The Battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror

The Battle of Hastings (1066):

William, Duke of Normandy, invaded England and defeated Harold’s forces at
the Battle of Hastings. Harold was killed during the battle, and William took
control of England.
William’s Acts of Power:

1. Military Control: He was crowned King of England, marking the first act of
military domination. To secure his control, he covered the land with castles.

2. Fiscal Control: He appointed officials to conduct a survey, which resulted in

the creation of the Domesday Book, a comprehensive fiscal record.

The Domesday Book (Fiscal Survey):

Recorded people, animals, and properties for taxation purposes.

Ensured that no one could escape his control.

Allowed William to redistribute land or impose taxes.

Who Was William?

Title: Duke of Normandy

Nickname: “The Bastard” because he was the illegitimate son of Robert I,

Duke of Normandy.

He had an indirect claim to the English crown but was kept on the margins
of power.

After conquering England, his nickname changed to “William the

Conqueror”.

The Claimants to the English Throne in 1066:

There were three contenders for the English crown:

1. Harald Hardrada: King of Norway (the Viking claimant)

2. Harold Godwinson: The Anglo-Saxon claimant

3. William of Normandy: The Norman claimant

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 (Note: There are two Harolds: Harold Hardrada, the Viking, and Harold
Godwinson, the Anglo-Saxon.)

William’s Coronation and its Significance:

William was crowned King of England at Canterbury Cathedral.

He chose Canterbury Cathedral (instead of Parliament) because monks had

been there since the 5th century, long before the Viking invasions.

Why Did William Choose the Archbishop of Canterbury to Crown Him?

To gain the support of the Pope.

He was imitating Charlemagne, who had been crowned by the Pope in

Rome on Christmas Day in 800 AD.

Since the Pope was unavailable, William chose the most important
archbishop in England.

William’s Rule and Castles:

William was a fierce ruler who burned villages to send a message of power,
especially in the northern regions where Viking settlements existed.

Castles were built to:

1. Guarantee control over the land

2. Provide military defense

3. Establish a stronghold for his rule

🛡️ William’s Rule: Power and Castles

Harsh Rule: William used terror to suppress revolts, especially in the North,
burning villages and crops in the Harrying of the North.

William the Conqueror crushed rebellions through campaigns of

destruction, including burning villages.

Economic Collapse: It took at least 20–30 years (a generation) for the

northern economy to recover.

Castles as Symbols of Power:

Built castles for military control and defense.

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 Examples of castles built by William that still stand today:

🏰 Tower of London (London)

🏰 Dover Castle (Kent)
🏰 Windsor Castle (Berkshire)
🏰 Warwick Castle (Warwickshire)
Social Organization Under William: The Feudal System
William introduced feudalism from France to England, replacing the old
Anglo-Saxon system.

Under feudalism, land and power were granted based on loyalty, not
bravery in battle.

The feudal system followed a strict order of inheritance.

William claimed that his authority came from God and demanded loyalty
through the feudal oath of fidelity.

Before William: Land was distributed based on courage in battle.

After William: Land was distributed based on loyalty and service (vassalage).

Key aspects of the feudal system:

1. King: Owned all the land and granted it to nobles (vassals) in exchange
for loyalty.

2. Nobles: Governed large estates (fiefs) and provided knights for military
service.

3. Knights: Protected the land and served the nobles.

4. Peasants (serfs): Worked the land in exchange for protection.

How Did William Reward His Knights?

After his victory at Hastings, William confiscated land from Anglo-Saxon
nobles and redistributed it to his Norman knights, granting them fiefs
(land parcels) in exchange for military service.

📖 Glossary of Key Terms:

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 Vassalage: A system where a vassal swears loyalty to a lord in exchange
for land or protection.

Fief: A piece of land granted by a lord to a vassal in exchange for loyalty

and military service.

Fealty: A vassal's sworn loyalty to their lord.

Domesday Book: A comprehensive record of land ownership and

resources for taxation

The Domesday Survey:

William appointed officials to travel across England and record every
person, animal, and piece of property.

The information was used to impose taxes or seize property.

The survey results were compiled into the Domesday Book, known as the
“Book of Judgment.”

🏰 The Clash Between Crown and Church: Thomas Becket

During the reign of Henry II (1154–1189), a power struggle emerged
between the Crown and the Church, which had gained significant influence
through the feudal system.

Thomas Becket (1118–1170), Archbishop of Canterbury, opposed Henry II’s

attempts to control the Church.

Becket spent six years in exile in France due to the conflict.

