Medieval Period
1066-1500
1066—Normans in rule—1500
Christianity- CHRISTENDOM- the whole country
was united under one God
Danes and pagans were driven out of the country
Battle of Hastings- 1066
King Harold defeated by William the Conqueror
W the C- believed the throne was his
Strong central government put into effect
William was efficient, a ruthless soldier, and an able
administrator
Reigned for 21 years
Normans
Descendents of Vikings
Superb soldiers
Excellent administrators/lawyers
Great borrowers- lacked original ideas
They became the most powerful force in Europe!
One famous Norman King- Richard “the
Lionhearted”
Spent 5 months out of his 10 year reign in his
kingdom
Thomas a Becket- Archbishop of Canterbury
Murdered because he defended the claims of the
church against the King
Became a saint and a hero
Land divided as follows:
Feudal System
King
Overlord
Vassals- serfs
King deeds land to vassals- expecting obedience and
service in return
Elaborate chain of loyalties
MEDIEVAL CHURCH:
Latin- language of the Church
Language of all educated people
Every person was responsible to Church
No matter what kingdom, etc—they were all
sons/daughters of the Christian commonwealth
of Europe
Church grew and prospered
Continued to be dominant force in preserving and
transmitting culture
(Teaching, writing, translating, etc.)
It was Europe’s chief publisher, librarian, and teacher
Abbeys and monasteries- main centers of learning
Also immense farms and places to learn and
practice handicrafts
13th century- Oxford and Cambridge established
MEDIEVAL LIFE
Lived in country; attached to a feudal manor
As time progressed, farming less important than
herding
Wool from England- big commodity
This economic development changed the lives of
English
Wool industry
Now paid in wages, not labor
Growth of cities- many people lived here- not manors
New class of merchants
Guilds- merchants—assured fair wages/prices and
good standards of material and workmanship
Encouraged an extended family life
Guilds for stonecutters, masons, carpenters,
woodcarvers
Turned to other kinds of work- due to growth in
population
Period of Cathedrals
Salisbury
Winchester
Travel was difficult
Food- little variety
Austerity relieved by – religious festivals, pageantry
and tournaments
ENGLISH LAW
Written public documents
Common law- common to the whole country and all
its people
Law of Primogeniture- 1st born son gets exclusive
rights to inherit father’s titles, lands, and estates
Still the rule today
Matters of law settled by Ordeals:
Task- if you were successful, you were innocent
1215 Pope Innocent III- ordeals were irrational
Jury system started
1215 – Magna Carta- founded basic democracy
CRUSADES
Encouraged the ideal of true knightly behavior
CHIVALRY
1. loyal to the King
2. honorable
3. brave
4. protect women and weaker people
Joined with the idea of romance
100 Year’s WarEnglish monarchy never relinquished reign over
French possessions
1348- Black Plague- over 1/3 population died
Destroyed the feudal system
War of the Roses
House of York (white rose)
Vs.
House of Lancaster (red rose)
Feud broke out- civil war which lasted 30 years
1485- Ended when Henry VII united the families
through marriage
Founded Tudor Line
Medieval Literature
Romance- favorite form
Example- King Arthur and his knights (chivalry and
romance)
Folk Poetry and Drama:
Ballads- England and Scotland
Recited and sung in alehouses and firesides
Flourished in 14th and 15th century
Traits – refrains, music, all told stories, themes
Miracle Plays- based on biblical stories
Good vs. evil- characters played comically
Morality Plays- virtues and vices
Philosophy that life is a trial
Designed to test a man to see if he be good
Geoffrey Chaucer
England’s 1st printer
Claimed as “the father of English poetry” and the
father of the modern short story/novel
Came from a family of rising middle class
Mastered Latin, French, and Italian
Before 20- soldier in France
Courtier, diplomat, civil administrator, and
translator
Traveled to France/Italy – helped intellectual
development
Highly valued public servant
Buried at Westminster Abbey
2nd only to Shakespeare
He developed English
Wrote by trial and error
Spoke Middle English- speech of his day
Influence of French poetry and Italian in his work
1386- Canterbury Tales
Structure of a frame story
Pilgrimage to St. Thomas a Becket
3 partsPrologue
Description of 20 people
Retraction
Device of journey brings together persons of varied
occupations/social rank
Drew from 3 groupsFeudal, ecclesiastical, and urban
Each pilgrim
2 stories on the way
2 stories on the return
Died after writing 24 stories
Tone ranges form comical to ironic to satirical
Written in poetry, not prose
Rhymed pairs, 5 beat iambi lines- heroic couplet
Vocabulary is easy and informal