there and at great cost to the english
taxpayer a system of government that
relies on loyalty becomes redundant if
the king is unable to inspire it
in the 1130s and the 1400s rebel barons
had supported rival claimants to the
throne but in 1215 there were no
credible
alternative candidates to focus their
support on so the barons were forced to
devise a different kind of focus
a program of reform instead of swearing
allegiance to an alternative ruler they
could swear to abide by the terms of the
magna carta
two items in the magna carta are still
important today we cannot be punished
without a fair trial and we cannot be
taxed without our representatives
agreeing to it
it was not in fact the intention of the
barons to demand greater power for the
people
only to protect the hundred or so of
them from being overtaxed
however over the centuries the magna
carta grew in importance and allowed for
the birth and growth of parliament
creating a consultative king not a
feudal overlord
drawing up a document of reform became
the new standard procedure for any
opposition
such as the declaration of our growth in
1320 until then the land that was to
become
scotland had been ethnically
geographically economically and
culturally diverse
and included scots picks britons and
angles
but this document which defended
scottish independence from the kingdom
of england
also helped define scottish identity it
was later used as an inspiration for the
american declaration of independence
at the time of the norman conquest
people didn't think of themselves as
belonging to a nation they felt they
belonged to their family a village
or their lord even kings thought of
their land simply as their own estates
to do with as they pleased but the
independence movement in scotland saw
english influence end with robert the
bruce's victory at granite burn in 1314.
popular resistance leaders like william
wallace and in wales owen glindir
inspired people to believe their country
was special and separate
for the english nationalist sentiment
grew in the aftermath of staggering
victories against the french in battles
like cressi poitier
and agincourt the attention of english
kings during this period swung back and
forth between conquering and maintaining
their lands in britain and their lands
in france when william
the first had invaded england he had
already been the duke of normandy
over the next few centuries the lands
english kings controlled swelled and
shrank
at times they ruled more of france than
the french king in fact for many of the
early norman and plantagenet kings
england wasn't even their most important
possession the first monarch after 1066
to speak english as his first language
wasn't until
1327. during this period british knights
were involved in conflicts in a wide
range of localities including the middle
east
english attempts to subdue ireland had
mixed results but wales was eventually
conquered
the main enemy for england at this time
was of course france
most famously with the hundred years war
this cross-channel enmity created a
natural friendship between france and
scotland the old
alliance which further polarized english
and scottish relations
but despite at one time having both the
king of france and the king of scotland
prisoner
by 1453 all french territory beyond
calais was lost and in 1603 a scottish
king sat on the throne
of england whilst the noblemen get much
of the attention
ninety percent of the population of
medieval britain were peasants
most lived in small villages in houses
sharing their living space with the
animals they raised
the floor was made of beaten earth with
an open fire on a stone slab in the
middle there was no chimney
so the cottage was often filled with
smoke of course fifty percent of the
population were women but sadly they did
not get mentioned much in the history
books
noble women often had the choice of
arranged marriages or becoming nuns
for peasant women they had more choice
of husband but with life expectancy
around 40 women would be expected to
marry again if their husbands died
their lord might even command it as it
made more sense for houses to be
occupied by families rather than
individuals
and there was always plenty of work to
be done men often worked the land
whilst women raised the children looked
after the livestock
ground the grain baked the bread cooked
the food cleaned the house
did the washing collected the water cut
the wood brewed the beer and if needed
which they often
were helped with farming in the south
and east of britain where the land was
relatively flat and best for farming
peasants work strips of land in rotation
one field in four would be left fallow
to replenish its nutrients
further west and north into cornwall
wales and scotland where the land was
hilliar an
infield outfield system was in place
which devoted much more time to sheep
herding and britain was an island full
of sheep
wool and later spun cloth was britain's
main export
woolsacks became symbols of wealth and
power today the lord chancellor sits on
a wall sack in the house of lords
as trade links grew with more parts of
europe so too did the number of
merchants
more people could read and write the
universities of oxford and cambridge
were founded and in the late 1300s one
of the first great poems to be written
in english geoffrey chaucer's canterbury
tales was published in 1086 the
population was perhaps one and a half
million
only 20 towns had more than a thousand
inhabitants by 1336 britain's population
had risen to four and a half million
there were so many people surnames were
needed to better identify each other
french first names also became popular
no longer did parents call their
children alfreda and ethelred they used
names like alice and william however the
population of britain took a sharp fall
in the late 1340s when a plague the
black death
reached her shores the population fell
by possibly as much as
50 percent whilst this was a horrific
experience at the time the surviving
peasants found themselves in an
advantageous position there were now too
few of them to work their lord's lands
and as a result they could charge more
for their services or find another lord
who was willing to do so
in the southeast of england the nobility
together with their ten-year-old king
richard ii were faced with rebellion
when they attempted to halt these
changes
whilst the rebellion failed in its
short-term goals more and more peasants
became free from the bonds of serfdom
that would linger in some european
countries for hundreds more years to
come
this period begins with william of
normandy's conquest of england in 1066.
the norman set about great changes to
england through the doomsday book
the harrying of the north and the use of
the feudal system still the new english
nobility went to war with itself in the
1130s 12 10s and 1400s
one consequence of this was the magna
carta of 1215
another was the kingdom of scotland
managing to assert its complete
independence from england after the
battle of granickburn in 1314.
wales by contrast was incorporated into
england the arrival of the black death
in 1348 had a huge impact on britain and
led to the peasants revolt in 1381.
during this time england was often at
war with and scotland allied to
france the final civil war of this
period the war of the roses led to the
establishment of a new dynasty
the tudors
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