LECTURE 6.

THE NORMAN
CONQUEST.
THE MIDDLE AGES (TILL XIV
CENTURY)
PICTS, ANGLO-
ROMANS
CELTS SAXONS

DANES
A new round of invasions:

Ethelred (“Unready”, “without counsel”) – Danegeld, attempt to kill all

the Danes from previous invasions

Canute – England as part of an empire+ Denmark, Norway

Harold I Edward the Confessor

(“Harefoot”) (recalled from Normandy,
Westminster Abbey 1066,
dominance of Wessex earls –
Godwin and Harold)
No heirs 3 candidates to the throne:
-earl Harold (witenagemot – availability) ------ Harold II
-King Harold III of Norway (the Hard Ruler)
-Duke William of Normandy (William the Conqueror)

September 1066 – Harold II beats William- Stamford Bridge

October 14, 1066 – the battle of Hastings

William the Conqueror ᴪ

in Westminster at Christmas 1066
 1066 – a turning point:
- Vigorous new leadership
- Norman feudalism------ redistribution
of land among the conquerors
- New French aristocracy and social –
political structure
- England turns away from Scandinavia
for France (400 years on)
Anglo-Saxon words:
- be, break, jump, bring, come, know, last, new, rich, do, eat

Norman influx:
-government and administration: nation, people, royal, state, rebel,
noble, prince, peer
-legislation: court, judge
- military: navy, war, soldier, combat
- art: music, poet, romance, image, beauty, joy, poor, nice
- education: college, pen, paper
- trades: tailor, grocer
- religion: pray
75% - survived in NE
 William – hard ruler

Domesday Book Salisbury Oath Italian clergyman-

of allegiance --archbishop of
Canterbury (church reforms)
 William’s heirs

William II (“Rufus”) Robert Henry

- England -Normandy both in due time

Henry I (1068-1135)
1135-1154 – Civil war-------- royal
government collapsed ----------feudal barons
claim for independence------church extends its
authority
 MIDDLE AGES (after NORMAN CONQUEST - 1485)

Matilda’s son – Henry Plantagenet, count of Anjou----- Henry II

( since 1154)

- royal authority
- mercenaries banished
- private castles destroyed
- developed common law
- attempts to limit jurisdiction of church courts
- Empire: ≥ ½ France + lordship over Ireland and Scotland
RICHARD I = RICHARD the LIONHEART (1157-1199)
1215-

MAGNA
CARTA
(Great
Charter)
 HENRY III

-CULTIVATION, SHEEPING, WOOL

SALES
-LONDON+TOWNS- LOCAL SELF-
GOVERNING
-UNIVERSITIES ESTABLISHED
-MONSTERIES, ABBEYS, PARISHES
OXFORD UNIVERSITY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY
1249 1284
1220s –
friars,
quality of
preaching,
leading
scholars in
universities
 EDWARD I (1239-1307)
-royal control + reforms
-limit barons
-restrict vassals’ right to dispose
of land
-English common law
-Parliament!!! -------- 2 houses
-conquers Wales (north-west),
stone castles, adopts longbow,
oldest son –the Prince of Wales
(1301)no conquest of Scotland