The Early Middle Ages

The Norman Conquest

Feudalism
Kingship
Magna Carta and the decline of feudalism

The Norman Conquest ,

1066.

The Norman Conquest

By 1086, twenty years after the

arrival of the Normans, only two
of the greater landlords and two
bishops were Saxon.
Over 4,000 Saxon landlords were
replaced by 200 Norman ones.

Feudalism

William organised his country

according to the feudal system.
The word feudalism comes from
the French word feu, which the
Normans used to refer to land held
in return for duty or service to
their lord. The basis of feudal
society was the holding of land,
and its main purpose was
economic.

Feudalism
King
Appointed to protect
and handle territory.

Lords
Appointed to
protect both the
lord and king

Knights
Appointed to work
the land

Serfs

Feudalism

Castle Rising in Norfolk, a fine

example of the stone-built keeps
the Normans built in the early
twelfth century.

The Doomsday Book

Kingship: a family business

When William died, in 1087, he left Normandy to his elder son, Robert.
He gave England to his second son, William, known as Rufus.
Henry I, the third son, was suspected to kill his older brother in order to take
over the throne.

Kingship: a family business

Four kings of the early Middle Ages
(Plantagenets):

Henry II
Richard I
John
Henry III

Kingship: a family business

Henry II, the grandchild of Henry I, was

the first unquestioned ruler of the
English throne for a hundred years.
As Count of Anjou he added his father's
lands to the family empire.
His sons were Richard I and John

Kingship: a family business

Richard I has always been one of

England's most popular kings,
although he spent hardly any time
in England.
His nickname Lionheart, shows
that his culture, like that of the
kings before him, was French.

Kingship: a family business

John was unpopular mainly because

of his greed.
In 1209 John quarreled with the pope
over who should be Archbishop of
Canterbury.
In 1215 John hoped to recapture
Normandy.
Outside London at Runnymede, John

Magna Carta

The king promised all freeman

protection from his officers, and
the right to a fair and legal trial.
Magna Carta was used by
Parliament to protect itself from a
powerful king.

Henry III
- The legend about Robin Hood originates from that period (Robert
or Robin was a wanted criminal in Yorkshire in 1230, his personality
caught peoples imagination)
- The nobles disliked Henry IIIs ruling, in 1258 they took over the
government and elected a council of nobles under the leadership of
Simon de Montfort. This was called a parliament, parlement (a
discussion meeting)

Edward I

In 1272. Edward I took the throne.

He rearranged the Parliament by sending for two representatives from
each shire and each town (what was about to come House of
Commons).
Edward I was famous for his fight with William Wallace in 1297 (depicted
in the film Brave Heart)
Exchequer of Jews the small Jewish community was lending money
to indebted knights, under royal protection; in 1290 they were forced to
leave the country
guilds brotherhoods of different kinds of merchants or skilled people