Chapter 7.2 The Rise of Kings
The Strengthening of the Monarchy
Factors that led to increase in royal power
Crusades had transferred much land from nobles to kings
Military changes
From feudal arrangement to standing armies
Armor-piercing weapons weakened effectiveness of knights
Royal courts offered better justice than feudal courts
Use of circuit judges
Royal currency
Enhanced prestige and PR
Face value higher than intrinsic value
Taxes paid in money rather than awkward in-kind payments
Charters for communes
Merchants paid taxes to king
Stronger merchant class = weaker noble class
Alliance with the church
Strengthened claim to the throne = divine right
The Capetians
Western part of Charlemagne’s HRE = Francia, or France
Normandy
On Atlantic Coast
Controlled by descendants of William the Conqueror
Brittany Just south of Normandy
Populated mostly by Celts
Anjou
Just south of Brittany
Home of Plantagenet kings of England
Flanders Just north of Normandy
Rich wool-weaving area, trade w/England
Champagne
Inland of Normandy
Rich agriculture
Famous fair
Burgundy
Just south of Champagne
Rich, independent
Toulouse In Languedoc, origin of Cathars
Aquitaine = Guienne
Atlantic coast, south France
Ile de France = Paris
Home of Capetians
Rise to power
Used courts to wrest influence away from nobles
Allied with the church
Abbot Suger
Bought out hereditary offices of nobles
distributed to efficient priests, merchants
from money gained from granting charters to communes
Plantagenets
Henry II
Son of Maud, Beauclerc’s daughter, William’s granddaughter
And Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou
Sometimes called Angevin dynasty
Subdued nobles like Capetians
Established a Common Law
Grand juries
Reported major crimes
Trumped feudal courts
Petit juries
Specifically for Property crimes
Property issues referred to king
Precedents
Knowing appeals would be made to Henry’s courts,
people began studying decisions of his courts
Common Law = precedents = statutes
Married Eleanor of Aquitaine to strengthen hold in France
Appointed friend Beckett archbishop to control church lands in England
Beckett supported the Pope
Beckett murdered, probably with some complicity of Henry II
Martyrdom of Becket
slowed the weakening of the Church in Eng.
First son Richard Ceour de Leon: folk hero
King John
Second son of Henry II, became king upon Richard’s death
Lost Normandy and Anjou to Philip Augustus
Tried to replace archbishop of Canterbury with his own candidate
Pope excommunicated England
John gave up much authority to Pope
Failed to assist Otto IV, HRE, in defeating Philip Augustus
Philip wins Battle of Bovines
Permanently weakens HRE
Gains upper hands in Western France over English kings
Enabled him to subdue Languedoc in Albigensian Crusade
Magna Carta
Weakened John forced to sign
Put king under review of Parliament
Major step in representative government
Parliament and Estates General
End of 13th century
Edward I (England)
Limited church lands (more taxes)
New land purchasers vassals to king
Subdued Scotland, Wales
Established Model Parliament
House of Lords: Bishops and Nobles
House of Commons: minor lords, merchants
Constitutional Monarchy: king with parliament as a check
Philip the Fair (France)
Inherited strong position from grandfather St. Louis
Had undermined church power because of his perceived saintliness
Subdued nobility
Built up Paris as national capital
Controlled church
Exercised lay investiture
Boniface VIII reacted
Claricos Laicos: clergy not to pay taxes
Unam Sanctam: pope had complete authority over church
Philip pressured College of Cardinals to elect French pope
Pope moved to France (Avignon)