After returning to England, he was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral on

the king's orders.

Becket became a martyr and was later canonized (made a saint) by the
Roman Catholic Church.

🦁 Richard the Lionheart (1189–1199)

Richard I, known as Richard the Lionheart, was the eldest son of Henry II.

He became a legendary figure for his courage and charm.

Key events of his reign:

1. Third Crusade: He fought in the Holy Land against Saladin.

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 2. Conflict with France: Defended his territories from Philip II of France.

He died in France while besieging a castle.

📜 The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) – Key Points:

Cause: War began in 1337 when Edward III of England claimed the French
throne through his maternal lineage (grandson of Philip the Fair of France).

Major Battles & Leaders:

🏆 1415 – Battle of Agincourt: A significant English victory led by Henry

V (1413–1422).

💥 French Counterattack: Under Henry VI (1422–1471), the French,

inspired by Joan of Arc ("pucelle d'Orléans"), achieved major
victories.

Plague Impact: ⚠️ The war was disrupted by the Black Death (1348–1351),
which killed 3.2 million people in England (30–60% of the population).

Outcome: By 1453, the English were driven out of France, retaining only
Calais.

Languages Spoken in the British Isles Before the Norman

Conquest:
Latin: Used primarily in writing.

Celtic Languages: Spoken by native inhabitants.

Old English: Written thanks to King Alfred in the 9th century.

Danish/Norse: Introduced by Viking settlers.

Languages Introduced by William the Conqueror:

Norman French: Written language of administration and law.

Continental French: Used by the educated elite.

Impact on Anglo-Saxon: Old English ceased as a written language and

evolved into dialects.

Legal Language: All laws were recorded in Latin.

Monastic Language: Monks spoke Latin as an international language.

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 French Influence: Norman French merged with Old English, forming Middle
English.

Notes on King John and the Magna Carta:

1. Background:

Feudal System: Society structured with the King at the top, barons in the
middle, and peasants at the bottom.

Barons: Wealthy landowners who received land from the King in

exchange for loyalty.

Peasants: Rented land from barons and worked the land.

King’s Authority: Based on divine right, supported by the Pope and

Archbishop of Canterbury.

2. The Plantagenet Dynasty:

Henry II: Built a vast empire, expanding into France.

Marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine: Added Aquitaine to his territories.

Children: William, Henry, Matilda, Richard, Geoffrey, Eleanor, Joan, and

John.

3. Richard the Lionheart (Henry’s Son):

Became king after Henry II.

Spent most of his reign on crusades and battles in France.

Died (1199): Wounded during a siege in Châlus, France.

4. King John’s Reign (1199–1216):

Became king after Richard’s death.

Inherited: A large empire and many problems.

5. Challenges during John’s Reign:

France: Conflict with King Philip II, who wanted to claim English territories
and install his son Prince Louis as king.

The Pope (Innocent III): Dispute over appointing Stephen Langton as

Archbishop of Canterbury.

John opposed Langton’s appointment.

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 Pope placed England under interdict (no religious services for 5 years).

John gave in, paid a large tribute, and accepted Langton as Archbishop.

6. Conflict with the Barons:

Reasons for Rebellion:

1. High taxes to fund wars.

2. Loss of English territories in France (especially after defeat at the Battle

of Bouvines, 1214).

3. John’s harsh treatment of barons and abuse of power.

The Barons’ Actions:

Rebelled and captured London.

Considered offering the English crown to Prince Louis of France.

7. The Magna Carta (June 15, 1215):

Location: Runnymede (neutral territory).

Outcome: John was forced to sign the Charter of Liberties (later called
Magna Carta).

Limited the king’s power.

Guaranteed certain rights to barons.

John’s Response:

Secretly asked the Pope to annul the charter.

Pope declared the charter invalid.

8. The First Barons’ War (1215–1217):

John waged war against the rebel barons.

Siege of Rochester Castle: John destroyed the bridge and captured the
castle after 7 weeks.

Prince Louis of France landed in England and was declared king by the
barons.

9. King John’s Death (October 1216):

Fled to Lincoln but fell ill with dysentery.

Lost his royal treasures crossing The Wash (a tidal marshland).

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 Died in Newark.

10. Succession:

John’s son, Henry III, became king at a young age.

Crowned with a simple gold ring due to the loss of the royal treasures.

Magna Carta (1215) – Summary Notes:

When: June 15, 1215.

Where: Runnymede.

Who: King John and 40 rebellious barons.

Why: To limit the king’s power and secure baronial rights.

