Medieval England and
France
SOL WH1.
England
Formerly part of the Roman Empire
Settled by many groups of people, including Angles
and Saxons
Small, isolated island nation
Gradually becomes Christian
Medieval Europe
Crisis Over the Crown
1066 C.E.—King Edward
the Confessor died
childless
Conflict over who was to
be King of England
Harold Godwinson
Earl of Wessex
Most powerful noble in
England
Elected by the nobility
and crowned King of
England
Harold Hardrada
Viking warrior
King of Norway
Claimed Edward’s
predecessor had promised
him the crown
William the Conqueror
Duke of Normandy (area of
northern France)
Claimed he was promised
the crown of England by
Edward the Confessor
Invaded England in 1066
C.E.
The Norman Invasion
Battle between Harold Hardrada and Harold
Godwinson at York—Godwinson wins!
Battle of Hastings—William the Conqueror defeats
Harold Godwinson and becomes King
Blending of French and Anglo-Saxon cultures and
language
Reforming the Nation
William the Conqueror
Made every subject swear their
loyalty to him
Creates an effective system of
taxation
Henry II
Common law—legal system based
on custom and court rulings
Trial by jury
Magna Carta
King John of England abused his power and levied
heavy taxes = rebellion!
1215 C.E.—King John signed the Magna Carta (Great
Charter)
Established the Great Council (Parliament), which
made all decisions regarding money and taxes
Limited royal power
France
Founded by the
Franks—a tribe of
farmers and herders
from western Europe
Elected kings
Clovis, King of the
Franks conquered
Gaul in 486 C.E.
Converted to
Christianity
Age of Charlemagne
Conquered much of the
old western Roman
Empire
Named “Holy Roman
Emperor” by the Pope
The Church becomes a
powerful political force
The Carolingian Renaissance
Renaissance = rebirth
Under Charlemagne, a new age of learning and
education emerged
Brought scholars from across Europe to the Palace
School at Aachen
Literature, art, architecture, and the liberal arts
flourished
Division of France
France
Charlemagne’s son
Louis reunited France
987 C.E. – Hugh Capet
is elected King of
France
Slowly increased
territory and royal
power
The Hundred Year’s War
1337-1453 C.E. (116
years)
Edward III of England
claimed the French
crown
Mother had been a
French princess
Fought for control of the
English Channel
Joan of Arc
17 year-old French
peasant who believed
God had sent her to save
France
Led the French army in
battle
Served as an inspiration
to French troops
Captured and burned to
death by the English
An End to War
France
Used cannons to defeat
the English
The death of Joan of Arc
rallied the French army
Increased nationalism
(pride in one’s country)
Increased power of the
king
England
The longbow was an
efficient weapon early in
the war
Power shifted toward
Parliament
Lost all land in France
except Calais
Pictures - England
Medieval England
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/britain_settlement_600_1923.jp
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Edward the Confessor Stained Glass
http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/adversaries/bios/images/edward_confessor.jpg
Harold Godwnison Being Crowned
http://heraldictimes.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/image-4.jpg
Harold Hardrada
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Harold_bayeux_tapestry.png
William the Conqueror
http://www.essentially-england.com/images/william_1_from_bayeux_tapestry.jpg
English Flag
http://littlelakeview.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/english-flag.gif
Pictures - France
Clovis:
http://www.templaricavalieri.it/images/merovingi_clovis_I_di_francois_louis_dejuinne_museo_na
zionale_del_castello_e_di_trianons_versailles.gif
Charlemagne: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/nvaget/230/imagespre-MA/charlemagne.jpg
Carolingian France Map: http://www.historiasiglo20.org/MEC-BC/images/charlemagne1.jpg
Post-Charlemagne France: http://www.uoregon.edu/~kimball/images/0814.CharlemagneCWA.152.jpg
French Flag: http://www.clockworksky.net/cliveless_world/france_flag.png
Hundred Years’ War Cartoon: http://www.wordinfo.info/words/images/Eng-hist-20B-100-yrswar.gif
Hundred Years War Painting:
http://www.tustin.k12.ca.us/cyberseminar/soc/seven/hundredyearswar.jpg
Joan of Arc Statue, New Orleans: Personal Photograph