The Medieval Period (1066-1485)
I. The Norman Conquest of England
A. In ________, the English King, ____________________________________, died.
1. His cousin, __________________, was crowned king.
2. However, their cousin, ________________________ of _________________
also wanted the throne.
a. Invaded England in September of 1066
b. Defeated Harold in ________________________________________
B. The Normans left a terrible mark on the English people.
1. They killed most of the English nobility.
2. They also divided the country into estates, or ________________, ruled by
____________.
II.
Anglo-Norman Literature
A. The Norman Conquest also deterred the continuation of the ___________ language.
1. English became a language of the ______________________.
2. High-borns only spoke ____________.
3. Production of literature came to a near stand-still.
a. __________ continued to produce some writings
b. Commoners continued to compose __________ in English
c. Very little of this material survives today
B. Most literature produced during this time period was written in ____________.
1. Literature tended to be __________________ and no-nonsense.
2. Much of it consists of ______________________________ geared towards
________________________________ rather than ___________________.
C. The most important literary technique introduced during this time was the
__________________________.
1. Replaced Anglo-Saxon verse almost overnight.
2. Became the primary form of ____________ in England.
D. By the middle of the ______________________, England lost ________________
and severed ties with ____________.
1. The upper class began using English again.
2. By the end of the century, ______________ was once again the
________________________________of the nation.
III. The Organization of Medieval Society
A. William the Conqueror introduced the political system of ____________________
to England.
1. All ________ and ____________ belonged to the king.
2. The king granted land to the ____________. These men had to:
a. ________________________ and __________ for the king
b. __________________ to support the court
3. Barons granted land to __________________________.
4. The lowest members of society were the peasants, or __________.
a. They __________ and ____________ on the nobles’ land
b. Could not _____________________________ or __________
without permission
c. Barely ______ and suffered from ______________
d. Gave almost all of their earnings to their lords
B. Feudal society was based on the hierarchy of _____________________ or servitude.
1. Higher powers provided ____________________________ for lower powers.
2. Lower powers provided ____________________________ for higher powers.
IV. The Influence of the Church
A. The Catholic Church had tremendous ____________ and __________.
1. Countless grand ________________ were built in the new
____________________ and ____________ styles.
2. Many religious leaders also served as ________________________________.
a. Political leaders and clergymen often quarreled.
b. The most famous example was the murder of
___________________________________________by the king’s men
B. Much of medieval literature deals with religious subjects and themes.
1. One common theme is memento mori.
a. This means __________________________________
b. Death comes without warning, so people must prepare for the afterlife
2. Another theme is contemptu mundi.
a. This means _______________________________________________
b. The world is an evil place, and people can only be saved through
righteousness
3. People also went on religious ______________________, or journeys to
sacred places, which were often the subject of stories and poems.
C. From the 11th to 13th Centuries, the Church sponsored a series of ______________.
1. These __________________ were fought in hopes of recapturing
__________________ from the __________________________.
2. Christians from all over Europe fought in the Crusades
a. Brought back with them ______________ and ___________ literature
b. Specifically, this ____________ tended to idealize __________
V.
Romance, Chivalry, and Courtly Love
A. The ________________ and devotion to _________________________________
contributed to the development of unique literature known as _______________.
1. We think of romances as love stories, but they are much more than that.
a. At their core, they are adventure stories
b. Dealt with ______________, ________________,
______________________, ____________, and ________ of knights
2. Portrayed the standards of knightly conduct known as ________________.
B. Romances present a series of adventures testing the knight’s ______________.
1. The trial may take the form of a quest, or _____________________________
_____________________________________________________________.
2. The most famous quest was for the ____________________, or the cup Jesus
used at the Last Supper.
3. Knights also frequently had to ____________ or _______________________
of fair maidens.
VI. Medieval Literature
A. Ballads are _________________________________________________________
___________ that served as entertainment for the __________________________.
1. Some recorded important historical events.
2. The most famous ballad of the period was the tale of ___________________.
B. Performed in ________________, ______________________________________
centered on __________ stories and ______________ lives.
1. Mystery plays __________________________________________________.
2. Miracle plays __________________________________________________.
3. Morality plays __________________________________________________.
VII. Political Developments in the Medieval Period
A. ________________ introduced a system of traveling ____________ whose rulings
made up ______________________.
B. Creation of legislative law, in the form of _____________________.
C. Henry’s successor, __________________, heavily taxed the people and was highly
unpopular
1. Forced to sign the ______________________ or “great charter”
2. This ________________ the power of kings and _______________________
the power of the people
D. In ________ the English people first demanded individual liberty and human rights
in _________________________________________.
1. Armed with ____________ and _______________, they marched on London.
2. The revolt ____________ and its leaders were ________________.
VIII. Social and Cultural Changes in the Medieval Period
A. The founding of ____________ and __________________ promoted learning.
B. A ________________________ of free merchants emerged, gathering around
__________ and processing ________ into __________.
C. In the mid __________, the bubonic plague, or ______________________, killed
______ of the population
IX. The End of the Medieval Period
A. From ________ to ________ England was torn by the ______________________
____________________ between two rivaling houses vying for the ____________.
B. The war ended when ______________________ defeated ___________________
of House __________________.