Aftermath:

Annulled: Pope Innocent III invalidated it 10 weeks later, leading to civil war.

Legacy: Reissued after John’s death. The 1297 version became part of
English law.

Key Principles:

Due Process: No one can be punished without a fair trial (“lawful judgment
of peers”).

Equal Justice: Justice cannot be sold, denied, or delayed.

Chivalry included loyalty to one’s sovereign, courage in battle, and absolute

devotion to a lady, often expressed through heroic quests.

Cultural Legacy: Modern concepts such as the 'gentleman,' good manners,

courtesy towards women, and the belief in love’s supreme importance trace
back to chivalric ideals.

Summary of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table:

Origins and Context: King Arthur, a legendary British leader, emerged from
Celtic oral traditions, later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chrétien
de Troyes with themes of chivalry and magic.

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 Rise to Power: Son of Uther Pendragon and Igraine, Arthur became king by
pulling the sword from the stone, guided by Merlin and wielding Excalibur.

Camelot and the Round Table: Arthur’s court symbolized justice and unity,
with knights like Lancelot, Galahad, Gawain, and Percival exemplifying
chivalric virtues.

Holy Grail Quest: The Grail represented spiritual enlightenment. Galahad

achieved it through purity, Percival grew spiritually, and Lancelot failed due
to his sins.

Love and Betrayal: Lancelot’s affair with Queen Guinevere fractured the
Round Table, leading to internal conflict and weakening Arthur’s rule.

Mordred’s Treachery and Fall of Camelot: Arthur’s final battle against his
traitorous nephew Mordred ended with both their deaths, marking the fall of
Camelot.

Legacy: The Arthurian legend continues to inspire literature, from Le Morte

d’Arthur to modern adaptations in films and TV series.

Summary of Medieval Ballads:

Definition and Origin: Medieval ballads are short, anonymous narrative
poems or songs passed down through oral tradition, often adapting to local
cultures.

Themes: Most ballads feature tragic events, such as murder or death, and
some include supernatural elements.

Subjects: Ballads often center on legendary or romantic figures, such as

Robin Hood, while others, particularly Scottish ballads, recount historical
events in a simplified, memorable form.

Summary of Medieval Drama:

Types of Drama: The two main forms were:

Mystery Plays: Based on Bible stories, performed by local guilds on

mobile or fixed stages.

Morality Plays: Allegorical dramas depicting the struggle between good

and evil, with personified virtues and vices.

Origins: Rooted in Christian liturgical ceremonies, such as the Mass and

religious festivals like Christmas and Easter.

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 Cultural Context:

Written in English, not Latin, due to the rise of the middle class, urban
growth, and the formation of guilds.

Performed by ordinary citizens, with guilds sponsoring plays reflecting

their trades (e.g., carpenters staging Noah's Ark).

Notable Example: Everyman, a classic morality play, where characters like

Death, Knowledge, and Strength guide the protagonist’s moral journey.

Medieval Literature

Ballads

Arthurian Cycle

Drama: Mystery plays, Miracle plays, Morality plays

In England, a French-speaking language predominated due to Norman

influence. Following the Hundred Years' War, England lost all its French
territories. King John of the Plantagenets, nicknamed "Lackland," was a key
figure in this era.
Middle English emerged from a mix of Old English, Norman, and French. When
the Normans arrived in England, they imposed their language, blending with
Old English and Celtic influences. The shift towards Middle English began at
this time.
After the Hundred Years' War, England faced significant losses, and the
population was decimated by the Black Death in the 14th century, which
affected roughly a third of the population. Many of the affected were peasants,
leading to social and economic shifts. As the lower class began to emancipate
slowly, they mixed Old English with French and Norman.
The demand for literacy among the lower class increased, with many wishing to
read sacred texts like the Bible. Middle English literature included writings of
saints, hagiographies, and popular literary works.
The Arthurian Cycle—originating in Latin, French, and English—tells tales of
knights and ladies. The cycle appears in noble and popular versions across
different cultures. Writers like Chrétien de Troyes wrote these tales in French,
and later versions were translated into Norman and Continental French. By the
late 1400s, Sir Thomas Malory organized the Arthurian stories into
chronological order.

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 Drama in the Middle Ages originated in church settings with religious plays
about the Crucifixion. As time progressed, performances moved outside the
church to public squares, often presented on carriages that traveled around
cities. These plays were performed in Middle English and no longer in Latin.

Mystery Plays: Focused on biblical events.

Miracle Plays: Focused on the lives of saints.

