The Middle Ages Class Notes
The Middle Ages
-
-
-
William the Conqueror was the illegitimate son of the previous duke of Normandy (in
France).
o William’s cousin Edward the Confessor was King and died childless.
o Harold, the earl of Wessex, was crowned the new king.
October 1066: a battle near Hastings, England changed the course of history
o William of Normandy (France) defeated and killed King Harold of England (the
last Anglo-Saxon King)
o Norman’s conquest affected English history, English character, & English
language
William claimed the throne as his and sailed the English Channel with an army.
William wanted to rule, not kill, the Anglo-Saxons. Today we find a mixed culture and
language between the Normans and the Anglo-Saxon elements in England.
Normans brought administrative abilities, emphasis on law & order, and cultural unity.
Anglo-Norman entity had not only a new culture, but also a new language (French) and a
new social system (feudalism).
Feudalism and Knighthood
-
Feudalism was based on religious concepts: God was the supreme overlord.
o The King could stand at the top of the pyramid and appoint certain people to give
them land in return for their economic or military allegiance.
o Primary duty for males was military service
 They were trained at an early age to become warriors
 When completed, the men were “dubbed”, ceremonially tapped on the
shoulder
 They became a “knight” with the title of “sir”.
Women in Medieval Society
-
Women had no political rights in a system that was primarily military.
o Women were always subservient to men
 Her husband’s or father’s social standing determined the amount of
respect she received in society.
o Poor women (peasants) lived a life of constant child bearing and housework.
o Women of higher stature supervised the household.
 Some would manage their husband’s affairs while they were at war, but
the moment the husband returned, the woman would give up her control.
Chivalry
-
-
Chivalry was a system of ideals and social codes that governed the behavior of knights
and gentlewomen.
o Took oaths of loyalty and honor (such as never attacking an opponent)
o Adoring a woman was seen as a means of self-improvement.
Central aspect: revering and acting in the name of a lady would make a knight braver.
o This type of “courtly love” allowed men to glorify their ladies in battle by being
inspired and strengthened from her love.
-
o Courtly love was entirely nonsexual
Chivalry put women (ladies) on a pedestal, but did nothing to change their position in
society.
Chivalry helped evolve the genre of romantic literature.
New City Classes
-
-
Medieval society was centered around the feudal castles.
o When the population grew in England, people began to live in cities and towns
built around the castle grounds.
o There were three city “classes”; lower, middle, and upper-middle.
o The emerging merchant class had its own tastes in the arts and had the ability to
pay for what it wanted.
Medieval art was from the middle class (“the people’s art”)
The people’s point of view or opinions were expressed through ballads
The Great Happenings
-
Several specific events radically influence the course of English history and literature:
o The Crusades (1095-1270): a series of wars waged by European Christians
against the Muslims for control of Jerusalem and the Holy Land (seen as a prize)
o Exposure: the Crusades caused Europeans to be exposed to the Middle East’s
sophisticated civilization, including Eastern mathematics, astronomy,
architecture, and crafts.
o Martyrdom of Thomas a Becket: the Pope was very powerful politically at
this time. King Henry had many disputes with the with the church.
 There was public outrage when King Henry allowed one of his knights to
kill one of Henry’s advisors who often sided with the Pope.
 This advisor’s name was Thomas a Becket, killed in 1170.
 This led to a political set back that allowed corruption to run unattended
in the church and government.
 Despite all of this, the church remained to be a unifying factor to the
people at this time.
o The Magna Carta: the “Great Charter” signed by King John in 1215 was
strongly backed by the Pope and eventually became the basis for English
constitutional law.
 King John was forced to sign the document by English barons.
 Signing the document was a defeat for central papal power
o The Hundred Years’ War (1137-1453): First national war, as England
declared war on France.
 The war was based on claims to the throne of France by two English kings
 Militarily, this war was unsuccessful for the English
 The yeoman class (small landowners) formed the main group of the
English army in France.
 This is the first time where England saw themselves as “British” rather
than “Anglo-Saxon”
The End of an Era
-
Development of a monetary system and gunpowder contributed to the changes in
medieval England.
o Crusaders needed money that would be accepted abroad, so they used gold coins.
 This revived the English economy
o Guns and gunpowder changed the chivalric tradition of hand-to-hand combat.
 Gunpowder was introduced to England in 1325.
o As a result of the end of the feudal age, the middle class was able to develop and
revolutionize the country’s social and economic systems.
The Black Death
-
The Black Death was a disease that hit England in the year 1348. It was highly contagious
and spread by fleas.
Over time, the Black Death killed off 1/3 of all of England’s inhabitants.
Symptoms of the disease included: blotches, hardening of glands under the armpit or
groin, swellings, tumors, delirium, and insanity.