Medieval Europe
c. 1066-1485
The Beginning
• Battle of Hastings in 1066
• Duke William of Normandy (France) defeated the last
Anglo-Saxon king, Harold.
• William wanted to rule rather
than
destroy.
• Anglo-Saxon property
was divided
among
William’s followers
• First tax system created
Bilingual England
• After the Battle of Hastings,
French became the official
language of government, law,
education, and upper-class life.
• Middle English continued to be
spoken by the lower and
middle classes.
• For about three hundred years,
England was a bilingual
country.
The Feudal System
• The king owned all of the land.
• ~ 25% of land was granted to the
church
• ~55% of the land was granted to the
nobles
• The nobles and the church would
grant land to lower-ranking freemen
who would promise knights when
needed
• Peasants would work the land and
provide food and pay taxes
The Church
• Roman Catholic Church
• Preached a common set of beliefs and
values
• The Church had its own taxes, laws, and
land
• Could strongly influence the king
• The Church would accept gifts and
money in return for guaranteeing a
person a place in heaven or favors.
• Opposing the church resulted in
excommunication = going to hell.
The Crusades 1095-1291
• Holy wars= Christians vs. Saracens (Muslims)
• The purpose was to rescue holy places (primarily Jerusalem)
from the Muslims
• Crusaders received indulgences (forgiveness) for past sins.
• Total of 9 crusades: the first 5 had the blessing of the
reigning Popes.
Chivalry and Courtly Love
• Was a system of ideals and social codes
governing the behavior of knights
• Stressed honor, courage, and courtesy
• “Moved” the rough medieval knight from
the status of warrior to that of gentleman.
• Created by the Church to set rules for the
“game” of war.
Courtly Love
• Courtly love was, in its ideal form, nonsexual.
• Brought about an idealized attitude toward women
• Did little to improve their actual position.
• A noble or upper-class woman’s value remained tied to
the value of the lands she brought to a marriage.
– Most marriages were arranged
– Women were still dominated by the male members
of their family.
Medieval Romance
• Gallant love, chivalry, and heroism were portrayed
in the King Arthur stories
• English writer, Sir Thomas Malory, later re-told the
French versions of the stories in Middle English
– Le Morte d’Arthur
– The book was printed just weeks before the last
real battle with knights
Vernacular and Secular Literature
• Secular: non-religious literature
(chronicles and miracle plays)
• Vernacular: Literature written in the
common language
– Middle English
The Black Death
• The Black Death, or bubonic plague, struck
England in 1348 and continued to reappear.
• Highly contagious and spread by fleas from
infected rats,
• Reduced the nation’s population by up to 1/2.
• The Black Death caused a labor shortage,
leading to the serf’s freedom, women in the
work-force and an end of feudalism.
The Hundred Years’ War
1337-1453
• Two English kings (Edward III and Henry V) claimed to be
the heirs to the throne of France
• Joan of Arc: 16 year old girl who
fought on the side of France
with several victories. Claimed
visions from God.
• The war resulted in new
weaponry and war tactics
A New England
• The English lost the Hundred Years’
War with France
• By the war’s end the yeoman (small
landowners) had replaced the knights
in armor.
• With this emergence of the yeoman
class, modern, democratic England
was born.
Language and Literature
• English became the primary language (late 1300’s)
– The Hundred Years’ War created a feeling of patriotism
– The majority of people spoke English
• Geoffrey Chaucer –
– father of English literature
– Wrote Canterbury Tales
• William Caxton
– brought the printing press to England
– This helped spread English.
Focus Question 1
• What were some of the effects of the Battle of Hastings
on the Anglo-Saxons?
– Lost their property
– First tax system was created
– French became the language of government, education, and the
upper-class
– French intermingled with the vernacular
– England was bilingual for 300 years
– Women were subjugated by men
Focus Question 2
• Describe the Church in the Middle Ages and the role
that it fulfilled.
– Roman Catholic
– Sanctioned the first 4 crusades
– Owned a large amount of land and property
– Imposed its own taxes and fees
– Had a strong influence over the king
– The Church was very corrupt: gave indulgences or forgiveness in
return for money, gifts or favors
Focus Question 3
• What was the role or position of upper-class women
in society?
– Seen as property to be married off to form alliances
– Her value was based off of the lands she brought to the marriage
– Must remain pure and chaste
– Women were under the control of their fathers and then their
husbands
– Received little to no academic education
Focus Question 4
• During the Middle Ages, what were some events that had a
great impact on England?
– The Black Death or Bubonic Plague
– The introduction of the printing press
– The Battle of Hastings
– The Crusades
– The Hundred Years War
– English becoming the official language
– The end to feudalism
Focus Question 5
• Describe the different types and genres of literature
as well as the important authors of the Middle Ages.
– Secular: chronicles and miracle plays
– Vernacular literature: Ballads and folk epics
– Medieval Romances
– Sir Thomas Mallory – Le Morte D’Arthur
– Geoffrey Chaucer – Canterbury Tales