Morality Plays: Taught moral lessons without direct biblical references. The
protagonist typically represented humanity, with the narrative focused on
vices and virtues.

Drama eventually faded due to the growing disapproval of the Church, which
felt it was inappropriate and often immoral. For centuries, there were no major
theatrical performances, but later, minstrels and jugglers began to perform in
the streets.
The pageant tradition began in the 12th century, with processions and biblical
reenactments. By the 13th century, dramatic representations of sacred events
became more elaborate, sometimes with humorous elements. These plays
evolved into a more public and professional form of theater.
Geoffrey Chaucer, considered the father of English literature, was influenced
by Italian writers like Boccaccio. His major work, The Canterbury Tales, was
written in English and is inspired by Boccaccio's Decameron, where a group of
people escaping the plague tell stories to pass the time. Chaucer's writing is
typically divided into three phases: the French phase, the Italian phase, and the
English phase.
Chaucer came from a family of wine traders and rose to prominence, serving in
various roles, including as a soldier during the Hundred Years' War and a
diplomat. His works reflect his broad cultural influences, mixing French, Italian,
and English literary traditions.
Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, named by the publisher, was an important
work in the Arthurian genre. The title, which is grammatically incorrect in
French, was used to elevate the prestige of the text. Malory's work would
become one of the most enduring versions of the Arthurian tales.

This period in literature reflects the deep cultural shifts in England, from the
introduction of new languages and the rise of the knightly class to the influence
of plague and warfare on society.

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 Chaucer as the father of English literature:

Influenced modern English literature through The Canterbury Tales

Used Middle English, marking a shift towards modern English

Engaged in medieval society's political and cultural life

Chaucer's role in medieval society:

Born to a wealthy merchant family

Worked as a page, diplomat, customs official, judge, and MP

Participated in the Hundred Years' War

Chaucer’s diplomatic missions to Italy:

Exposed to Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio

Helped bring Italian literary culture to England

Chaucer’s most famous works:

The Canterbury Tales (main work)

Troilus and Criseyde (precursor to the modern novel)

Translated Le Roman de la Rose and wrote dream-vision poems like The

Book of the Duchess

Plot Overview:

The Canterbury Tales is a collection of 24 verse tales told by pilgrims

journeying to St. Thomas Becket's shrine in Canterbury.

The pilgrims begin their journey at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, London,
where the host promises a free supper to the best storyteller.

Chaucer himself is one of the pilgrims, telling two stories.

Pilgrimages in the Middle Ages:

Pilgrimages were common to sacred sites like Rome, Santiago, and

Canterbury.

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 Pilgrims sought to worship saints, obtain relics, or perform penance, though
the journey could be dangerous.

Chaucer's Wife of Bath had visited many shrines, including Jerusalem.

Canterbury’s Importance:

Pilgrims traveled to Canterbury to worship at St. Thomas Becket’s shrine,

which was destroyed in 1538.

Frame of the Work:

The tales are told during a pilgrimage, a common literary device.

The structure was influenced by Dante’s Divine Comedy and Boccaccio’s

Decameron.

Characters:

The pilgrims represent the three estates of medieval society: nobles, clergy,
and common people.

Notable pilgrims include the Knight, Monk, Wife of Bath, and Clerk, with
Chaucer himself among them.

Link to the Real World:

Some characters are based on real people, such as the Host of the Inn and
the Cook.

Chaucer mentions real places like Deptford and Greenwich.

Contemporary Events:

Events like the Black Death and Peasant's Revolt are briefly mentioned.

Realism is combined with allegory, depicting both actual people and

medieval stereotypes.

Chaucer’s Innovations:

He helped establish the East Midland dialect as the literary standard.

Introduced iambic pentameter (five-stress lines) in English verse, setting

the foundation for future poetic forms.

Let me know if you need more details!

1. What does ‘shrine’ mean?

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 A shrine is a sacred place where relics are venerated or a religious event is
honored.

2. Why did medieval people go on pilgrimage?

To seek forgiveness, healing, fulfill vows or penances, or strengthen their

faith.

3. What’s the link between Thomas Becket and Canterbury Cathedral?

Thomas Becket was murdered at Canterbury Cathedral, and his tomb
became a pilgrimage site.

4. What were the most popular relics in that age?

Pieces of the cross, saints' bones or items, and Thomas Becket’s blood.

5. Why was it dangerous to go on pilgrimage?

Due to long journeys, the risk of being attacked by bandits, and diseases.

6. Where would pilgrims sleep along the way?

In monasteries along the pilgrimage routes, offering food, lodging, and
prayers.

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