Developing society
Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
Performer - Culture & Literature
Marina Spiazzi, Marina Tavella,
Margaret Layton © 2012
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
1. Norman kings
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William I (1066-1087)
William II (1087-1100), called ‘Rufus’ because of
his red hair
Henry I (1100-1135), William Rufus’ brother
Stephen (1135-1154), Henry’s nephew and the
last Norman king
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
2. The House of Plantagenet
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Henry II (1154-1189), Henry I’s grandson
Richard I (1189-1199), the Lion-Hearted, third
son of Henry II
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John (1199-1216), the Lackland, fifth son of
Henry II
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Henry III (1216-1272), John’s son
Edward I (1272-1307), Henry III’s son
Edward II (1307-1327), Edward I’s son
Edward III (1327-1377), Edward II’s son
Richard II (1377-1399), Edward III’s grandson
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
3. Henry II: Control of Barons
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He destroyed all castles that
had been built illegally during
Stephen’s reign.
He hired mercenaries.
Knights could pay a sum of
money, the ‘scutage’, instead
of giving the king military
service.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
4.Henry II: the reform of justice
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The king regained control of the justice system by
creating travelling judges.
The law they administered was called
common law
The common law was used
everywhere and based on
local customs comparisons
and previous cases.
Performer - Culture & Literature
It was different from the law
administered in other parts of
Europe, linked to the civil law
of the Roman Empire and the
canon law of the Church.
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
5. Henry II and the Church
In medieval times the Church was very important.
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The clergy wrote documents
like receipts (showing you
had paid your taxes) or
contracts (when you sold
your land).
The most powerful
churchman in England was
the Archbishop of
Canterbury.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
5. Henry II and the Church
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Henry aimed at reducing the power
of the Church.
He appointed his friend Thomas
Becket as his Chancellor.
Once Archbishop of Canterbury,
Becket became an opponent of the
King, who claimed authority in
investing the bishops.
The conflict between the King and
Becket lasted for a long time until
Becket was murdered by four
knights sent by the King.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
5. Henry II and the Church
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Europe was shocked by the murder of Thomas
Becket.
After his death, Becket was made a saint, and
Canterbury Cathedral became a shrine for pilgrims
to visit.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
6. The Magna Carta
Events leading to the Magna Carta:
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King John became unpopular because:
- he lost French territories;
- he collected higher taxes to equal less income
coming from the loss of a great mass of the
French land.
In 1215 the barons
- refused to pay the scutage;
- conspired to resist the King;
- occupied London;
- made King John sign an important document, the
Magna Carta.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
6. The Magna Carta
The Magna Carta:
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promised freedoms to all
people;
protected the rights of ordinary
people;
gave England the basis of a
legal system;
promised to have good and fair
laws;
prevented any freeman from
being punished without a
proper trial.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
7. The birth of Parliament
From the earliest times, the kings of England
had assembled nobles and other important
subjects in the witan, or council, to advise them.
During the reign of Henry III assemblies were
summoned. They included:
- bishops;
- noblemen;
- knights of the shire;
- two representatives from the towns.
The transition from the king’s council to Parliament
was gradual. In 1295 the meeting of the king’s council
was known as ‘The Model Parliament’.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
7. The birth of Parliament
By the close of the 14th century Parliament had assumed
something of its modern form:
• it had been split into the House of Lords and the
House of Commons;
• the Commons had acquired a crucial role in taxation and
legislation.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
8. The Black Death, 1347-1350
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The Black Death was one of
the worst natural disasters
in history.
It was caused by fleas,
blood-sucking parasites,
living on rats which infested
the ship trading with Europe.
Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411)
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The dead littered the streets everywhere.
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Cattle and livestock roamed the country unattended.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
8. The Black Death, 1347-1350
The disease cycle
Fleas drank
rat blood that
carried the
bacteria
Performer - Culture & Literature
Bacteria
multiplied in
flea gut.
Fleas bit
human and
regurgitated
blood into
human
wound
Human
beings were
infected
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
8. The Black Death, 1347-1350
Consequences of the Black Death:
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High mortality rate: one third of England’s population
died.
Enormous economic and social effects:
labour was scarce;
wages rose;
prices dropped;
better living conditions of peasants left alive.
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
9. The War of the Roses,
1450-1500
Decline of the monarchy due to:
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expenses of the Hundred Years’ War
increasing power of the House of Commons
civil war fought by the two rival families
the House of Lancaster
Performer - Culture & Literature
the House of York
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
9. The Wars of the Roses,
1450-1500
Lancaster vs York
The House of Lancaster
The House of York
•Henry IV, Richard II’s
•Edward IV, son of the Duke of
cousin, 1399-1413
York, 1461-1483
•Henry V, 1413-1422
•Henry VI, 1422-1461
•Edward V, Edward IV’s son, 1483
•Richard III, 1483 - 1485
Performer - Culture & Literature
Developing society: Norman kings and the House of Plantagenet
9. The Wars of the Roses,
1450-1500
Main events of the war
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Henry VI was weak and Lancastrians became unpopular.
In 1461 he was confined to the Tower by the son of the Duke
of York, who seized the throne as Edward IV.
Edward V was murdered by his uncle Richard, Duke of
Glouchester, who crowned himself as Richard III.
Richard III was killed by Henry, Earl of Richmond, at the battle
of Bosworth in 1485.
Henry became Henry VII, the first king of the Tudor dynasty.
He married Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV.
Performer - Culture & Literature